:Belfast Marathon

{{Infobox athletics race

| bgcolour = #174986

| image = Belfast City Marathon, May 2011 (13).JPG

| caption = Inflatable archway, outside Belfast City Hall, at the start of 2011 event

| date = Early May

| distance = 26.2 miles (42.2 km)

| est = 1982{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-36131669 |title=Belfast City Marathon over the years |publisher=BBC News |date= 27 April 2017|accessdate=2021-05-21}}

| sponsor = Moy Park

| participants = >5,700 (2021){{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-58765441 | title = Belfast City Marathon: Race returns after Covid cancellations | publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2021-10-04}}

| record = Men's: 2:13:41 (2012)
{{flagicon|ETH}} Negewo Ararisa
Women's: 2:35:03 (2024)
{{flagicon|KEN}} Beatrice Jepkemei

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/|Belfast Marathon}}

}}

The Belfast City Marathon takes place in Belfast in Northern Ireland. The organisers describe it as the "largest mass sport participatory event in Northern Ireland" with between 15,000 and 18,000 participants taking part in several events.{{cite news|url = https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/belfast-marathon/belfast-city-marathon-2019-results-pictures-and-video-as-record-crowd-take-on-new-longer-route-38080990.html | newspaper = Belfasttelegraph | title = Belfast City Marathon 2019: Results, pictures and video as record crowd take on new 'longer' route | date = 5 May 2019 | quote = Around 18,000 took part in the full marathon, the wheelchair race, team relay, walk and fun run [..] With 5,000 taking part in the full marathon}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/44022744 |title=Belfast Marathon: Kilkeel's Laura Graham aims for repeat win after 2017 triumph |publisher= BBC Sport |date=2018-05-06 |accessdate=2021-05-21}}{{cite web| url = https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/clothes-tell-the-story-of-the-36th-belfast-marathon-1.3067607 |title=Clothes tell the story of the 36th Belfast marathon |publisher=Irishtimes.com |date=2017-05-01 |accessdate=2021-05-21}} These events, typically scheduled over the May bank holiday weekend, include marathon, wheelchair race, team relay and 8-mile walk events. The organisers also stage Northern Ireland's largest half marathon event, which takes place annually in September.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Marathon

File:Belfast City Marathon, May 2013 (09).JPG

The Belfast City Marathon is an AIMS certified race.{{cite web|url = https://aims-worldrunning.org/races/1113.html | website = aims-worldrunning.org | title = Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon | accessdate = 21 May 2021 }} The race traditionally starts at Stormont Estate at 9am and finishes in Ormeau Park.{{cite web|url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-39657330 |publisher=BBC | title = Belfast City Marathon 2017: All you need to know | date = 1 May 2017 | accessdate = 21 May 2021 }}

5,000 runners took part in the 2019 "full marathon". Following this event, organisers apologised after it was noted that the course was 0.3 miles longer than the typical marathon standard.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/48169540.amp |title=Belfast Marathon: Organisers apologise after course is 0.3 miles too long |publisher=BBC Sport|date=2019-05-05 |accessdate=2021-05-21}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/belfast-city-marathon-4621034-May2019/ |title=Runners in Belfast City Marathon run extra 0.3 miles after course mix-up |publisher=Thejournal.ie |date=2019-05-05 |accessdate=2021-05-21}}

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland, with all registrants given the option of either running the race virtually or transferring their entry to 2021, 2022 or 2023.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/athletics/52905715 |title=Belfast Marathon: Coronavirus pandemic forces organisers to cancel 2020 event |publisher=BBC Sport|date=2020-06-03 |accessdate=2021-05-21}}{{cite web | url=https://belfastcitymarathon.com/news/General/2020-Deep-RiverRock-Belfast-City-Marathon-CANCELLED |title=2020 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon CANCELLED | Belfast Marathon News | General | news |publisher=Belfast City Marathon |accessdate=2021-05-21}} The 2021 event was rescheduled from May to October 2021.{{cite web|url = https://www.irishnews.com/news/northernirelandnews/2021/01/29/news/belfast-marathon-moved-to-september-with-virtual-half-race-in-may-2202349/ | publisher = Irish News | website = irishnews.com | title = Belfast Marathon moved to September with virtual half race in May | date = 29 January 2021 }}{{cite web|url = https://www.belfastcitymarathon.com/news/Marathon/39th-Deep-RiverRock-Belfast-City-Marathon-Rescheduled-to-3rd-October-2021 | publisher=Belfast City Marathon | title = 39th Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon Rescheduled to 3rd October 2021 | date = 16 June 2021 | accessdate = 1 October 2021 }}

Previously sponsored by Deep River Rock,{{cite web|url = https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/05/europe/belfast-city-marathon-course-long-gbr-intl/index.html |publisher=CNN| title = Belfast City Marathon course was too long, organizers say | date = 5 May 2019 | accessdate = 21 May 2021 }} the 2022 event (scheduled for May 2022) was reported to be Mash Direct.{{cite web|url = https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/Events/Mash-Direct-Belfast-City-Marathon | website = belfastcity.gov.uk | title = Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon | accessdate = 11 January 2022 }}

Half marathon

First launched in 2013, the Belfast City Half Marathon is an extension of the May Marathon event.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} The race starts at Ormeau Park.{{Cite web |title=The Moy Park Belfast City Half Marathon |url=https://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events/belfast-city-half-marathon |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=Belfast City Council |language=en}}

