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Marathon Continues to break records
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Competitors going past Belfast City Hall |
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Almost 14,000 people will take to the streets of Belfast this coming Bank Holiday Monday – for the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon.
Entry numbers are slightly up on last year’s 25th anniversary event, as the Marathon continues to grow and to smash records.
And another record could be broken on Monday (7 May) – that set by Belfast’s own Marty Deane more than two decades ago.
Kenya’s Stephen Ndungu returns again to defend his title, having produced an inspired performance just under 2 hours 17 minutes this time last year – just over a minute longer than Deane’s record-setting performance in 1985.
Ndungu will start this year’s event as favourite again, although he is unlikely to approach his personal best time of 2 hours 10 minutes when finishing runner-up in Los Angeles four years ago. However, he is unlikely to enjoy a repeat of his five minute winning margin as the evergreen John Mutai, also of Kenya, also will be taking the start line.
Forty-year old Mutai has proved that age is no barrier to success: three months ago he ran less than 2 hours 19 minutes time for a top 12 place in the Bombay Marathon. The 1999 Dublin Marathon winner is probably better known for his numerous top the finishing positions in the Great North Half Marathon Run - his most memorable performance being a world ranking sub-61 minutes win in 1999.
All in all, the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon should be a fascinating contest between the two Kenyans.
In the women’s event the field should be lead by Ethiopia’s Marashet Jumma, who recorded a respectable 2:38:4 for fourth place in Bombay in January. Her personal best of 2 hours 37 minutes should be sufficient to fend off the challenge of 20-year Ukrainian Kateryna Karmanenko, who was third in her National Championships last October in 2 hrs 46 minutes.
Race Manager, Seamus Rooney, expressed delight at the continuing huge interest in the various Marathon events. Last year, the 25th birthday event attracted almost 14,000 participants, including 1800 five person relay teams.
Seamus said:
“Entries for the Marathon and the Marathon Walk have increased again while the Relay and Fun Run are comparable to last year. The course changes we introduced last year proved a huge success. This year there will only be one minor change, with the event finishing at the Indoor Tennis Centre in Ormeau Park.”
The main Marathon, Marathon Relay, Marathon Walk and Wheelchair Marathon will start from the front of City Hall at 9am this coming May Day Bank Holiday Monday (7 May), with all events finishing in Ormeau Park. The Fun Run will start from the front of the City Hall at 9.20am, and also finish in Ormeau Park.
The Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon is sponsored by Belfast City Council, the Sport Northern Ireland, Up & Running, New Balance, bmibaby, U105, Tayto and Lindsay Cars.
It is organized by Belfast City Marathon Ltd., in partnership with Belfast City Council, the Northern Ireland Athletics Federation, Newtownabbey Borough Council, the Police Service, the Department for Regional Development, Sustrans and Translink.
The official charity of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon is the Down’s Syndrome Association.
For further details on this year’s Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon – including information on the route, pack collection, etc. – visit www.belfastcitymarathon.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
For further information, please refer media enquiries to:
Mark Ashby, Media Relations Officer, Belfast City Council
Tel: (028) 9027 0641 or 077 1114 1992
E: ashbym@belfastcity.gov.uk
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