Gold Coast marathon poised for a record breaking result

THE Gold Coast marathon is set up for the breakthrough performance that will push the race into the international spotlight.

Action from the Gold Coast Marathon at Broadwater Parklands on the Gold Coast. Yuki Kawauchi from Japan puts everything into a last sprint to break the record.

THE Gold Coast marathon is set up for the breakthrough performance that will push the race into the international spotlight.

After gaining a promotion from IAAF bronze level to a gold rating, the marathon is ready to crown a sub-2hr 10min winner for the first time on Sunday and earn a place among the world’s best races.

While joint record-holders Yuki Kawauchi and Nicholas Manza – who will both line up on Sunday – came within a second of breaking through, they were forced to run alone for much of the 42km journey.

Kenyan runner Nicholas Manza Kamakya

But the depth of field that organisers have been able to assemble after winning the gold label has them confident of a sub-2:10 finish.

And breaking the barrier was important for the race, Gold Coast marathon chief executive Cam Hart said.

“Sub-2:10 is that magical time, a little like back in the old days of a four-minute mile,’’ he said.

“It’s that barrier that men’s marathon runners want to go below because that then sets them up internationally.

“If people can recognise the Gold Coast as a fast course – and that’s what runners are always looking for … people know the Gold Coast as a destination, they know the event’s here but we haven’t had that magical sub-2:10 time for fast runners to recognise this as a fast course.

“Once we get that, they will come here knowing they can run fast – particularly for up and coming runners who can use our event to launch on to bigger and better things.’’

Joint record-holders Manza and Kawauchi are among those have used the race as a springboard and their duel will again add plenty of interest.

“I have very fond memories of the Gold Coast as it was my first ever marathon win,” Manza said.

“I am really looking forward to coming back and racing, especially since it is now an IAAF gold label race and knowing that Yuki Kawauchi will also be there.

“To have the co-course record holders both racing is pretty special, I’m training really hard to win the race again in a new course record time.”

But the pair will be far from the only winning chances.

The addition of Kawauchi’s great rival and countryman Arata Fujiwara adds another layer of intrigue. But the challenge from the Africans will still be great, with Ethiopian Gebretsadik Adihana (personal best time 2hr 6min 23sec) and Kenyan Stephen Tum (2:06.35) bolstering the quality and giving the event six athletes with a time better than 2:08.30, ensuring the pace will be on from the gun.

Hart said depth was the key to cracking the elite zone.

“We’ve had (in the past) one or two individuals with potential but this year we’ve got 13 men who have the potential to run sub 2:10 times,’’ he said.

“We need a pack so they’ll race each other not for the last 500m but over the full 42km of the course.”