Belfast Marathon winner Joel Kipsang Kositany of Kenya

KENYAN runner Joel Kipsang Kositany earned his third Belfast Marathon victory as he won the men’s race today.

He came home in two hours, 17 minutes and 39 minutes on Monday.

Kositany broke clear in the closing stages to finish a minute and four seconds ahead of compatriot Eric Koech.

Dan Tanui completed an all-Kenyan podium as he finished third in 2:18.46.

Kositany’s winning time was almost two minutes faster than his previous Belfast best but he was just under four minutes outside the course record.

Ethiopian Negewo Ararisa ran the fastest ever Belfast time when he took victory in 2012 in 2:13.41.

Kositany, whose victory on Monday was the 14th straight African men’s win in Belfast, clocked 2:19.28 when he won in 2013 and his winning time 12 months ago was 2:19.36.

The Kenyan, who set his personal best of 2:09.50 in Israel four years ago, also finished second in 2014 behind compatriot Freddy Sittuk.

A view from the skies above from the PSNI’s helicopter