05.07.2010

Records tumble on the Gold Coast

The smashing of two long-standing race records, a world record and international clean sweeps of the 42.195km event were highlights of the new-look two-day Gold Coast Airport Marathon held in glorious Gold Coast weather conditions at the weekend.

A new event participation record of 23,812 (up from 23,398 in 2009) was complemented by Michael Shelley’s breaking of the 14-year Southern Cross University 10km Run record on Saturday and Lisa Weightman’s obliteration of the women’s ASICS Half Marathon mark on Sunday.

Not to be outdone by the Commonwealth Games-bound elites, a new boy’s 4km Queensland Health Junior Dash record was set by South Australian youngster Riley Cocks while an age-level world record was achieved in the women’s 60+ full marathon category by  serial record-breaker, New Zealand's Bernie Portenski.

Sunday’s feature race, the 42.195km Gold Coast Airport Marathon, attracted a record 5,020 entrants (up from 4,106 in 2009) to cement its status as the premier marathon race currently being held in Australia.

Kenyan trio James Kariuki, Peter Cherus and Ben Chebet blitzed the men’s field while Japanese trio Kaori Yoshida, Chiharu Matsuo and Mayumi Fujita did the same in the women’s race.

The Kenyans predicted pre-race they would get out early and run as a pack and, to the disappointment of the rest of the field, they kept their word. Kariuki made his move with 5km to go and streeted away to win in 2:13:53.

The Japanese women also found themselves out in front and running as a pack, with New Zealander Shireen Crumpton four minutes off the pace at the halfway mark.

With their main challenger gone, they were never headed and went on to record a comfortable trifecta with Yoshida winning in 2:31:33, only two minutes outside the race record.

Earlier in the day a long-standing record was broken when Victoria’s Lisa Weightman smashed an 18-year mark in the 2010 ASICS Half Marathon.

The Victorian flyer and 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games representative covered the flat, windless 21.1km Gold Coast course in 1:09:00 to steal over half a minute from Midori Fumoto’s 1992 record of 1:09:38 and pocket a $3000 bonus.

It’s the third time Weightman has taken the race in four years and the second year in a row she’s tasted victory with personal bests.

Brisbane’s Cassie Fien was second while Adelaide’s Jessica Trengrove was third.

And in good news for the nation’s Commonwealth Games hopes in October, Weightman’s sub-continent-bound teammates Jeff Hunt and Martin Dent took first and second places respectively in the men’s event ahead of Japan’s Hironori Arai.

On Saturday the 14-year-old Southern Cross University 10km Run race record of 28:57 was broken when Oxenford’s Michael Shelley set the new mark of 28:53 and shaved half a minute off his personal best in winning the event for the fourth time.

He also took home a $1,500 bonus for setting the new mark, on top of his $1,000 winner’s purse.

It was the perfect preparation for the New Delhi-bound Commonwealth Games marathoner who consigned defending champion, Victorian Lee Troop (29:47), to second and fellow Gold Coaster Jackson Elliott (30:17) to third.

The women’s race was won by Brisbane’s Lucy Kennedy (34:46) while Tamara Carvolth (35:04) from Esk and Canberra’s Michelle French took the minor placings.

Canberra’s Richard Nicholson took out the Wheelchair Half Marathon in a time of 50:42 ahead of Geelong’s Xavier Elsworthy (53:25) and Japan’s Keizo Iwasita (53:17).

The Queensland Health Junior Dashes over 2km and 4km also provided plenty of colour and excitement for the 1,100-plus kids.

Daniel Rolley was the first boy over the line in the 2km race while Katrina Robinson took the girl’s win.

South Australian athletics talent Riley Cocks set a personal best and new race record in winning the 4km race in 12:29 (previous record - 12:50) while girl’s winner Gold Coaster Olivia Lucas also claimed a personal best.

There were more than 5,000 entrants as part of teams this weekend with some hotly contested awards sponsored by MyFun in the Corporate and Fitness Teams Challenges.

In the Corporate Teams Challenge, Team Health took out the largest team and most kilometres travelled while Setlow Constructions was awarded the best team spirit. While in the Fitness Teams Challenge, Step into Life also won the two categories of largest team and most kilometres travelled, with Fitness Matters being judged as having the best team spirit.

Queensland Events Gold Coast General Manager Cameron Hart said the weekend’s results on and off the track vindicated the difficult decision to split the event over two days.

“The new format has been widely applauded and supported by all major stakeholders and most importantly the runners, their families and supporters,” Mr Hart said.

“We congratulate the fantastic performances this weekend, not only from our domestic runners but also the strong performances of our international visitors of which there were over 2,000.

“The event has well and truly showcased the Gold Coast to the world, demonstrated the city’s major event credentials and puts us in a strong position to attract other major events including the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

“The un-named and often un-acclaimed heroes of the event are the 800-plus volunteers who for this year over two days gave up much of their own time to ensure that the 23,812 runners had the fullest opportunities to experience the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in a positive way.

For full results visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au

ENTRY FIGURES

Total – 23,812

Gold Coast Airport Marathon – 5,020

ASICS Half Marathon – 8,575

Wheelchair Half Marathon - 11

Southern Cross University 10km Run – 5,489
Gold Coast Bulletin 5km Challenge – 3,599 Queensland Health 4km Junior Dash – 482 Queensland Health 2km Junior Dash – 636

 

CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS

Oceania Marathon Championships:

Male Champion – Rowan Walker (AUS)

Female Champion – Sarah McRae (AUS)

Oceania Half Marathon Championships:

Male Champion – Jeff Hunt (AUS)

Female Champion – Lisa Weightman (AUS)

Queensland Marathon Championships:

Male Champion – Don Wallace (Ashgrove Rangers) Female Champion – Clare Durrant (Gale Force)

Winners are invited to the Senshu City International Marathon in Japan next February, the sister marathon to the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, courtesy of Jetstar StarClass and the Senshu City International Marathon.

RACE RECORDS:

Marathon – Women Erico Asai (JPN) 2:29:29 1993

Marathon – Men Brad Camp 2:10:11 1989 Half

Half Marathon – Women Lisa Weightman (AUS) 1:09:00 2010

Half Marathon – Men Benson Masaya (KEN) 1:01:16 1992

10km – Women Kylie Risk 0:33:26 1998

10km – Men Michael Shelley 0:28:53 2010

4km Junior Dash – Girls Katelyn Simpson 0:13:19 2008

4km Junior Dash – Boys Riley Cocks 0:12:29 2010

2km Junior Dash – Girls Katrina Robinson 0:07:15 2010 (new distance in 2010)

2km Junior Dash – Boys Daniel Rolley 0:06:55 2010 (new distance in 2010)

 

The 2011 Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be held on July 2-3, and will be staged once again from the beautiful Southport Broadwater Parklands.