Cardiff Half Marathon: City to host marathon after race success

Tens of thousands of people have taken part in the annual Cardiff Half Marathon - with organisers saying the city will host its own marathon in 2017.

About 17,000 people ran the 13.1-mile (21km) course through the city.

The event saw course records set in the men's and women's elite races.

Roads were closed and public transport diversions put in place as runners negotiated the course.

After the elite athletes finished, Run 4 Wales chief executive Matt Newman revealed Cardiff will host a marathon in April 2017, after the success of this year's half marathon.

In the men's race, Kenyan Shadrack Korir set a course record and a personal best of one hour and 54 seconds, while three-time Welsh half-marathon champion and Swansea Harrier Dewi Griffiths crossed the line in eighth place, with a time of 1:03:26.

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Kenyan Violah Jepchumba, 25, won the women's race in another race record time of 1:08:14, ahead of fellow Kenyan Flomena Daniel.

Ebbw Vale's Richie Powell comfortably won the men's wheelchair race in 1:02:41, with Gintare Gaigaliene winning the women's equivalent in 1:39:58.

Superheroes Mike Kallenberg (Robin) and Carwyn Jones (Batman) set a new Guinness World record for running a half marathon in costume - both crossing the line sub 71 minutes.

All closed routes in Cardiff were expected to reopen by 15:15 BST.

Organisers claim the event, which started at Cardiff Castle, is now the third largest UK road race behind the Great North Run and London Marathon.

Elite runners joined charity fundraisers and fun runners on the route which takes in many of the city's sights including the Cardiff Bay barrage, Wales Millennium Centre and Roath Park lake.

Thousands set off for the Cardiff Half Marathon

Runners at the Marlborough road 9-mile mark

Among those also taking part were three groups of women trained by former Wales rugby captain Gareth "Alfie" Thomas.

Their journey to the finish line will be documented in the BBC One programme Alfie's Angels.