Co Down athlete Paul Pollock has been crowned the winner of the 40th Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon.
The 35-year-old two-time Olympic marathon runner from Holywood competes with the Annadale Striders club and was widely tipped as the favourite to win the race.
It was double celebrations today as Paul's partner, Sophie, is expecting the birth of their second child who was due on Saturday.
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She watched on with their young child as Paul raced over the finish line in Ormeau Park, completing the race in the impressive time of two hours, 16 minutes, and 13 seconds.
Speaking to Belfast Live at the finish line, Paul said it was a "fantastic feeling" to finish first.
"There were fantastic crowds all the way around. Obviously those last few miles were very tough. I always knew North Belfast was hilly, but there's some big hills there," he added.
"The Ormeau Road at the end is a brutal way to finish because it's a long way to the top of the road, then you still have a good mile and a half down the bottom, and my legs were in pieces. But it's fantastic to win.
"The weather's dried up and it's turned into quite a nice day. It was tough going out there but I'm delighted to have a win."
The Olympic athlete added that he wasn't sure whether he would even make the starting line today, as his partner is due to go into labour.
Paul continued: "My partner is due our second baby, yesterday was the due date so I was nervous about whether I'd make the start line. The baby isn't born yet. We thought last night there may have been a few movements, but it'll be soon anyway.
"I won't be hanging around here too long, I'm not sure I'll have any beers tonight as I'll be on driving duty."
The doctor competed in the Olympics in Rio in 2016 and also Tokyo last August.
As well as this, he finished 21st in the Moscow World Championships in 2013 and recorded a time of 2:10:25 in Valencia at the end of 2019 which places him fourth in the Irish All-Time list.
Conor Gallagher from St Malachy's in Belfast came in second place in the men's race, just eight minutes and 44 seconds behind Paul Pollock.
Gareth King finished in the third-place position.
North Belfast woman Gladys Ganiel came first in the women's race, with Gillian McCrory coming in second-place and Natalie Hall in third-place.
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