It was a day of triumph, challenge and celebration at the weekend's (16 April) adidas Manchester Marathon 2023, with a record-number of participants taking to the flat, spectator-lined course and earning a lifetime of memories (and an attractive gold medal!).

It was Naomi Mitchell and Ignas Brasevicius who took the individual titles, in cloudy but good conditions of 14 degrees and low wind speeds. Lithuanian Brasevicius raised his fists in response to the cheering crowds and crossed the tape in a time of 2:16:27. Brasevicius’ result is especially impressive having only recently returned to marathon running, making his break for victory at mile 25 of the course.

Naomi Mitchell – returning to take the win after finishing second last year – crossed the line in 2:31:26, this was just shy of Becky Brigg’s course record time of 2:29:06 last year.

“It feels like a blur – I didn’t even know I was first!” said Naomi. “It means so much for me to win the marathon today, especially with my family waiting at the finish line. My son is a Manchester United supporter!”

Participants continued to flow across the finish line after the winners came through, coming in particularly thick and fast from the around the 3.5 hour mark onwards. There were hugs, tears, signature victory poses and even a surprise proposal at the finish line (she said yes!)

Some more stand-outs from the day included the British Army who ran with 20kg strapped on their bags (and who continued to shoulder the weight as they cracked open their cans of Erdinger Alkoholfrei at the finish line); a participant who juggled the entire route; and a record broken for the longest crochet chain whilst running a marathon – as if running a marathon in itself wasn’t enough!

After this hugely successful staging, adidas Manchester Marathon will release a small number of guaranteed places for 2024 this week. These will be available on a first come, first served basis from midday today (18 April). You can get these for the best possible price exclusively through the official adidas Manchester Marathon website.

So, what are you waiting for? Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of the 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon. Grab your limited release entry now and get ready for an unforgettable experience that you'll remember for years to come.

Full results can be found via runABC's race listing page here.

Image courtesy: Manchester Marathon