The streets of Dublin will resonate to the beat of more than 20,000 runners, wheelers, and walkers on Sunday, when the Irish Life Dublin Marathon is staged.

Among them will be actor Colin Farrell, who is running for Debra in honour of his close friend, Emma Fogarty, the longest-surviving person with epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Debra supports individuals living with this severe skin condition.

Emma will join Colin on the last 4km of the journey to the finish line to mark her miraculous 40th birthday. Yesterday, Irish Life and the Dublin Marathon boosted his attempt to raise €1 million with a € 20,000 donation to the cause.

In a change from previous years, the marathon will start in Leeson Street Lower and finish 42 kilometres later at the Pepper Canister Church.

Sorome Negash of Ethiopia, who won the women’s race in the 2023 Irish Life Dublin Marathon with an impressive personal best time of 2:26:22, is set to defend her title. She will face tough competition from fellow Ethiopian Muliye Dekebo, who has a personal best of 2:25:35, and Asmirach Naga, who placed third in her marathon debut at the Rabat Marathon with a time of 2:26:55.

Ann-Marie McGlynn, who finished fifth overall last year and was the first Irish woman home, is aiming to retain her national marathon title. The 44-year-old, originally from Tullamore, now lives in Strabane with her family. She will face competition from Gladys Ganiel of North Belfast Harriers, who finished second in last year’s national championships. Other competitors to watch include Caitlyn Harvey (Road Runners AC) and Grace Lynch (DSD AC). Aoife Kilgallon from Sligo AC could be a surprise contender having previously won the 2022 Sonia O’Sullivan 10-mile race running 56:18 shattering the course record. After the birth of her first child, she has returned to form, finishing the Sligo Coast to Coast 10 Mile race in 57:12 despite windy conditions.

Hugh Armstrong from Ballina AC has set his sights on winning the national marathon title and making it five in a row, after an impressive year in which he won all four races in the Irish Life Dublin Race Series, including the 5-mile, 10km, 10-mile, and Half-Marathon.

This will be Armstrong’s second time competing in this race; he placed third in the National Championships in what was his marathon debut in 2019. With a personal best of 2:12:26 from the 2020 Seville Marathon, he will face strong competition from Cork’s Ryan Creech of Leevale AC, who achieved a personal best of 2:12:28 in Seville this year.

Creech, who finished second last year, is looking to improve on that result. Ryan Forsyth from Newcastle & District AC, who secured third place last year, will also be part of the elite field.

Spain’s Aya Lamdassem is the leading contender for the men’s overall win, with a personal best of 2:06:25 achieved in Seville in 2022 and a season-best of 2:09:43. He also finished fifth at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Competing for podium positions are Aweke Ayalew from Bahrain, Abebaw Desalew from Ethiopia, and Amine Khadirir from Cyprus.

In the wheelchair race, Sean Frame will participate after finishing 12th in this year’s Berlin Marathon. There will be over €100,000 in prize money available, along with national titles for senior men and women, as well as prizes for master categories and team awards.

And beyond the elite fields, there will be debutants and those who have not missed a Dublin Marathon, friends and family lining the course as it winds around Phoenix Park and out past UCD.  It is a special day, enhanced by the commercial support and branding of Irish life, the detailed support of Dublin City Council and so many more, making it a special sporting moment in the city’s life.

 


 

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