May Day marathon shapes up to be the biggest yet

Organisers of the 21st Belfast City Marathon are confident that this year's event will be the biggest and the most competitive in recent history.

With hundreds of entries flooding into the Belfast City Marathon office, it is anticipated that a record number of competitors will take to the streets of Belfast on Monday May 6.

Already, the number of entries received from female athletes has more than doubled compared with that from this time last year. The overall number of entries for the main marathon is almost 100 per cent up on the same period last year.

Boosting the race's profile is the news that the Athletic Association of Ireland (AAI) will hold their annual championships during the marathon.

Danny O’Connor, chairman of the organising committee, said: “This is a truly exciting year for the Belfast City Marathon. The decision by the AAI to hold its championships in Belfast for the first time is a tremendous vote of confidence in the event, and undoubtedly will sharpen the competitive edge of this year’s race.”

Mr O'Connor was also pleased at the award of a silver grade by the British Association of Road Races (BARR), making the event one of the premier road-running events in the UK. Belfast was one of only four races invited to be considered for the award.

Another major development has been a substantial increase in the prize money for female athletes, bringing them into line with their male counterparts. The first female athlete to complete the 26.2 miles will receive £2,000, and the prizes for the other leading female finishers have also increased.

Among the top international athletes who already have signed up is Wilson Cheriuyot, winner of the Belfast Millennium Marathon in May 2000 and runner-up in last year’s event. However, he will face stiff competition from fellow Kenyan Morris Muriithi Mwangi, as well as the one of strongest fields of local athletes to have taken part in the event in recent years.

Top of the local list are Northern Ireland’s top long-distance runners, Alan McCullough, who will be looking to improve on last year’s fourth place finish, and David Brady, who followed his fellow North Belfast Harrier home in fifth place in 2001.

The 21st Belfast City Marathon, sponsored by Belfast City Council and the Ulster Pork and Bacon Forum, takes place on May 6 2002. The official charity for the 21st Belfast City Marathon is ChildLine Northern Ireland.

(GMcG)