FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Marathon Growth Boosts Gold Coast's Major Event Status
The 34th annual Gold Coast Airport Marathon is on track to host another
record number of runners this year including the deepest line-up of elite
runners in the event's history, Queensland Premier Campbell Newman
announced today.
"With just over two weeks until this year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon,
entries are flowing in and currently tracking at eight per cent higher than
the same time last year," said Premier Newman.
"This is a good indicator that a record of more than 25,000 runners and
walkers will line up on the starting line on the 30th June and 1st July,
including more than 6,300 from interstate and close to 2,000 from overseas.
"This will be a great result as the event has maintained consistent growth
in both participants and visitors to Queensland for the past 10 years.
"Tourism is one of the four pillars of the LNP Government's economic
strategy and it's events like this that help make the industry so
important.
"The Gold Coast Airport Marathon joins an exciting calendar of major events
for the Gold Coast which includes the Pan Pacific Masters Games, Castrol
EDGE Rugby Championship, Magic Millions Race Day and Carnival, Netfest,
Gold Coast Sevens – Fever Pitch and the Armor All Gold Coast 600."
Chairman of Events Queensland Gold Coast Kerry Watson said the broadcast
coverage of this year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon would showcase this
magnificent event destination to the world.
"The Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be beamed around the world through a
live webcast and a television highlights program being distributed
globally," said Mr Watson.
"Last year the potential global television audience was 265 million people
in more than 100 countries and plans are for a similar reach once again."
At the official launch of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon today, the top
five elite runners for the men's and women's 42.195km Gold Coast Airport
Marathon were also announced.
"Last year the 22-year-old race record was broken in the men's marathon and
the depth in this year's field could see both men's and women's race
records broken again," said Mr Watson.
"It is great to see such an elite field with world-class runners from
Kenya, Ethiopia, Japan and Portugal, plus some of Australia's and New
Zealand's best."
Premier Newman said most of the runners in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon
were everyday joggers and people out to achieve a personal best while
raising money for charity.
"The Cancer Council Queensland is the official charity for the seventh year
running and have raised more than $200,000 through the event over this
time.
"So far runners in this year's event have raised more than $200,000 for
charity this year alone," said Mr Newman.
Mr Watson extended his thanks to the 1000-plus volunteer team who work on
the event as part of the Suncorp Bank Volunteer Program.
"It is an exciting time for events and sport in Queensland as we count down
to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, and events like the Gold Coast
Airport Marathon show how valuable and important volunteers are," he said.
The 34th annual Gold Coast Airport Marathon, organised by Events Queensland
Gold Coast, will be held over the weekend of 30 June and 1 July.
Races will include the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon,
Southern Cross University 10km Run, Queensland Health 5.7km Challenge and
Dreamworld Junior Dash over 4km and 2km.
For more information or to enter visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au
Visit the exciting and diverse calendar of events in Queensland at
www.eventsqld.com.au
Top 5 elite runners in the 2012 Gold Coast Airport Marathon
Men
Evans Cheruiyot (Kenya) - 2:06:25 PB
David Mandago (Kenya) - 2:06:53 PB
Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) - 2:08:37 PB
Alemayehu Shumye (Ethiopia) - 2:08:46 PB
Berhanu Shiferaw (Ethiopia) - 2:09:19 PB
Race Record - 2:10:01
Women
Worknesh Tola (Ethiopia) - 2:25:37 PB
Hellen Kimutai (Kenya) - 2:25:53 PB
Madoka Ogi (Japan) - 2:26:55 PB
Kaori Yoshida (Japan) - 2:29:45PB
Filomena Costa (Portugal) - 2:33:34 PB
Race Record - 2:29:29
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