Nigist Muluneh from Ethiopia will be back at the Dublin City Marathon this weekend to defend her 2022 title.
The 2023 Irish Life Dublin Marathon will again incorporate the national championships, with Irish national medallists benefiting from prize funds and time bonuses for exceptional Irish athlete performances on the day. For the Irish athletes winning the national marathon title in good time will also allow them to score key ranking points which could support them in their qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games via the quota system.
The qualification window for the marathon runs from November 1, 2022, through April 30, 2024. There are two routes to securing qualification for the Paris Olympic Games by running a time of 2:08:10 (men) and 2:26:50 (women) or by securing a quota place. There are 80 places available for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games marathon race. Any athlete ranked higher than the 65th athlete on the filtered Quota Place "Road to Paris" list on January 30, 2024, will be considered qualified.
It’s Marathon Week! 🙌🏼🥳🎉#IrishLifeDublinMarathon #PowerOfSupport pic.twitter.com/q0VhNYEWb5
— Irish Life Dublin Marathon (@dublinmarathon) October 23, 2023
The remaining 20% of the quota will be determined by the dual pathway qualification criteria, entry standards and world rankings without displacing the athletes qualified per January 30, 2024 (considering a maximum of three athletes per nation) in a comparable qualification timeline during the two years before the qualifying period begins and are designed to include the corresponding number of quota athletes.
In the women’s field reigning Courtney McGuire (Clonmel AC) is a late withdrawal due to a niggle. Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny AC) who placed second to McGuire in the 2022 National Championships will now be eyeing up her first national marathon title. The 43-year-old has shown form this year over the half marathon distance winning the Belfast Half Marathon in September with 1:14:53. Gladys Ganiel (North Belfast Harriers) who placed third last year is likely to be in the mix for national medals.
McGlynn will need to be at her best to contend with Nigist Muluneh. The 27-year Ethiopian set a PB of 2:27:41 this year when racing in the Riyadh marathon in Saudi Arabi. Her fellow country woman Sorome Negash set a PB of 2:26:40 at the Dubai Marathon in February of this year. The women’s elite field will also include one of the all-time great distance runners, Florence Kiplagat of Kenya, a two-time Chicago Marathon and two-time Berlin Marathon winner with a marathon PB of 2:19:44. She also twice set the women's half marathon World Record. Hanane Qallouj of Morocco, and Ethiopian’s Hawi Megersa and Genet Habela Abdurkadir will also be racing.
🏃♀️ Do you know the history of the Dublin City Marathon❓
🗣️From its inception, to Sonia O’Sullivan’s win in 2000, and all the way to the present day there’s plenty to talk about!
🚨 Be sure and let us know your favourite memory/fact from it below ⬇️ #Dublinmarathon pic.twitter.com/UGa3zqU8LZ— Her Sport (@HerSportDotIE) October 24, 2023
There will be over €100,000 in prize money on offer, national titles in senior men and women, master categories and team prizes.
Olympic marathon silver medallist, John Treacy will be the honorary starter for the 2023 Irish Life Dublin Marathon, marking the 30th anniversary of his win in the 1993 Dublin Marathon.
