Press Release - Gold Coast Airport Marathon - 5/18/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Best International Field of Marathon Runners Set for Gold Coast Mission
    
This year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon on Sunday 5 July will assemble the 
strongest elite marathon running field in its 37-year history, headlined by 
the return of the past two male winners Silah Limo from Kenya and Yuki 
Kawauchi from Japan.

Today Gold Coast Airport Marathon CEO Cameron Hart announced a stellar cast 
for both the men's and women's marathons which will create an even greater 
appeal this year for the internationally-renowned event.

The first runner announced today, Limo last year broke Rob de Castella's 
long-standing Australian All Comers Record when he clocked 2:09:14 for 
victory at the Gold Coast, a race that doubled as his marathon debut. 
Limo's performance rewrote the record books for the fastest  time in 
Australia ever over the 42.195km distance.

Kawauchi finished third behind Limo in a creditable 2:11:27 after a 
spectacular mid-race fall cost him valuable time and momentum and 
ultimately ended his chances for the win.

Adding even more spice to a showdown this year, Kawauchi with a personal 
best a full minute faster than Limo,  won the race in 2013 in 2:10:01, an 
equal race record that stood for 12 months until Limo came along and 
bettered the mark.

Hart was delighted to announce more than 20 international elite runners 
today with still seven weeks to go until race weekend and more elite 
runners set to join over the next month.

"The confirmation of these elite runners is a significant development for 
this year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon and consolidates the event's status 
as Australia's leading marathon," said Hart.

"Having these quality runners already locked in for the Gold Coast Airport 
Marathon is a strong indicator of the quality of this event and the pulling 
power it has on international elite athletes.

"The event has an IAAF Road Race Gold Label which puts it amongst the top 
echelon of marathon races worldwide, and really makes elite runners sit up 
and take notice of the Gold Coast when planning their key races for the 
year.

"We are also reaching a massive international audience now through the 
television and digital coverage of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon which 
helps to showcase how flat and fast the course is - attractive features for 
elite runners."

Four of the leading women’s contenders all have best times under 2:30:00 
with the race record of 2:27:17 set by Yukiko Akaba in 2013 within their 
sights.

The Australian All Comers Record of 2:23:14 set by Japanese legend Naoki 
Takahashi at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games is also under threat, given the 
personal bests of Ukraine's Olena Shurkhno and Ethiopia's Biruktayit Eshetu 
Degafa are within one minute of the record.

Ten of the confirmed men's field have run marathon times under 2:10:00, 
with the fastest in the field (2:04:48) being a first-time visitor to the 
Gold Coast as well as a former World Junior Record holder for the marathon 
in Ethiopia's Berhanu Shiferaw Tolcha.

Confirmed International Elite Field 

Men
Silah Limo (KEN) 2:09:14
Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14
Berhanu Shiferaw Tolcha (ETH) 2:04:48
Albert Matebor (KEN) 2:05:25
Kenneth Mungara (KEN) 2:07:36
Evans Ruto (KEN) 2:07:49
Ryo Yamamoto (JPN) 2:08:44
Samuel Woldeamanuel (ETH) 2:08:45
Dereje Tadesse Raya (ETH) 2:08:46
Dominic Kimwetich (KEN) 2:09:36
Tewelde Estifanos Hidru (ERI) 2:10:18
Wirimai Juwawo (ZIM) 2:12:38
Shigeki Tsuji (JPN) 2:13:41
Tomonori Sakamoto (JPN) 2:13:49
Yoshinori Sugimoto (JPN) 2:14:11
Saeki Makino (JPN) 2:17:59

Women
Olena Shurkhno (UKR) 2:23:32
Biruktayit Eshetu Degafa (ETH) 2:23:51
Risa Takenaka (JPN) 2:28:09
Keiko Nogami (JPN) 2:28:19
Tsehay Desalegn Adhana (ETH) 2:31:25
Manami Kamitanida (JPN) 2:31:34
Isabella Ochichi (KEN) 2:31:38
Riona Ishimoto (JPN) 2:38:26
Fumiko Hashimoto (JPN) Debut

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is also hosting the 2015 Oceania Area 
Marathon Championships and the men's and women's elite athletes from 
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific will be announced in two weeks along 
with further internationals as they are confirmed.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be held on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 
July in one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world in 
Queensland, Australia.

It is set to attract more than 27,000 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.

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