Mutai claims marathon hat-trick

John Mutai triumphs in record-breaking Belfast marathon with third win on the trot

Kenyan athlete John Mutai has completed a hat-trick of victories in the Belfast marathon.

The 42-year-old finished the race in a time of 2 hours 17 minutes and 35 seconds.

Mutai said conditions were difficult. "I enjoyed it, but it was tough with the wind and the weather," he said.

The top local runner was 44-year-old Alan McCullough, brother of former world boxing champion Wayne McCullough, who finished fifth.

The women's race was won by Joyce Kandia, also from Kenya, who finished in 2 hours 47 minutes and 44 seconds.

The race started off from Belfast City Hall, with the over a record 17,000 runners finishing at Ormeau Park.

While the vast majority of the entrants hailed from the British Isles, other countries represented included Cyprus, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United States, Hungary, Switzerland, Indonesia, Canada, Qatar, the Netherlands and Iceland.

Mutai's compatriot Zak Kihari was over three minutes back in second with Moldova's Sergiu Ciobanu in third.

There was another Kenyan one-two in the women's race with Joyce Kirui second behind Kandia while Svetlana Shepeleva of Moldova in third.

Suzanne McCormick was the top Northern Ireland women in 40th.