A sweet double Irish for marathon athletes
Sean Hehir from Clare and Maria McCambridge from Dublin took the titles in the men’s and women’s competitions, Maria the first Irish winner since Sonia O’Sullivan in 2000 and Sean the first Irish man to take gold since John Treacy in 1993. That was also the last time there was a home double in the race, and the excitement it brought to one of the biggest ever gatherings of spectators more than made up for the disappointment over the absence of elite African runners.
More than 14,000 runners entered the race and the vast majority finished in times ranging from back in time for elevenses to still running at teatime, but speed was very much a secondary concern for many of those who ran for charity and raised hundreds of thousands of euro on the way.
