Virgin London Marathon 2012
Prince Harry to present trophies at Virgin London Marathon;
Dorothy Tyler to start the race
Press release
For immediate release: Wednesday 18 April 2012
There’ll be a Royal bonus and an Olympian send-off for the runners in this year’s Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 22 April.
Legendary
British Olympic medallist Dorothy Tyler will be this year’s official
race starter while Prince Harry of Wales will be the event’s official
2012 trophy presenter.
Prince
Harry, who became patron of the London Marathon Charitable Trust this
year, will hand trophies to the first three finishers in the men’s and
women’s races, and those in the men’s and women’s wheelchair events.
He
will also present prizes to winners in the Virgin Money Giving Mini
London Marathon, races over the final three miles of the course
involving young runners from across the country aged 11 to 17.
“We
are delighted to have Prince Harry with us to present awards to our
runners this year,” said Virgin London Marathon joint race director
David Bedford. “Prince Harry is a great supporter of the event and it is
especially fitting to have a Royal presence during the Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee year.”
The
36,000 runners will also be given a memorable send-off on their
26.2-mile journey through the capital when Dorothy Tyler sets them on
their way from Blackheath.
Tyler
won silver medals in the high jump at the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936,
when she was only 16, and at the London Games in 1948, making her the
only woman to to win Olympic athletics medals before and after the
Second World War. She also competed at the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games.
“I
still love athletics and look forward to starting the London Marathon,”
said Tyler, now a sprightly 92-year-old south Londoner. “It’s nice to
still be involved even at my age.”
“It’s
fantastic to have Dorothy with us to start the race,” said Bedford.
“She is s true legend of the sport and it’s fitting to have a great
Olympian with us just three months before the London Olympic Games.”
The full list of official starters and medal presenters:
The official starters of the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 22 April will be:
Dorothy Tyler, Olympic silver medallist, high jump, 1936 & 1948
09.00 Elite Women Blue start
09.20 Wheelchair races Blue start
09.45 Elite Men Blue start
Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham
09.45 Mass race Green start
Councillor Jim Gillman, Mayor of the London Borough of Greenwich
09.45 Mass race Red start
The trophy presenters at the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 22 April will be:
10.30 Virgin Money Giving Mini
HRH Prince Henry of Wales
London Marathon Patron of the London Marathon Charitable Trust
12.15 Virgin London Marathon
HRH Prince Henry of Wales
Jayne-Anne Gadhia,
Chief Executive of Virgin Money
by Larry Eder
