Laura Graham retains Irish Marathon title in Dublin

Laura Graham has run the Belfast, London, Berlin and Dublin Marathons in 2017

County Down athlete Laura Graham has successfully defended her Irish title at the Dublin Marathon.

In her fourth marathon of 2017, the Kilkeel runner was fourth overall in the women's race in a time of 2:39.06.

Having previously achieved the qualifying standard, Graham has now secured her spot at next year's European Championships in Berlin.

Bernard Rotich of Kenya won the men's event in 2:15.53 while 2015 winner Nataliya Lehonkova from Ukraine was the first woman in 2:28.57.

In May, Graham became the first woman from Northern Ireland to win the Belfast Marathon since 1999, and she has also completed the 26.2-mile distance in London and Berlin this year, achieving the qualifying standard for the European Championships with a time of 2:37.05 in Berlin.

Stephen Scullion from Belfast was the fourth Irish finisher - 13th overall - in the men's event with a time of 2:19.44, outside the 2:17.59 he ran in London in April.

Freddie Sittuk of the Raheny Shamrocks Athletic Club was crowned Irish men's national marathon champion while Paralympic athlete Patrick Monahan won the wheelchair race in a time of 1.49.55.