Dublin Marathon
| Dublin Marathon | |
|---|---|
 Elite runners competing in the 2007 women's race | |
| Date | October |
| Location | Dublin, Ireland |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Marathon |
| Established | 1980 |
| Official site | Dublin Marathon |
The Dublin Marathon is an annual marathon in Dublin, Ireland, normally held on the last Monday in October, which is a public holiday in Ireland. Held each year since 1980, in 2007 there were about 11,000 race participants, half of whom were from overseas.
The course is generally reasonably flat. It starts at Fitzwilliam Square in the city center and concludes at Merrion Square. Exact routing varies, although in recent years the race has proceeded in an anti-clockwise direction around the city, including passing through the Phoenix Park.
History
The race was founded in 1980 by a group led by Noel Carroll, who persuaded the Business Houses Athletic Association (BHAA) to take up the idea. In the first year, 2,100 took part, of whom 1,420 finished. Dick Hooper of Raheny club Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club claimed first place, in a time of 2:16:14. The women's winner was Carey May who finished in 2:42:11. That year's runner-up was Neil Cusack, who returned in 1981 to post a winning time of 2:13:59.
Jerry Kiernan's 1982 time of 2:13:45 was a long-standing men's course record. This was finally improved upon by Lezan Kipkosgei Kimutai over twenty years later in 2004, but Russian runner Aleksey Sokolov twice broke the record with consecutive wins in 2006/07, running 2:11:39 then 2:09:07 the next year. Moses Kangogo Kibet became the first man under 2:09 in Dublin with his win in 2:08:58. The current men's record is 2:08:33 set by Geoffrey Ndungu in 2011.
Moira O'Neill was the first woman under two hours and forty minutes with her win of 2:37:06 in 1988 and home athlete Christine Kennedy improved this with a run of 2:35:56 three years later. Kenyan Ruth Kutol win in 2:27:22 in 2003 was the first sub-2:30 time and Russian Tatyana Aryasova broke this record in 2010 with her current women's record of 2:26:13.[1]
The participation level of the race has followed an upward trend: by 1988 the number of participants had increased to 8,700 – up from the 4,000 the previous year. It was not until 2000 that the 1988 participation record was finally broken when 8,900 took part. An increasing number of people took part every year in the late 2000s, with 11,000 at the 2007 edition, 11,700 participating in the 2008 race, and a record 12,799 starting the event with 10,446 finishers in 2009.[2]
In 2001 the marathon became part of the Dublin Race Series, which includes pre-marathon events of 5 miles, 10 kilometers, 10 miles and half marathon distance over the preceding months, run in the Phoenix Park and Swords.
A competitor died while running in the 2006 marathon and another in the 2013 marathon.
Winners and prizes
The overall winner receives the Noel Carroll Memorial Trophy as well as €15,000 cash prize. Prizes are also given for first Irish finisher, first masters finisher and first team finishers. A €5,000 prize is also given to any competitor who breaks the Dublin marathon record.
Key: Course record Irish championship race
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (h:m:s) | Women's winner | Time (h:m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36th | 2015 |  Alemu Gemechu (ETH) |
2:14:02 |  Nataliya Lehonkova (UKR) |
2:31:09 |
| 35th | 2014 |  Eliud Too (KEN) |
2:14:47 | Esther Macharia (KEN) |
2:34:15 |
| 34th | 2013 |  Sean Hehir (IRL) |
2:18:19 | Maria McCambridge (IRL) |
2:38:51 |
| 33rd | 2012 | Geoffrey Ndungu (KEN) |
