Belfast Marathon: Mohamed Oumaarir and Shewaye Woldemeskel secure victories
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Oumaarir and Woldemeskel secure victories in Belfast City Marathon
Morocco's Mohamed Oumaarir secured victory in the Belfast Marathon men's race while Shewaye Woldemeskel of Ethiopia won the women's event.
Oumaarir crossed the finishing line in two hours 22 minutes 54 seconds and he was followed in by Welshman Adam Bowden in 2:23:26.
Race favourite and 2017 winner Bernard Rotich clocked 2:26:03 in third.
Woldemeskel eased to victory in 2:37:20, four minutes clear of local runner Gladys Ganiel.
Ethiopia's Gadise Negasa was third in the women's race with a time of 2:44:24.
Commonwealth Games athlete Ganiel won the women's race last year but she was happy with her runner-up spot on Sunday in a time of 2:41:20.
"It went really well. I was two minutes faster than last last year when I won," she said.
On the Belfast Marathon podium are runner-up Gladys Ganiel, winner Shewaye Woldemeskel and third-placed finisher Gadise Negasa
"I was happy with the way I paced it and I was able to pick people off in the second half of the race.
"We had a better international field this year - it was a tougher competition and I'm really pleased to come second. The winner was just classier than I was."
Oumaari, Bowden and Rotich were locked together in a three-man leading group until the final few miles.
The Moroccan moved clear and Bowden stayed in touch but Rotich surprisingly faded and fell well behind.
Martin Lynch was the quickest Northern Ireland finisher, coming seventh in 2:33:24 while Mark Millar won the wheelchair event.