|
Ethiopia`s Marashet Jumma smashed the women`s record by more than two minutes in the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon on Monday 5 May.
Jumma`s time of 2:39:22 beat the previous best of 2:41:33, set by Lemma Urge in 2005. The Ethiopian also was the first woman since Trudi Thompson in 2003 to retain her Belfast title.
It was a clean sweep of champions all round, as Kenya`s John Mutai also held on to the men`s crown - even though his time of 2:16:31 was slower than he recorded 12 months ago.
Mutai, however, was more than seven minutes of his nearest rivals, as Poland`s Bodhan Dziuba came second in 2:43:44, followed by Vyalcheslav Prikhadko, of the Ukraine, 2:24:21.
Donegal`s Helena Crossan was runner-up in the women`s race, with a time of 2:55:12, closely followed by Cookstown`s Karen Alexander, who clocked 2:56:01 to come home in third.
Top local male finisher was Tommy Hughes of Magherafeld, twice a winner in 1988 and again in 1998, who came in sixth, in 2:28:38, ten minutes ahead of Dungannon`s Delfin Pimentell.
Full results from the 2008 Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon will be available, after verification, from the official website, www.belfastcitymarathon.com, from tomorrow morning. |
