Belfast Marathon 2026: Crowds 'went crazy' when they recognised 'hero of Boston Marathon' Aaron Beggs
North Down runner Aaron Beggs was given a huge boost during the Belfast Marathon – as the crowds “went crazy” when they recognised him as the hero of the recent Boston race.
Aaron was the first to stop to pull Ajay Haridasse up off the ground after he repeatedly fell and could not stand at the Boston Marathon almost two weeks ago.
Another runner, Robson De Oliveira, stepped in and together the pair managed to support the failing runner last 200m across the line.
The North Down Athletic Club runner then became an international media star as iconic video footage of the pair sacrificing their best race time to help a fellow athlete went viral around the globe.
When the News Letter caught up with Aaron yesterday he had already recovered and was enjoying several post race pints of Guiness with members of his club.
This time he finished the marathon in 2:48.
"I'm over the moon as it's only 13 days after Boston and my body's not fully recovered, so I'm delighted with it.”
Most people take three weeks off to recover after a marathon, he said.
"I did Belfast in 2:55 last year, so for me this year is a personal best for the course.”
“The atmosphere was really good. And for me, after what I did in Boston, I got extra love and support from everybody.
"I could definitely feel the energy, and it definitely carried me across the finish line really.
"Obviously, with it being a local marathon, all my club was out supporting me and all my friends and family. You get an extra step and you're you know when you're running every time they cheer you on.
It gives you a good lift."
A friend from his running club, Ashley Dixon, stopped at five different points of the race with a loud hailer to cheer him on.
“And every time he saw me he started shouting through the loud hailer: ‘Here comes the Boston hero’, and then the crowds were going crazy.
"So it was really enjoyable and the crowds definitely got me across the finish line.”
Some of the craziest fancy dress runners he saw this year were someone dressed in a gorilla suit and another person running as a post box.
“Yes, these people will run the entire marathon in fancy dress, because it is a journey and they are often doing it to raise funds for their friends and family.”
The weather for the race was 10c and it was overcast.
"They were really good conditions,” he added.
Almost 24,000 people signed up for the race with up to 100,000 people turning out to watch runners complete the 26.2 mile spectacle.
The race began in Stormont estate in east Belfast at 9am then headed south, taking in Boucher Road and then the Falls Road.
It then flowed past the Waterworks in the north and the city centre, before ending in Ormeau Park. Roads closed from around 6am and reopened by 4.30pm.
Ethiopian Abay Alemu came crossed the line first in 2:16:23, beating fellow countryman Teadese Mamo by only a second.
The women's race was won by Morocco's Aziza Alaoui Selsouli in 2:38:00. Jayne Bleakley won the Wheelchair Race in 2:32:39.