Great_Ireland_Run
The Great Ireland Run is an annual 10-kilometre road running competition which is held in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland in mid-April.[1] It is part of the Great Run series of athletics competitions. It is sponsored by SPAR and features both an elite race and a popular race.[2]
The 10 km race course begins at Chesterfield Avenue and loops around in a clock-wise circuit to finish on Furze Road.[3] A 2.5 km fun run for 8–15-year-old runners is also featured on the programme of events.[4] Over 11,000 people took part in the day's events in 2010.[5] The elite races in 2010 also doubled up as the Irish 10K Championships.[6]
Past participants have included former marathon world record holder Paul Tergat,[7] and World Championship medalist Craig Mottram, as well as some of Ireland's foremost athletes such as 1995 World Champion Sonia O'Sullivan and cross country specialist Catherina McKiernan. The course record holders are both Ethiopian – Kenenisa Bekele with his 27:49-minute run in 2012 and Meselech Melkamu with her record of 31:41 set in 2006.[8]
The 2023 edition was marred in farce and controversy when the course for all participants ended 1.5km shorter than the 10km distance. This was due to poor planning arising from competitors being directed the wrong way near the start of the route, and no fail-safe to remedy such a situation once it occurred. Athletics Ireland issued a statement "apologising for the unforeseen circumstances" which led to the course distance running short.[9]
