Newport Marathon apologises for too-long course

Athletes ran an extra 276 metres at the Newport Marathon

Organisers of the Newport Marathon have apologised after discovering this year's course was almost 300 metres too long.

Run 4 Wales said it had looked into "reports around the accuracy" of the marathon run on Sunday, 28 April.

It added it was "disappointed" to learn the 26.2 mile (42.2km) route had been incorrectly measured.

The Association of UK Course Measurers (AUKCM) has confirmed the course was 0.171 miles (276m) too long.

Organisers said they have agreed with London Marathon Events that runners applying for a Good for Age entry into next year's race will have their finish times amended.

In a statement they said: "Run 4 Wales is disappointed that this has happened at one of its events and understands and apologises unreservedly to those impacted, particularly those aiming for Good for Age qualifying times."

Organisers said a three-hour finish time would be corrected approximately by 70 seconds, a three-and-a-half hour chip would be changed by 82 seconds while a four-hour finish time would be corrected by 94 seconds.

Runners are attracted to the Newport event due to its flat course

Runner Steve Burrows, 49, of Plymouth, Devon, said he was disappointed by the mix-up and urged organisers to amend all finishing times.

"My watch recorded quite a bit over when I finished, but I didn't pay too much attention because that's the last thing you're looking at when you finish a marathon," he said.

"It was only a day or two after when quite a lot of people commented that it tracked with so many people.

"Yes they've apologised, but what most people want now is their times correcting to reflect what they should have.

"These races aren’t cheap. We pay a lot of money to do that. It's all very well getting your medal and t-shirt but most people aren't overly fussed with that, they want the official time."

It is not the first time a race in Newport has been measured incorrectly. In 2015, the Newport Half-Marathon was later found to have been 636m short.