FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Classy field of starters in the 2021
Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon
It will be game on for the male marathoners with an Australian Marathon
Championship at stake and a potential six places on offer to represent the
country at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games or the 2022 World
Athletics Championships.
Leading the charge will be two-time Olympian and former Australian 10,000m
record holder, Ben St Lawrence (NSW), who set a 2:14.27 personal best on
his last outing on the streets of the Gold Coast two years ago.
At 39-years-of age, top-seed St Lawrence finds himself an elder statesman
of the elites' field, but Tasmanian based Englishman, Nick Earl and NSW's
Thomas Do Canto boast 2:14 personal bests over the 42.195km distance and
must be considered front runners in a field that the stopwatch has done
little to separate.
Eyes will also be on Canberra's Hugh Williams who is coached by legendary
athletics figure Dick Telford, Victoria's Andy Buchanan who is coached by
2016 Olympian, Scott Westcott and Riley Cocks from the prestigious Nic
Bideau stable.
In the race for the women's honours, Tasmanian Olympian, Milly Clark hopes
to switch up her second place from her first Gold Coast Marathon in 2019,
for a top of the podium view, but with 7th ranked all-time Aussie
marathoner, Jess Stenson looking for the same view, she'll have a battle on
her hands.
Second place in the 2018 Gold Coast Marathon, dual bronze Commonwealth
Games medallist and two-time Olympian, Stenson will go into the race
holding the fastest time run by an Australian female on the Gold Coast in
the event's history… just ahead of Clark.
The first Australian home in the 2016 Rio Olympics women's marathon,
Clark's result and PB on the Gold Coast in 2019 moved her into ninth
position of Australia's all-time female marathoners and the fastest ranked
female in the Gold Coast event.
Another real chance for a top three finish is Nera Jerab from Western
Australia who took second place at the 2019 Melbourne Marathon.
She'll continue a friendly on course rivalry with Dick Telford-coached
Marnie Ponton from NSW who finished a close third behind Jerab in Melbourne
and won the recent 2021 Brisbane Half Marathon.
Wheelchair Marathon
Australian wheelchair marathon racer and Paralympian, Madison de Rozario
will return to the Gold Coast this year to resume her gold medal winning
streak with her sights set on taking out the wheelchair marathon event for
the third time.
The star wheelchair marathon racer who rose to glory after winning the
women's T54 1500m and the marathon events at the Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth Games will race on the Gold Coast ahead of her second
Paralympics in Tokyo in August 2021.
Gold Coast 2018 Wheelchair Marathon silver medallist, Eliza Ault-Connell
will race the Gold Coast again this year with six-time Paralympian Christie
Dawes back to defend her 2016 course record and local wheelchair racer,
22-year-old Sara-Ashlee Tait looking to emulate her 2017 gold medal win and
challenge the seasoned field of outstanding athletes.
Four-time Paralympian, Richard Colman is shaping up as firm favourite in
the men's race this year after placing second in 2019. He will be looking
for an early lead with the likes of Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games
paratriathlon silver medallist, Nic Beveridge and fellow Gold Coast 2018
T54 1500m bronze medallist, Jake Lappin expected to produce strong races on
the familiar Gold Coast course.
Making his debut in the Wheelchair Marathon, 2019 Gold Coast Marathon
Wheelchair 15km winner and the youngest in the field, 18-year-old Cory
Crombie will challenge a well credentialled field of senior competitors
with a podium finish for the enthusiastic and determined athlete not out of
the question.
The 42nd Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon will be held on 3
- 4 July 2021.
It will feature eight races including the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold
Coast Marathon (World Athletics Label Road Race), Wheelchair Marathon,
ASICS Half Marathon, , Southern Cross University 10km Run, Wheelchair
10km,Gold Coast Airport 5km Fun Run, Health and Wellbeing Queensland 4km
Junior Dash and 2km Junior Dash.
The Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon is organised by Events
Management Queensland, a major event management company wholly owned by the
Queensland Government as part of Tourism and Events Queensland.
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