A record number of runners raced through the streets of Oxford on Sunday, 15 October, for the annual Oxford Half Marathon, with 13,000 runners having signed up to the event.
Starting on Broad Street, near Trinity College, and ending on Park Road, the route takes in much of Oxford’s stunning architecture and runners enjoyed live entertainment at various points throughout the course.
The race, which was started this year by BBC Radio Oxford breakfast presenter Sophie Law, has become one of the most-popular half marathons in the UK, with large crowds providing support along the 13.1-mile route, and dozens of local volunteers helping on the day.
This year’s Oxford Half featured an elite field of runners and wheelchair racers, providing a key opportunity for many of these elite athletes to enhance their training and provide further race experience.
First Three Finishers – Female
1st – Steph McCall – 1:15:34
2nd – Melissa Hawtin – 1:16:38
3rd – Katherine Wood – 1:16:58
Top Three Finishers – Male
1st – Matthew Kearney – 1:06:31
2nd – Matt Jackson – 1:06:41
3rd – Andrew Davies – 1:07:34
Top Three Finishers – Wheelchair
1st – Tiaan Bosch – 1:03:02
2nd – Gary Cooper – 1:06:24
3rd – Joanna Robertson – 1:16:03
The full results are available here: https://results.sporthive.com/events/7115659837714044416
Runners at this year’s event have already raised over £700,000 for a range of charities, including the events’ national charity partners Cancer Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Society, Macmillan Cancer Support and Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. Runners also took to t to raise vital funds for local charities including SSNAP, Special Effect, Helen & Douglas House, Oxfordshire Mind, Restore, Sobell House, Oxford Food Hub, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Oxford Hospitals Charity and Yellow Submarine.
Sunday also saw over 500 schoolchildren from 18 local schools complete their own half marathon as part of the popular Schools Challenge. Event organisers, LimeLight Sports, work with local schools each year to encourage children to get active in the weeks before race day and complete their own Oxford Half Marathon in half-mile or mile sections – with the final 1.1 miles completed together on the day of the half marathon. Any schools interested in finding out more ahead of the 2024 event can email: [email protected].
James Hogben, MD of LimeLight Sports, said: “This year we have been lucky enough to yet again see the huge positives that people can take from running and mass participation events. We saw elite runners and wheelchair racers combined with thousands of amateur runners and event schoolchildren all coming together for another brilliant event.
“Whilst the achievement of crossing the line is incredible for all taking part, sometimes even just turning up marks a huge success. In the build-up to this year’s event, we have learnt so much about the participants and their powerful stories which will support and inspire a lot of people, perhaps even to take part in future events.”
To secure the lowest possible price for the 2024 Oxford Half Marathon, which is expected to sell-out in record time, visit: https://limelightsports.club/event/oxford-half-2023
