Stars Ready for Great Ireland Run - Printable Version +- Running Information Forums (https://www.time-to-run.com/forums) +-- Forum: Country and General Discussion (https://www.time-to-run.com/forums/Forum-Country-and-General-Discussion) +--- Forum: Ireland (https://www.time-to-run.com/forums/Forum-Ireland) +---- Forum: Pre-event Ireland (https://www.time-to-run.com/forums/Forum-Pre-event-Ireland) +---- Thread: Stars Ready for Great Ireland Run (/Thread-Stars-Ready-for-Great-Ireland-Run)

Stars Ready for Great Ireland Run - TheEd - 06-04-2012 The biggest ever cast of celebrities from stage and screen are set to take part in the SPAR Great Ireland Run in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on Sunday 15th April as they come together to support a range of charities. Among the leading lights confirmed to take part are: American actor and Ugly Betty star Eric Mabius Member of Boyzone and actor Keith Duffy Radio and TV talk show presenters Matt Cooper and Craig Doyle Model and former Miss World Rosanna Davison Diarmuid Gavin, garden designer, TV show host and Chelsea Flower Show gold medallist Irish actor Jason Barry from Titanic and film director David Caffrey Coronation Street star John Michie (Karl Munro) Emmerdale cast members Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard), Lesley Dunlop (Brenda Walker) and Tony Audenshaw (Bob Hope) RTE children’s TV show presenter Diana Bunici Many of the celebrities are taking part to support the events nominated charities, the Marie Keating Foundation and the Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation. Others are running for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research and other good causes. 10,000 runners, walkers and joggers are expected to participate in the event which gets under way at 1pm and is shown live on RTE television. A further 1,200 children have entered the Mini and Junior Runs for five to eight and nine to fifteen year olds. These Runs will make up the largest ever children’s running event in Ireland. The Junior Run starts at 11:15 followed by the Mini Run at 11:30. The Mini and Junior Runs take place over a flat 2.5km course which uses the same start and finish areas of the adult SPAR Great Ireland Run which starts at 1pm. The nominated charity for the Mini and Junior Runs is the Baby Max Wings of Love Fund. Entries for the SPAR Great Ireland Run remain open at greatirelandrun.org until 9am on Tuesday 10th April. Those entering are now required to collect their numbers and Run packs at Lifestyle Sports in Blanchardstown during trading hours between noon on Thursday 12th and 4pm on Saturday 14th April. At the front of the field, the 2012 Run plays host to the world’s greatest middle distance runner – Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia, the current double Olympic champion at 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres. He is also the world record holder at both distances. Bekele will be defending his titles at the London Olympic Games this summer and will be using the SPAR Great Ireland Run in Dublin as an important part of his build-up. He will face stern competition from defending champion, Jesus Espana of Spain and his compatriot, Ayad Lamdassem, the European Cross Country silver medallist last year. Leading the home challenge will be Olympic marathon qualifier Mark Kenneally and national cross country champion Eddie McGinley. The women’s field will be led by European Indoor 3,000 metre champion Helen Clitheroe from Great Britain who will be challenged strongly by Ireland’s Olympic marathon qualifiers Linda Byrne and Ava Hutchinson. Stern competition will also come from last year’s winner, Charlotte Purdue of Great Britain, Christelle Daunay of France, Hungary's Aniko Kalovics and Gemma Steel from Great Britain, runner-up in last year’s Run.