Belfast Marathon champ wins race by a second

There was a nail-biting sprint finish to the 2026 Belfast City Marathon, with the winner pipping his nearest rival to the post by one second.

Abay Alemu, from Ethiopia, crossed the line in a time of 2:16:23 to take this year's crown ahead of his fellow countryman Teadese Mamo.

The women's race was won by Morocco's Aziza Alaoui Selsouli in a time of 2:38:00, and Jayne Bleakley won the Wheelchair Race in a time of 2:32:39.

The elite runners were among almost 24,000 people who signed up for the city's 44th marathon.

The 26.2 mile route wound around Belfast, and passed landmarks that included City Hall and Parliament Buildings, before finishing in Ormeau Park.

Many roads closed and there were changes to public transport for much of Sunday.

The race got under way at the Stormont estate in east Belfast.

The wheelchair race started at 08:59 BST. The elite race started a minute later and all other participants started at 09:01.

Participants started on Prince of Wales Avenue, and proceeded down the hill, on to the Upper Newtownards Road.

The first of the runners crossed the finish line at about 11:16.

Roads reopened after six hours, and organisers asked anyone continuing along the route after that time to move onto the footpath and follow road safety laws.

The Team Relay consisted of five legs, of varying distance, with changeover points across the route.

The first Belfast City Marathon was held on the same date in 1982, with more than 3,000 participants starting at the former Maysfield Leisure Centre near the city centre.

Tilahun Nigussie broke the record at the 43rd Belfast City Marathon in 2025. The Ethiopian won the marathon with a new event record of 2:13:37.

At the scene: Bernie Allen, BBC News NI

It was slightly grey and dull weatherwise at Stormont - but there was plenty of cheer and chat amongst the crowd, as thousands gathered at the starting point.

As public transport had been affected in the city because of the race, there was some disruption on the roads leading to Stormont.

As well as those competing, many lined the pavement to cheer on family and friends taking part.

Some made banners and were holding supportive messages.

As well as solo runners there were plenty of relay race competitors, with many costumes on display.

Graham Rennie from Larne, took part in the relay race to fundraise for The Big C Foundation, set up in memory of his three-year-old son Callum.

The child died in 2022 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

"I think about Callum every time I do something like this," he told BBC News ahead of the race.

"Callum was always happy, he was going through the wars, he was always smiling, always cheering… you'd not have realised he was going through anything really.

"His bravery just inspired us all, he gave us so many memories too, happy memories," he added.

"He taught us that, just to value life, make every day count."

Former professional boxer Ryan Burnett, who competed from 2013 to 2019, was running with a 9.9 st (63.5kg) weight.

It the same weight as his former coach, Ricky Hatton, when he won his first world title.

Hatton took his own life last September and Burnett wanted to "do something in his honour".

He is raising money for a foundation set up in Hatton's name, as well as a mental health charity based in north Belfast.

Speaking ahead of the race, the former unified bantamweight world champion said he was "good to go".

"I've been fighting my whole life, so I'm just looking at this as the same sort of thing," Burnett added.

Another runner, Stephen Perry, told BBC News NI that he was running for the Irish heart Foundation.

"My mother-in-law and best friend died from heart complications," he said.

"It would have been my friend's 40th birthday today."

Hannah Grey and Oona McClelland also raised money for a cardiac charity.

"I'm running for Brave Hearts NI for my brother Gerard. He passed away in August. I'm doing this to keep his memory alive," Grey said.

For McClelland, this was her first marathon, and she was being cautious.

"I'm hoping to take it easy, whatever happens, happens," she said.

Actor Laura Aiken, who is filming the latest series of Line of Duty in the city, said she had been squeezing in her training during "very early mornings".

The Gavin and Stacey star was running in support of a text message crisis line where she volunteers, and this was her third marathon.

"I've run two before, but I haven't run one for five years... so, it's harder, I'm feeling it," she told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.

"I was actually supposed to be running London last weekend, and then the schedule sort of didn't work out and Belfast City Marathon have been so amazing and gave me a place.

"I've got a bit of a dodgy knee so I haven't run in a week in the hopes that today it won't give out."

The course traversed the city, and started off in Stormont in east Belfast then headed south.

It took in the Boucher Road, before going west onto the Falls Road.

From there, north, past the Waterworks, as well as through the city centre, before ending in Ormeau Park.

The route had minor alterations in east Belfast this year.

It now turns left off Beersbridge Road onto Clara Street, and then left again onto Castlereagh Road.

In north Belfast, this year the route remained on Oldpark Road and turned right at the roundabout onto Cliftonville Road and continued on the route.