THOUSANDS of runners took to the streets of Belfast city centre yesterday morning for the third annual Belfast Half Marathon.
Three and a half thousand competitors of all ages and abilities turned out to take part in the 2015 event, cheered on by an equally diverse crowd of onlookers who gathered at the start/finish point in Ormeau Park and elsewhere along the route.
The first to cross the finish line was Belfast Marathon runner-up Gideon Kimosop from Kenya. Second place was claimed by fellow Kenyan Dan Tanui, while Paddy Hamilton from Lisburn took third.
The women’s category was also dominated by Kenyans, with Mercy Jemutai and Rosina Gibionia taking the top two places, hotly pursued by Catriona Jennings from Letterkenny. Now the largest half marathon in the north, the Belfast Half-Marathon also proved to be a particularly memorable day for another pair of competitors – they got engaged after crossing the finish line.
Aaron McMeekin from Jordanstown proposed to his girlfriend Fiona Harris after running together to finish at the event which raised money for Marie Curie.
