The Dublin City Marathon has been won in record time by Russian athlete Aleksi Sokolov.
Sokolov will collect a bonus of €3,000 for beating the course record with his time of 2.11:36.
Fellow Russian Alina Ivanova also took the top spot in the women's event, crossing the line in 2:29:49.
It was the first time either runner had taken part in the Dublin marathon, which attracted 10,500 participants from 60 different countries. "It feels great," said the winner through an interpreter. "It was a good course and the race went very well for me."
Four other competitors completed the gruelling race in under 2 hours 15 minutes, with more than 100 of the top runners crossing the line in less than three hours.
Around 5,500 Irish runners also pounded the streets, with Cian McLoughlin and Jill Shannon taking the top positions in the mens and women's section.
"It was a good course," said Cian, 31, of Clonliffe Harriers. "Our rhythm would change with the wind, which would be against us and as we circled a corner came behind us, but generally conditions were good."
Although his first time running in Dublin, Cian has taken part in marathons all over the Europe including Frankfurt, Vienna, Berlin and London. His personal best is 2 hours 18 minutes. Jill, 24, from Belfast, a member of Lagan Valley Athletic Club, crossed the line just seconds ahead of last year's Irish women's winner Pauline Curley from Tullamore.
"It was never uncomfortable and I was never out of breath, but the last mile and a half was the hardest," said Jill, whose first marathon it was.
"My legs are aching, I don't know where my little sprint from the end came from. "I would take part in one again, but not for a while. The training is draining."
Competitors left the starting line to the sounds of samba bands, and made their way through the streets of Dublin. The weather conditions were perfect, with dry skies and light winds a complete contrast to last year's heavy rain and wind.
Richie Powell, from Wales, was first across the line in the wheelchair section, coming home in just under 1 hour 55 minutes. The 35-year-old, who won the Dublin event when he last took part in it in 1994, will fly over to New York on Friday to compete in another marathon next Sunday.