FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gold Coast Airport Marathon Braces for its Greatest Showdown in History
The Gold Coast is bracing for one of its greatest ever sporting showdowns.
This year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon, Sunday 6 July, has so many
captivating ingredients that stamp it as not only the best in the race's
36-year history, but also as a rival to anything on the stellar list of
sporting occasions ever hosted by this city.
First there is 'the showdown', the head-to-head clash of the men's event's
equal course record holders, Japan's Yuki Kawauchi and Kenya's Nicholas
Manza.
Then there is the awarding of the International Association of Athletics
Federations (IAAF) Road Race Gold Label earlier this year to the Gold Coast
Airport Marathon, which has ensured the best ever elite field.
Add the emotion of this race being the Australian swansong for national
marathon icon Lee Troop.
Sprinkle in the fact that this year's race is also the Australian Marathon
Championships, along with a host of other domestic titles.
And what you have is the chemistry for an amazing Gold Coast Airport
Marathon on Sunday 6 July.
Undoubtedly the clash between Kawauchi and Manza is potentially the show
stopper. In 2011 Manza broke the long-standing 22-year-old-old men's
marathon course record previously held by Olympian Brad Camp, setting the
new record at 2:10:01.
Last year most on course thought Kawauchi had just lowered that mark when
he crossed the line. However after a tense few moments it was revealed he
had in fact covered the course in exactly the same time as Manza.
This year few doubt that the 2:10 barrier will be smashed.
The awarding of the IAAF Road Race Gold Label earlier this year has been
attributed to Manza's decision to return to the Gold Coast, setting up an
eagerly awaited showdown which is expected to not only produce a new course
record, but also break the Australian all comers record of 2:09:18, set
back in 1982 by Rob de Castella at the Brisbane Commonwealth Games.
Manza, who holds a marathon personal best of 2:06:34 recorded in 2011, will
be looking to put the heat on Japan's most widely recognised marathoner
Kawauchi after placing fourth (2:12:01) at this year's Prague Marathon in
testing conditions, and, fourth at the Berlin Marathon in 2012 with a
strong 2:08:28.
Kawauchi, who is also a sub-2:10 marathoner, having run a personal best
2:08:14 in Seoul last year, will arrive on the Gold Coast with at least six
marathons under his belt for the year including four course records and an
impressive seventh sub-2:10 career marathon.
Not only will both men be tested by each other but they will be challenged
by the fastest elite field in the race's history led by seventh all-time
fastest Japanese marathoner and Olympian Arata Fujiwara who boasts a
2:07:48 personal best as well as fellow countryman and 2014 Tokyo Marathon
third placegetter Hirokatsu Kurosaki.
Also throw into the mix American Jeffrey Eggleston, who was the second
highest finisher amongst his countrymen in Boston this year and also
Zimbabwe's Wirimai Juwawo, who finished one spot ahead of local Michael
Shelley at the 2012 London Olympics.
In all there are 13 starters in the men's field who have a PB lower than
2:10.
If conditions are typically good, and considering the quality in the lead
pack, there could be a genuine world class time this year.
There is no doubt the sentimental favourite will be 2006 Gold Coast Airport
Marathon winner, event ambassador, sub-2:10 marathoner, three-time Olympian
and Commonwealth Games representative Lee Troop, who will bring down the
curtain on one of the most celebrated and decorated Australian marathon
careers at this year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon.
Troop will finish on a sentimental note by representing his home state of
Victoria in the marathon one last time with the Gold Coast Airport Marathon
doubling as the Australian Marathon Championships for the first time since
2006, which also happened to be the last time Troop took the national title
on the Gold Coast.
The women's marathon record of 2:27:17, set just last year by Japan's
Yukiko Akaba, is also under threat with three runners having PBs below this
mark.
Among those is the 2011 Gold Coast Airport Marathon winner, Ethiopian
Goitetom Tesema. However posing the greatest potential threat is her
countrywoman, 24-year-old Yebrgual Melese, who debuted in Paris this year
with a stunning 2:26:21.
The top Kenyan contender in the women's field, has a PB of 2:26:52. If
these three work together, it is not only the Gold Coast record that will
be under threat, but also the Australian all-comers record of 2:23:14.
Adding further international flavour to the women's field is China's Lamei
Sun. The university student will be the poster girl for the large
contingent (more than 150) of Chinese runners who have flown in for the
event.
Entries to all races close at 8pm on Friday July 4. Entry details are
available on the Gold Coast Airport Marathon's official site
www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au
Anybody who can't make it to the race precinct on Sunday 6 July can watch
the marathon via a live digital telecast and see the live results at
www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au
Also, the main pre-race hub for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be at
the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from Thursday night, July
3. This is where the Check In Centre will be housed as well as the ASICS
Sport & Leisure Expo.
The Expo will have more than 60 exhibitors with a wide range of health and
fitness products. The Expo is open to the general public.
