Ex-Titans player Keegan Hipgrave set to run first Gold Coast Marathon for mental health
Three years after a serious concussion ended his NRL career, Keegan Hipgrave is lacing up his boots for his next big move. Find out his next steps
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Three years after a serious concussion forced him to retire from NRL for good, Keegan Hipgrave is lacing up his boots for mental health at the upcoming Gold Coast Marathon festival weekend.
The former Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels forward will tackle his first ever race for the annual event on July 6, joining hundreds for the half marathon as a 2024 ambassador.
And as a passionate advocate for mental health following his forced retirement, Mr Hipgrave said he was dedicating the race to raising awareness.
“I think the half marathon is going to be tough, but I’m super excited,” Mr Hipgrave said.
“(Mental health) is something that has always been close to my heart. I do Movember every year and we’re just finishing up Men’s Mental Health month, so it just seems really fitting.”
Mr Hipgrave is no stranger to tough decisions saying the day he was medically retired was the hardest moment of his career.
“I was 24 at the time and I was considered to be pretty young,” he said.
“I was still coming into my own, probably didn’t get to play my best footy but I enjoyed it. Back then I wanted to play State of Origin, I wanted to play for Australia – I thought I was going to play into my 30s.
“But sometimes the hardest things you go through can often lead to some of the greatest things in your life.”
Now Mr Hipgrave works full-time for the Rugby League Players Association drawing on his personal experience to help athletes navigate retirement as the Players Transition Manager.
And as the host of the hit podcast Keegan and Company, Mr Hipgrave speaks one-on-one with some of the best sporting legends to destigmatise mental health in sports.
He is also pursuing a postgraduate degree in psychology.
“It’s hard. There’s always going to be a mourning period when you leave sport – especially when it is premature,” he said.
“I’m fortunate enough to have these conversations with friends.
“And when we have these conversations with our idols and people who are influential in the community, then it makes it normal. It makes it fun, and it makes it okay to talk about.”
The half marathon will be on Saturday July 6 and the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon on Sunday July 7 at the Broadwater Parklands, Southport.
The event is on track to attract a record 30,000 entrants with the Bulletin revealing last week registration spots for the sold-out marathon, half marathon and 10km races were trading online like hotcakes.
Organisers warned if buying a spot being vacated by an entrant online to check the registration with them first to ensure it was legit.
The first ever year of the Gold Coast Marathon in 1979 attracted 124 entries. Now the marathon alone has over 10,000 in the field.
The Gold Coast Bulletin is a Gold Coast Marathon media partner
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Originally published as Ex-Titans player Keegan Hipgrave set to run first Gold Coast Marathon for mental health
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