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Tucker races up the rankings
A long term aim of the Canberra Marathon has been to assist Australian athletes step up from the national level to the international level. Mark Tucker’s success in yesterday’s Fukuoka International Marathon again confirms that this aim is being achieved.
Tucker, in the third marathon of his career, was 11th in the famous Japanese race in a new personal best time of 2.13.49. This ranks Tucker as the second fastest marathoner in Australia for 2008, only 13 seconds behind Scott Westcott’s time of 2.13.36 in Beppu (Japan) earlier in the year. It also ranks him 26th on the Australian all-time marathon list.
Tucker, from Geelong, made his debut in the Canberra Marathon in April this year and, as part of his prize, won a trip to the Fukuoka Marathon, courtesy of Asics. In Canberra he ran 2.24.13, and then improved to run 2.17.45 in the Cities Marathon in July.
He received help in his Fukuoka preparation from master coach Pat Clohessy and this has obviously paid dividends. His Fukuoka time, and rapid improvement over the marathon distance, must rate him a strong chance of selection in Australia’s World Cup Marathon team, which will participate in the World Marathon Championships in Berlin next August.
Another Canberra Marathon winner, Martin Dent, also ran a personal best time at Fukuoka yesterday. Dent was 13th in 2.14.46. His previous best had been 2.15.12 in Canberra when he won back in 2004.
The 2009 Canberra Marathon will be held on 19 April and again the first Australian male and female runners will win Asics travel prizes of a trip to a major Japanese marathon. Entries for the event will open next week. Full details are available here
With thanks to Dave Cundy
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