Derry is to hold another marathon next year with the possibility of the event becoming a permanent fixture.
Danny Sheerin waves to supporters during this year’s Walled City Marathon.
Spokesperson for the organisers, Noel McMonagle, has revealed police in the city have given their support to the event.
Now the only issue holding the event getting the go-ahead, is that it still has to be “rubber stamped” by Derry City Council, a scenario which seems unthinkable.
This year’s marathon attracted several thousand runners while thousands more lined the route which took in the city’s peace bridge.
The event has been held responsible for an increased number in numbers locally becoming interested in long distance runners which can be seen by the large numbers – young, old, large and small – pounding the roads in and around the city.
The record numbers expected to take part in Sunday’s Waterside Half Marathon have also been put down to the success of this year’s marathon.
Noel McMonagle stressed the staging of an annual marathon in the city would have no effect on the future of the Waterside City Marathon which, he said, had a “completely different identity.”
When, as expected council gives the go-ahead, organisers are set to confirm the 2014 marathon will take place in June.
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