Gold Coast Marathon entries surge on back of Commonwealth Games buzz

THE popularity of the Gold Coast Marathon is surging with the upcoming 40th instalment on track to smash entry records.

THE 40th instalment of the Gold Coast Marathon is on track to smash entry records, with runners psyched to knock off the Commonwealth Games course.

Marathon organisers and Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones say the buzz from the Games — when Gold Coaster Michael Shelley sensationally defended his 2014 marathon gold — is fuelling entries.

Australia's Michael Shelley celebrates after winning the Men's Marathon race in the Commonwealth Games on Gold Coast, Australia, Sunday, April 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

The Gold Coast Marathon follows essentially the same course but in reverse.

Entrants from previous years are also returning in droves to mark the event’s 40th birthday.

Overall entries for the June 30-July 1 Gold Coast Marathon weekend are tracking a whopping 32 per cent higher than last year.

The entries for the 42-kilometre marathon are 45 per cent higher and Ms Jones said they were expected to exceed the record field of 6216 in 2016.

International entries are also up 45 per cent and interstate entries are 22 per cent up on last year so far.

Gold Coast Marathon Sunday — start of full Marathon. Picture Mike Batterham

Gold Coast entries are 35 per cent higher.

A special “early bird” discounted period closes today at 11.59pm, with a surge also expected before the cut off.

Event Management Queensland CEO Cameron Hart said the spike was due to a perfect storm of people wanting to run a marathon in the Games city, return for the 40th, and marketing overseas.

“With the 40-year history, a lot of people who ran it in the past are returning for the 40th edition,’’ he said.

Gold Coast Marathon Sunday — Finish of full Marathon. Men’s first place. Picture Mike Batterham

“The fact it is a lot of the same course as the Commonwealth Games — albeit in a different direction — adds more relevance and importance.

“Since entries opened it has been tracking higher. We came out of the blocks early and we’ve been going great ever since.”

Ms Jones said it was clear Games exposure had driven the jump in interest in the 40th Gold Coast Marathon.

Gold Coast Marathon Sunday, finish of full Marathon. Picture Mike Batterham

“The Gold Coast Marathon has a reputation as one of the most well-run on the planet and we’re leveraging exposure of the Commonwealth Games to attract more people than ever to the Coast’s marquee sporting events.”

Last year 24,902 people did Gold Coast Marathon races, including a wheelchair marathon, half marathon, 15km, 10km plus junior and fun runs.

Gold Coast Marathon Sunday, start of full marathon. Picture Mike Batterham

It attracted 3244 from overseas and 7023 from interstate, pumping $25m into the economy. Attendees totalled 56,875, with 87,618 bed nights.

It has come a long way from the struggling event it was in 2001, when it limped along with 8000 attendees. That was before the state government appointing Events Management Queensland to run it.

This year is the fifth the Gold Coast Marathon has had prestigious Gold Label status from the International Association of Athletic Federations, which marks it as a top-tier event.