Athletes All Set for the NI and Ulster Marathon Championship

03 May 2019

Athletes All Set for the NI and Ulster Marathon Championship

This year’s Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon on Sunday 5th May 2019, marks the 38th year of the event and will be the first time in recent years that there has been an NI & Ulster Championship Marathon.

It has been a record breaking year for entries, with approximately 5,000 entrants taking part. This year also marks the beginning of a new era for the Marathon, with the event moving to a Sunday and to a new, flatter course.

On the starting line there will be huge support from local athletes, including former Commonwealth Games athlete, Gladys Ganiel (North Belfast Harriers), who will be making her debut appearance at the event.

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Joining her will be Newcastle & District AC’s Mari Troeng, who ran her PB time of 2:59:18 at last year’s BMW Berlin Marathon; North Belfast Harriers’ Louise Smith, who finished 6th in last year’s Belfast City Marathon in a PB time of 2:53:26 and Gerrie Short (Beechmount Harriers) who holds a PB of 03:01:08 from 2018’s London Marathon. Among the other Northern Ireland ladies will be Liosa McKeown from Newry; Eimear McCracken (City of Lisburn AC) and Collette McCourt (Dub Runners).

On the start line for the Northern Ireland men will be Acorn AC’s Vincent McKenna who came 2nd in the 2018 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Half Marathon and gained his PB time of 2:31:39 at the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon in August. Stephen Wylie (Victoria Park & Connswater AC) is set to take part, with a PB time of 2:32:50.

The men will be joined by Willowfield Harriers’ Brian Kinsella; Pierce McCullagh (Sperrin Harriers); Gary Henderson (Armagh AC); Neil Weir (Willowfield Harriers) and Ben Morrow (Ballymena Runners).

In the Men’s Wheelchair event, Jim Corbett (Torque Racing Club) will be hoping to take the lead, against Karol Doherty, Paul Hannon and James Divin (City of Derry Spartans).

As always with the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon, runners take part for various reasons, some are celebrating and raising money for the various charity groups while others run to remember loved ones. Among those who are celebrating birthdays this year will be Robert Goldberg who will be making his marathon debut and marking his 50th birthday; Thomas MacPherson who will celebrate his 40th birthday and Paul White will be celebrating his 30th birthday.

We wish the best of luck to all those who take part in the Marathon, Walk, Fun Run and relays this year.

We ask that all Fun Runners please remember that your start line will be in Ormeau Park. All other entrants (Marathon, Walk & Relays) will be starting at the Stormont Estate.

For more information on the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon, please see here.