THOUSANDS HIT STREETS FOR HUGE ANNUAL EVENT
THOUSANDS of eager runners descended on Manchester city centre for this year’s Great Manchester Run on Sunday morning.
After months of training, athletes took to the streets for the annual half marathon and 10k events.
The run was back in its usual springtime calendar spot after coronavirus restrictions moved the event back to September in 2021.
Yesterday’s run was particularly poignant as it fell on the fifth anniversary of the Manchester Arena terror attack.
Among the runners was Freya Lewis, a survivor of the May 2017 bombing who had to learn to walk again after the injuries she sustained left her in a wheelchair.
Freya, 19, who also lost her best friend Nell Jones in the attack, sent the runners on their way at the start line alongside Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig, before embarking on the 10k challenge herself. Other familiar faces taking on the run included Manchester’s Metro Mayor Andy Burnham, who ran in aid of Greater Manchester hospitals and NHS nurses. ITV star Ferne McCann and Coronation Street’s Sally Ann Matthews and Adam Blease also joined in. Half marathon runners were the first to set off at around 8.30am, before the 10km race, which is known for being Europe’s biggest, kicked off with the elite athletes battling it our for first place.
Pro runner Eilish McColgan had a fantastic run as she took second place in the women’s 10k, finishing just four seconds behind winner Hellen Obiri, and set a new British and European record of 30 minutes and 19 seconds. The men’s elite 10k race was won by New Zealand’s Jake Robertson in just 28 minutes and six seconds, ahead of Australian Jack Reyner.