Winners

class="wikitable sortable" style="left: 1em auto 1em auto" \|+
style="text-align:left;" ! Year	Male Athlete	Country	Time	Female Athlete	Country	Time
1982	Gregory Hannon	Northern Ireland	2:20:25	Susan Boreham	Northern Ireland	3:11:26
1983	Paul Craig	Northern Ireland	2:20:14	Roma McConville	Northern Ireland	2:58:07
1984	Andy Daly	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:18:01	Theresa Kidd	Northern Ireland	2:47:33
1985	Marty Deane	Northern Ireland	2:15:51	Moira O'Boyle	Northern Ireland	2:45:40
1986	Marty Deane	Northern Ireland	2:16:05	Moira O'Neill	Northern Ireland	2:43:26
1987	Calum Bark	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:17:47	Theresa Kidd	Northern Ireland	2:48:28
1988	Thomas Hughes	Northern Ireland	2:19:00	Theresa Kidd	Northern Ireland	2:49:10
1989	Ian Bloomfield	{{flagcountry\|ENG}}	2:20:45	Rosaleen Hayden	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:58:31
1990	Jerry Kiernan	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:18:58	Eleanor Hill	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:50:07
1991	Joel Kipchumba	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:18:56	Brenda McNamara	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:55:25
1992	Jerry Kiernan	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:20:52	Catherine Smyth	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:42:41
1993	Gerard McGrath	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:18:12	Catherine Smyth	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:45:05
1994	Terry Mitchell	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:20:24	Catherine Smyth	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:44:42
1995	John Ferrin	Northern Ireland	2:18:42	Patricia Griffin	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:53:10
1996	Terry Mitchell	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:21:36	Trudi Thomson	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:44:57
1997	John Ferrin	Northern Ireland	2:20:17	Olive Nolan	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	2:55:10
1998	Thomas Hughes	Northern Ireland	2:23:33	Jackie Newton	{{flagcountry\|ENG}}	2:57:25
1999	Samuel Okemwa	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:20:58	Barbara Brewer	Northern Ireland	2:58:49
2000	Wilson Cheruiyot	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:24:13	Mary Jennings	{{flagcountry\|IRE}}	3:02:31
2001	Joseph Riri	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:26:00	Debra Curley	{{flagcountry\|ENG}}	2:56:05
2002	Simon Pride	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:22:21	Trudi Thomson	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:49:39
2003	Lezan Kimutai	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:17:09	Trudi Thomson	{{flagcountry\|SCO}}	2:45:48
2004	Peter Edukan	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:23:51	Julia Myatt	{{flagcountry\|ENG}}	2:52:52
2005	Eric Kiplagat	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:22:20	Lemma Urge	{{flagcountry\|ETH\|1996}}	2:41:33
2006	Stephen Ndungu	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:16:51	Joyce Kandie	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:43:11
2007	John Mutai	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:16:24	Desse Demelesh	{{flagcountry\|ETH\|1996}}	2:46:45
2008	John Mutai	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:16:31	Marshet Jimma	{{flagcountry\|ETH\|1996}}	2:39:22
2009	John Mutai	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:17:35	Joyce Kandie	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:47:44
2010	Urga Negewo	{{flagcountry\|ETH}}	2:16:53	Sarah Stradling	{{flagcountry\|ENG}}	2:44:03
2011	Jacob Chesire	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:14:56	Vera Ovcharuk	{{flagcountry\|UKR}}	2:46:04
2012	Negewo Ararisa	{{flagcountry\|ETH}}	style="background:#a9f5a9;"\|2:13:41	Alice Chelangat	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:39:02
2013	Joel Kipsang	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:19:28	Nataliya Lehonkova	{{flagcountry\|UKR}}	2:36:50
2014	Freddy Sittuk	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:18:30	Bayrush Shiferaw	{{flagcountry\|ETH}}	2:41:20
2015	Joel Kositany	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:19:36	Berhan Gebremichael	{{flagcountry\|ETH}}	2:40:57
2016	Joel Kositany	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:17:39	Berhan Gebremichael	{{flagcountry\|ETH}}	2:48:26
2017	Bernard Rotich	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:16:04	Laura Graham	{{flagcountry\|UK}}	2:41:47
2018	Eric Koech	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:18:19	Caroline Chepkwony	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:41:23
2019	Joel Kositany	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:18:41	Caroline Jepchirchir	{{flagcountry\|KEN}}	2:36:39
2020	colspan="6" style="text-align:center;"\| cancelled as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland
2021 \|Mick Clohisey \|{{flagcountry\|IRE}} \|2:20:42 \|Fionnuala Ross \|{{flagcountry\|IRE}} \|2:43:42
2022Belfast City Marathon. 2022. Belfast Marathon Results \| results \| Belfast City Marathon. [online] Available at: [Accessed 13 October 2022]. \|Paul Pollock \|{{flagcountry\|IRE}} \|2:16:16 \|Gladys Ganiel \|{{flagcountry\|IRE}} \|2:43:49
2023Belfast City Marathon. 2023. Belfast Marathon Results \| results \| Belfast City Marathon. [online] Available at: [Accessed 7 May 2024]. \|Mohamed Oumaarir \|{{flagcountry\|MAR}} \|2:22:54 \|Shewaye Woldemeskel \|{{flagcountry\|ETH}} \|2:37:20
2024Belfast City Marathon. 2024. Belfast Marathon Results \| results \| Belfast City Marathon. [online] Available at: [Accessed 7 May 2024]. \|Mathew Kemboi \|{{flagcountry\|KEN}} \|2:14:44 \|Beatrice Jepkemei \|{{flagcountry\|KEN}} \|style="background:#a9f5a9;"\|2:35:03

References

External links

{{official|https://www.belfastcitymarathon.com}}

Category:Sport in Belfast

Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1982

Category:Athletics competitions in Northern Ireland

Category:Marathons in the United Kingdom

Category:1982 establishments in Northern Ireland

Category:Spring (season) in Northern Ireland

Category:Marathons in Ireland