Over 7000 spirited competitors took part in a variety of races over the course of the annual Run Bournemouth event this weekend.
In Sunday morning’s showpiece half-marathon, Jaymee Domoney crossed the finish line first, with an impressive time of 1hr 8minutes. Other events included the Supersonic 10k, Supernova 5k and a range of Junior events as competitors and spectators travelled to participate and soak up the atmosphere.
Reflecting on the success of the event, Bournemouth Mayor, councillor Robert Lawton, said: “It has run extremely smoothly, we’re really pleased with it. It’s been a lovely day and a wonderful occasion.” Councillor Lawton was tasked with awarding the medals and plaques to the podium finishers, as a host of volunteers facilitated the event.
Hengistbury Head was the spectacular setting for the half marathon start line, where the athletes gathered ahead of the race on a sunny Sunday morning. Once the starter gun was fired, the competitors were off on a 13.1mile duel, with Bournemouth Bay providing a stunning backdrop to the event. The field of athlete’s featured a diverse range of ages, abilities and experience levels. Seasoned competitor Christian Gilbert, who has been running in events such as this all his life, reflected on the race: “The scenery is absolutely unbelievable, it’s one of the best moments I’ve had in terms of running”.
In contrast, Timothy Kipngetich Kiplagat, competing in his first ever competitive race, just missed out on a podium finish, “I was expecting to be in the top three, I finished 4th, but all in all I thank God for that. I hope I will make it next time.” he said.
But this event was about more than podiums and positions, thousands of pounds were raised for charity, whilst the sense of mutual respect between the competitors and the support they received from the spectators created a fantastic sense of community. Furthermore, the importance of sport in relation to self and health was highlighted by athlete Christian Gilbert who said: “The running’s important, mental health’s important, it’s important to take time to look after yourself”.
As the event draw to a close, spectators and competitors intermingled, enjoying the spectacular weather and basking in the glow of a successful day. Looking ahead to next year, Mayor Lawton said “I’m hopeful we’ll run the same event again”.
