Opinion

Mark Carey's sporting spirit

The risks involved in events like the London Marathon were tragically illustrated when Matt Campbell (29), a former MasterChef semi-finalist from Cumbria, died after collapsing in the latter stages of Sunday's race.

Mr Campbell, who set out to raise funds for a charity linked to his late father, was one of a number of runners who experienced major difficulties during the exceptionally hot temperatures along the 26.2 mile course.

Considerable praise is due to Mark Carey, the secretary of St Paul's GAC in west Belfast, who sacrificed his own target time in London to help a 63-year-old woman who found herself in serious distress around the 23 mile mark.

His actions in grabbing his fellow competitor before she fell to the ground, holding her up and helping her all the way to the finishing line, when she fortunately recovered after treatment, exemplified a true sporting spirit.