Gold Coast Airport Marathon cements its place in history with one of the fastest marathons in Australia

THEY set a scintillating pace and thousands followed. It was a remarkable Gold Coast Airport Marathon where records were smashed and dreams realised.

THE Gold Coast Airport Marathon has enhanced its reputation as one of the world’s elite races after Kenyan winner Silah Limo ran the fastest marathon on Australian soil to break Robert de Castella’s longstanding record.

Limo made a decisive break about 30km into the race and ran alone for more than 10km to cross in 2hr 9min 14sec, four seconds under de Castella’s 32-year-old Australian all-comers record set at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane.

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The 22-year-old smashed the race record previously held jointly by Yuki Kawauchi and Nicholas Manza at 2:10.01, giving the Gold Coast the sub 2:10 race it craved and immediately validating the gold label awarded by athletics world governing body, the IAAF.

Marathon winner Silah Limo rounds the corner on the home stretch of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. Pic: Richard Gosling

Limo beat American Jeffrey Eggleston (2:10.52) and Kawauchi (2:11.27) across the line, with the Japanese defending champion flying home over the final stages to finish on the podium after falling at the 20km mark.

GOLD COAST AIRPORT MARATHON DAY 2

Japan’s Asami Kato won the women’s title in just her third marathon, crossing in 2:28.51, just under her previous best.

Kato led a Japanese quinella, finishing ahead of Rika Shintaku (2:30.37), with Ethiopian Tsehay Desalegn third (2:31.41).

Last year’s winner and this year’s third placegetter Yuki Yawauchi. Photo: Richard Gosling.

Earlier, Sydney Olympic steeplechase champion Reuben Kosgei won the half-marathon in 1:04.56 ahead of Brad Milosevic (1:05.33) and Josh Harris (1:05.51).

Sydney’s Milly Clark won the women’s half in 1:14.04 ahead of Sinead Diver (1:14.25) and Karinna Fyfe (1:14.49).

Thousands set off on the Gold Coast Marathon. Pic: David Clark

More than 15,000 competitors lined up in the 21.1km half-marathon and 42.2km marathon with more than 27,000 entrants participating across the two days the shorter 10km, 5.7km and the 2km and 4km junior dashes are included.

Runners of all ages from near and far converged on Southport this morning for the second day of the world-renowned event.

Saito Daichi during the marathon. Photo by Richard Gosling

Cate Brun and Ivette Williams were among the runners who set off on the half marathon in the dark at 6am.

They ran the whole 21km course together and the two friends high-fived as they crossed the finish line.

“We’ve always been runners but we increased our training to reach our goal,” said Ms Williams.

“We were chatting the whole way and it helped to be together.”

Wonder if this guy will be smiling so much at the 35km mark! Love the sunny attitude! #gcam14 http://t.co/CbKdShNDJj pic.twitter.com/FVWwK0mxYG

— Gold Coast Bulletin (@GCBulletin) July 5, 2014

At 7.20am, it was time for the full marathon.

As the helicopter hovered over the Gold Coast Highway, 5000 runners warmed up nervously for the challenge of a lifetime.

It took 10 minutes for the pack to clear the start line, bound for Burleigh before turning and heading up to Runaway Bay and finishing back at the Broadwater Parklands.

A few characters loving it at the start of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon! #gcam14 http://t.co/CbKdShNDJj pic.twitter.com/qjqJ8XUJ6w

— Gold Coast Bulletin (@GCBulletin) July 5, 2014

Sam Cudby from Surfers Paradise couldn’t stop smiling when he realised he had beaten his personal record.

“I ran in three hours and 25 minutes which I’m really happy about,” he said.

“I wasn’t expecting to do better than last year.”

Some runners were still on the marathon course six and a half hours after setting off.

GOLD COAST AIRPORT MARATHON ACTION: DAY 1