Gold Coast Airport Marathon set lure more US runners after Jeffrey Eggleston’s surprise result

THE Gold Coast Airport Marathon is poised to crack the lucrative US running market after the surprise second placing of rising star Jeffrey Eggleston.

THE Gold Coast Airport Marathon is poised to crack the lucrative US running market after the surprise second placing of rising star Jeffrey Eggleston.

Eggleston, a two-time world championship representative, became the first elite US runner to tackle the Gold Coast course at the weekend.

The 29-year-old was not among the pre-race favourites but sliced more than a minute from his personal best as he finished just over 90 sec behind record-breaking Kenyan winner Silah Limo (2:09.14) on the flat, fast Gold Coast course.

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His efforts have thrilled race organisers, who have made significant headway into growing the Asian market in recent years and hope to do the same with the US.

Gold Coast Airport Marathon second place getter Jeffrey Eggleston’s success is expected to draw more US runners. Photo: Richard Gosling

Gold Coast marathon chief executive Cam Hart said ­Eggleston’s run had been “very significant’’ for the event.

“Jeffrey’s an up-and-coming runner and he’ll go back and be the one telling the story about the Gold Coast Airport Marathon to all his contacts in the USA,’’ Hart said.

“The US is one of the biggest running markets in the world. There’s something like 500,000 people finish a marathon in the US every year.

“If we could get one per cent of that (5000) coming here, it’s going to be awesome.’’

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Eggleston finished ahead of defending champion and previous co-record holder Yuki Kawauchi, a serial sub-2:10 marathoner, in an effort that can only enhance his chances of running at the Olympics in Rio in 2016.

Hart hoped Eggleston’s recovery yesterday could become a blueprint for other US runners who visit the Coast after he headed to Dreamworld and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to cuddle a koala.

“The Americans will come and it’s a long flight here (so) they will stay a long time and the economic impact around that is good,’’ Hart said. “It’s about developing markets.’’

Marathon chairman Kerry Watson said the event had the best economic return of any event invested in by the State Government.

“One of our strong points, as opposed to a lot of other events (is we) bring inter­national content in,’’ he said.

“This year we’re at just over 3000 (international competitors), up 40 per cent, so that’s driving.

“They’re going to stay in hotels, they’re going to eat in restaurants, all those types of things.’’