Belfast Marathon: Over 5,700 to participate as event returns after two-year gap

With the Belfast race also doubling as the Irish Championship, Rio Olympian Mick Clohisey is among the entries

The Belfast City Marathon makes its return on Sunday after a gap of more than two years caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

Over 5,700 people will take part across the main event, team relay, 5km fun run and eight-mile walk.

That will make it Northern Ireland's largest mass participation sporting event since the pandemic began.

The event also doubles as the 2021 Irish Marathon Championship which has led to many entries from the south.

These include 2016 Rio Olympian Mick Clohisey who set his personal best of two hours 13 minutes and 19 seconds at the Dublin Marathon in 2019 when Stephen Scullion clinched the national title after finishing a brilliant second overall.

Scullion is not competing in his native city as he prepares for his challenge at the Boston Marathon in the US on 11 October.

But the presence of Raheny runner Clohisey and 47-year-old Gary O'Hanlon, who ran his personal best of 2:16.29 in the 2019 Dublin race, should hopefully ensure a decent pace in the men's race.

Gladys Ganiel goes into the women's race as the fastest in the field with her 2019 personal best of 2:36.40

Women's event could be very competitive

The women's event could be an even more competitive affair with North Belfast Harrier and Irish international Gladys Ganiel leading the entries on personal bests with her 2:36.40 clocking in Dublin two years ago.

City of Derry Spartans' Catherine Whoriskey may see Sunday's race as a chance to trim her personal best of 2:42.39 and also add a Belfast victory to a previous Walled City Marathon triumph in her native city.

However, the athlete to beat could well be Scottish-based Armagh woman Fionnuala Ross, who showed impressive form to clock 73 minutes and eight seconds at the recent Antrim Coast Half Marathon after taking nearly eight minutes off her marathon personal best in Cheshire earlier this year when posting a time of 2:39.58.

Bar Kilkeel athlete Laura Graham's 2017 triumph, African athletes have won every men's and women's race in Belfast since 2014 but ongoing Covid restrictions have meant that this year's event is essentially confined to Irish competitors.

Kenyan athlete Caroline Jepchirchir won the women's race in 2019 on the new course in a Belfast record of 2:34.55 with her compatriot Joel Kositany earning his fourth win in the Northern Ireland event as he triumphed in 2:17.09.

Sunday's race will again start from Stormont Estate which was in the case in 2019 when the event moved from its long time starting position in the city centre.

The action will get underway at 09:00 BST will all events finishing at Ormeau Park except for the fun run which will stay within the grounds of Stormont Estate.