Hooper hoping for new home marathon heroes

Marathon legend Dick Hooper believes there is “a golden opportunity” for domestic winners of Monday’s Airtricity Dublin Marathon with no elite foreign entries toeing the line due to budgetary constraints.

John Treacy was the last Irish male winner in 1993, with Sonia O’Sullivan leading home the women’s race in 2000.

Hooper feels it matters little that there will be no foreign elite entries and two of his charges, Sean Hehir and Maria McCambridge, are in line to win the top prize of a Renault Fluence ZE valued at €30,000.