2:11:09 | Magdalene Mukunza (KEN) |
2:30:46 |
| 32nd | 2011 | Geoffrey Ndungu (KEN) |
2:08:33 |  Helalia Johannes (NAM) |
2:30:33 |
| 31st [1] | 2010 | Moses Kangogo (KEN) |
2:08:58 |  Tatyana Aryasova (RUS) |
2:26:13 |
| 30th | 2009 | Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) |
2:09:11 | Kateryna Stetsenko (UKR) |
2:32:45 |
| 29th | 2008 | Andriy Naumov (UKR) |
2:11:06 | Larisa Zyuzko (RUS) |
2:29:55 |
| 28th | 2007 | Aleksey Sokolov (RUS) |
2:09:07 | Alina Ivanova (RUS) |
2:29:20 |
| 27th | 2006 | Aleksey Sokolov (RUS) |
2:11:39 | Alina Ivanova (RUS) |
2:29:49 |
| 26th | 2005 | Dmytro Osadchyy (UKR) |
2:13:14 | Zinaida Semenova (RUS) |
2:32:53 |
| 25th | 2004 | Lezan Kimutai (KEN) |
2:13:07 | Yelena Burykina (RUS) |
2:32:53 |
| 24th | 2003 | Onesmus Kilonzo (KEN) |
2:17:03 | Ruth Kutol (KEN) |
2:27:22 |
| 23rd | 2002 | Frederick Cherono (KEN) |
2:14:25 | Lidiya Vasilevskaya (RUS) |
2:32:58 |
| 22nd | 2001 |  Zacharia Mpolokeng (RSA) |
2:14:03 |  Debbie Robinson (GBR) |
2:35:40 |
| 21st | 2000 | Simon Pride (GBR) |
2:18:49 | Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) |
2:35:42 |
| 20th | 1999 | John Mutai (KEN) |
2:15:18 | Esther Kiplagat (KEN) |
2:34:24 |
| 19th | 1998 | Joshua Kipkemboi (KEN) |
2:20:00 | Teresa Duffy (IRL) |
2:39:56 |
| 18th | 1997 | Joshua Kipkemboi (KEN) |
2:15:56 |  Carol Galea (MLT) |
2:39:33 |
| 17th | 1996 | Joseph Kahugu (KEN) |
2:17:42 | Cathy Shum (IRL) |
2:38:56 |
| 16th | 1995 | William Musyoki (KEN) |
2:16:57 | Trudi Thomson (GBR) |
2:38:23 |
| 15th | 1994 | Steve Brace (GBR) |
2:17:13 | Linda Rushmere (GBR) |
2:40:17 |
| 14th | 1993 | John Treacy (IRL) |
2:14:40 | Cathy Shum (IRL) |
2:38:14 |
| 13th | 1992 | Jerry Kiernan (IRL) |
2:17:19 | Karen Cornwall (GBR) |
2:41:58 |
| 12th | 1991 | Tommy Hughes (GBR) |
2:14:46 | Christine Kennedy (IRL) |
2:35:56 |
| 11th | 1990 | John Bolger (IRL) |
2:17:17 | Christine Kennedy (IRL) |
2:41:27 |
| 10th | 1989 | John Griffin (IRL) |
2:16:44 | Pauline Nolan (IRL) |
2:44:32 |
| 9th | 1988 | John Griffin (IRL) |
2:16:02 | Moira O'Neill (GBR) |
2:37:06 |
| 8th | 1987 |  Pavel Klimeš (TCH) |
2:14:21 | Carolyn Naisby (GBR) |
2:42:08 |
| 7th | 1986 | Dick Hooper (IRL) |
2:18:10 | Maureen Hurst (GBR) |
2:46:29 |
| 6th | 1985 | Dick Hooper (IRL) |
2:13:48 | Julia Gates (GBR) |
2:41:26 |
| 5th | 1984 |  Svend Erik Kristensen (DEN) |
2:18:25 | Ailish Smyth (IRL) |
2:47:30 |
| 4th | 1983 | .svg.png){kind=small} Ronny Agten (BEL) |
2:14:19 | Mary Purcell (IRL) |
2:46:09 |
| 3rd | 1982 | Jerry Kiernan (IRL) |
2:13:45 |  Debbie Mueller (USA) |
2:40:57 |
| 2nd | 1981 | Neil Cusack (IRL) |
2:13:58 | Emily Dowling (IRL) |
2:48:22 |
| 1st | 1980 | Dick Hooper (IRL) |
2:16:14 | Carey May (IRL) |
2:42:11 |
TV Coverage
- 1980-1999 RTÉ live at first, highlights for majority of run
- 2000-2010 TV3/Setanta Sports highlights
- 2011 RTÉ live
- 2012 No coverage
- 2013-14 Setanta Sports documentary coverage
See also
References
- 1 2 "Autumn splendour as records fall". Irish Times. 2010-10-26. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
- ↑
- List of winners
- Heyworth, Malcolm et al. (2010-11-18). Dublin Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2011-11-01.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dublin Marathon. |
- Official website
- 2012 Route Map
- Race profile at Marathon Info
It is believed 2015 will be the last year the Marathon will take place on the October Bank Holiday Monday as it is expected to be pulled back by one day to the October Bank Holiday Sunday to attract more overseas runners. Photos are available of the 2015 Dublin Marathon by going to Creative Photography Ireland on Facebook.