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City's 27th marathon under way Woman breaks city marathon record
(about 2 hours later)
Almost 15,000 people have taken to the streets of Belfast for the city's 27th annual marathon. The first man and woman to cross the line in this year's Belfast City Marathon also took home the honours last year.
A combination of serious athletes and fun runners raising money for charity are taking part in the event. Kenyan John Mutai came home first in the men's event in time of two hours, 16 minutes and 31 seconds
Almost 1,900 runners are taking part in the main marathon, including two defending champions - John Mutai of Kenya and Marashet Jumma of Ethiopia. The winner of the women's race - Ethopia's Marashet Jumma - broke the course record with a time of about two hours and 39 minutes.
The majority of entrants make up the 1,800 relay teams. Motorists are being warned of traffic disruption. In all, about 15,000 people have taken to the streets of Belfast.
The majority of entrants in the city's 27th marathon make up the 1,800 relay teams.
About 2,000 walkers are also taking part, while 1,500 people are competing in the fun run.About 2,000 walkers are also taking part, while 1,500 people are competing in the fun run.
Danny O'Connor, chairman of the event's organising committee, said: "There is no doubt that the interest in the Belfast City Marathon continues to grow."
Among the serious athletes, Kenya's Joyce Kandie is expected to challenge 2007 winner Jumma, while local man Tommy Hughes, men's winner in 1988 and 1998, is also taking part.
Prize money
Mutai won by six minutes last year and was impressive in Mumbai in January but Ethiopia's Tsegaye Tadesse should be a contender.
Other names who come into the reckoning are Finland's Jaakko Kero and Ukraine's Vyacheslav Prykhodko.
Among the Northern Ireland challengers will be 48-year-old Hughes, Dungannon's Delfin Pimentel, Armagh's Turlough Donnelly and Sam Crawford of East Antrim.
The women's race is expected to be keenly fought and Jumma and Kandie may set a pace capable of breaking Lemma Urge's 2005 course record of 2:41.33.
This would attract a bonus of £1,000 in addition to the first prize of £3,000.