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Two New Cups have been donated to Cork City Marathon for the 10k race by the family of a runner who died climbing Mount Kilimanjaro last December.
James O’Connor was a dedicated and much loved family man living in Limerick and a chef at the family-run Tony’s Bistro on Cork’s North Main Street. He passed away due to altitude sickness at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro on his 40th Birthday.
James completed many marathons and was always excited to participate in his home city of Cork. He trained regularly with his friends from both Cork and Limerick and inspired many others to take up running and to have a healthy active lifestyle.
To celebrate his life and his passion for running, James’ wife Grace and children Christopher (16), Lilly (12) and James (8) who attend Mungret Community College and St Paul’s National School in Limerick wanted to do something special.
They have kindly donated the James O’ Connor Perpetual Cups, which will be presented to the male and female winners of the Cork City Marathon 10K from this year onwards. James’ wife Grace and son Christopher along with many more family members and friends are also currently training to partake in the marathon, half-marathon and 10k race in Cork this year.
Commenting on the donation, Race Director Eamon Hayes said:
“We are really moved by the generosity of the O’Connor family, especially as it is such a short time since their devastating loss of James. It is a fitting tribute to his passion for running and his place both in the Cork running and wider community. We are delighted that this year’s 10k participants will be the first to be awarded these cups. We hope it will provide an added incentive to all those training for the event and we know that it will be deeply appreciated by the athletes who receive the cups on 2nd June.”
Management of this year’s Cork City Marathon is back under the auspices of Cork City Council and expert partners with significant input from influential members of the running community. The main organising committee features 14 runners, with many more providing insights to ensure that the 2024 event is better than ever. This highly experienced team is dedicated to ensuring a seamless and enjoyable event for participants with a minimum of disruption to the city.
The 2024 Cork City Marathon will kick off at 8:15 am for the full marathon, 10:15am for the half marathon and 8:45am for the 10k race (assembly for this race will commence at 8:15am at Merchant’s Quay). As a full member of AIMS, the Cork marathon is World Athletics certified. Make sure to mark the date in your diary as it promises to be an unforgettable day for both participants and spectators. To register for the Marathon, Half Marathon, or 10K, and for more information on this year’s event, please visit www.corkcity.ie/cork-city-marathon-2024 and follow @corkcitymarathon on social media.