Another major highlight at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
will be the AirAsia Legends Lunch on Saturday 5 July. Appearing at the
lunch will be a host of running greats including Rob de Castella, Steve
Moneghetti, Pat Carroll, Lee Troop, Benita Willis and Mok Ying Ren.
This lunch is open to the general public with tickets available at
www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au
The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is a major highlight on Queensland's event
calendar, attracting people from more than 30 countries and showcasing the
Gold Coast as a premier sporting event destination.
It is set to attract more than 30,000 participants of all ages and
abilities across a number of events including the Gold Coast Airport
Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Wheelchair 15km,
Southern Cross University 10km Run, Suncorp Bank 5.7km Challenge and Junior
Dash 4km & 2km races.
Participants also have the opportunity to dedicate their run and raise
funds for the official charity Cancer Council Queensland or for a charity
of their choice.
For more information visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au.
Elite Start Field - International Men
Name Yuki Kawauchi
DOB 5 March 1987
Country Japan
Race Number 1
Marathon PB 2:08:14 (Seoul, 2013)
Name Nicholas Manza
DOB 2 March 1985
Country Kenya
Race Number 2
Marathon PB 2:06:34 (Amsterdam, 2011)
Name Gebretsadik Adihana
DOB 16 July 1992
Country Ethiopia
Race Number 4
Marathon PB 2:06:23 (Amsterdam, 2012)
Name Stephen Tum
DOB 12 June 1986
Country Kenya
Race Number 5
Marathon PB 2:06:35 (Marrakech, 2013)
Name Arata Fujiwara
DOB 12 September 1981
Country Japan
Race Number 6
Marathon PB 2:07:48 (Tokyo, 2012)
Name Stephen Kibiwot
DOB 3 April 1980
Country Kenya
Race Number 7
Marathon PB 2:07:54 (Prague, 2009)
Name Haile Gemeda
DOB 22 October 1988
Country Ethiopia
Race Number 8
Marathon PB 2:08:35 (Rome, 2013)
Name Hirokatsu Kurosaki
DOB 8 August 1985
Country Japan
Race Number 10
Marathon PB 2:09:07 (Tokyo, 2014)
Name Cyrus Njui
DOB 11 February 1986
Country Kenya (lives in Japan)
Race Number 11
Marathon PB 2:09:10 (Tokyo, 2011)
Name Ahmed Baday
DOB 1 January 1974
Country Morocco
Race Number 12
Marathon PB 2:09:16 (Daegu, 2012)
Name Erick Mose
DOB 3 February 1987
Country Kenya (lives in Mexico)
Race Number 14
Marathon PB 2:09:44 (Los Angeles, 2013)
Name Chiharu Takada
DOB 9 July 1981
Country Japan
Race Number 15
Marathon PB 2:10:39 (Fukuoka, 2013)
Name Jeffrey Eggleston
DOB 1 October 1984
Country USA
Race Number 16
Marathon PB 2:11:57 (Boston, 2014)
Name Hironori Arai
DOB 19 September 1979
Country Japan
Race Number 17
Marathon PB 2:12:27 (Lake Biwa, 2011)
Name Wirimai Juwawo
DOB 7 November 1980
Country Zimbabwe
Race Number 18
Marathon PB 2:12:38 (Danzhou, 2010)
Elite Start Field - International Women
Name Goitetom Tesema
DOB 8 October 1987
Country Ethiopia
Race Number 102
Marathon PB 2:26:21 (Rome, 2011)
Name Yebrgual Melese
DOB 18 April 1990
Country Ethiopia
Race Number 103
Marathon PB 2:26:21 (Paris, 2014)
Name Emily Samoei
DOB 11 November 1980
Country Kenya
Race Number 104
Marathon PB 2:26:52 (Barcelona, 2012)
Name Asami Kato
DOB 12 October 1990
Country Japan
Race Number 106
Marathon PB 2:29:08 (Nagoya, 2014)
Name Rika Shintaku
DOB 19 October 1985
Country Japan
Race Number 107
Marathon PB 2:31:15 (Tokyo, 2014)
Name Tsehay Desalegn
DOB 28 October 1991
Country Ethiopia
Race Number 108
Marathon PB 2:31:25 (Prague, 2014)
Name Hiroko Yoshitomi
DOB 26 December 1983
Country Japan
Race Number 109
Marathon PB 2:31:28 (Tokyo, 2013)
Name Pamela Chepchumba
DOB 8 March 1979
Country Kenya
Race Number 110
Marathon PB 2:25:36 (Milan, 2007)
Name Lamei Sun
DOB 4 January 1990
Country China
Race Number 113
Marathon PB 2:27:55 (Beijing, 2012)
Name Chihiro Tanaka
DOB 13 November 1969
Country Japan
Race Number 114
Marathon PB 2:29:30 (Nagoya, 2002)
Name Alexandra Williams
DOB 24 March 1981
Country New Zealand
Race Number 117
Marathon PB 2:41:29 (Auckland, 2012)
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