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24th Annual Event Attracts
5,000 Runners...
Part 1...
Photos with thanks to Paul Francis
Cooper.
LIVERPOOL FC Legends, four new course
records, and 2 Guinness World Records being broken all made Sunday's
BTR
Vitality
Liverpool ½ Marathon a huge success, on 2 April 2017.
The sun was shining and made conditions perfect for 5,000 runners who took part
in the 13.1 mile ½ Marathon and the BTR 10 Mile Road Race which ran alongside
the main event for the second consecutive year.
Liverpool FC Legends Ian Rush and Gary McAllister were given the honour of
officially starting the race, cheering on runners as they crossed the start
line.
Last year's top placed male and female runners in the ½ Marathon were again
on form both taking first place; Dejene Gezimu from Liverpool Harriers and
Michelle Nolan from Gateshead Harriers AC. Both also set new course records.
The ½ Marathon also played host to 2 Guinness World Record attempts. These
were both successful (subject to official verification).
With Alistair Rutherford from Allerton becoming the world's fastest
½ Marathon runner dressed as a musical instrument, and David Miles from Parbold
becoming the world's fastest ½ Marathon runner dressed as a chef.
Participants from across the globe arrived in Liverpool specifically to take
part in 1 of the City's largest annual sporting events, visiting from
countries including:- Austria, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy,
Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland,
Sweden and the USA, as well as those closer to home with runners from the Isle
of Man and Ireland.
Both races started and finished under the gaze of the Liver Birds at Pier Head
Liverpool, an iconic backdrop to showcase the City set against the Three Graces; and on a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The course featured some of Liverpool's most famous sights including Liverpool
Cathedral, Princes Park, Sefton Park, Otterspool Promenade, Albert Dock
Liverpool, and Museum Of Liverpool.
Runners then returned to the City's stunning waterfront for a grandstand finish
where they were presented with their finishers' medal, T-shirt and goody bag.
The winner of the Vitality Liverpool ½ Marathon 2017 was Dejene Gezimu;
taking the top honours for the 2nd consecutive year.
Dejene also set a new course record with his winning time of 1:05:52 (gun time).
Dejene runs for Liverpool Harriers and last year he narrowly missed out on
breaking the record; but this year he returned and set a new record taking 1
minute 7 seconds off his winning time in 2016.
The first female home in the ½ Marathon was Michelle Nolan from Gateshead
Harriers AC with a winning time of 1:19:38 (gun time). In 2016 Michelle set a
new record by 45 seconds. This year she returned and broke her own record by
running another 43 seconds faster in 2017.
The first male home in the BTR 10 Mile Road Race was Mark Dunham from Southport
Waterloo AC in 54:18 (gun time), while the 1st female finisher was Sarah
Carroll from Salford Harriers AC in 1:07:04 (gun time). Both Mark and Sarah have
also set new course records for the BTR 10 Mile Road Race.
Part 1 of this report...
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