Posted: July 4, 2005

Athletics: Marwa Takes Second Gold Coast Airport Marathon

TANZANIAN Dickson Marwa has taken out his second Gold Coast Airport Marathon in three years with victory in today’s 27th annual event. The 2003 champion was first to breast the tape in a time of 2:16:14. While it was well outside Brad Camp’s 1989 race record of 2:10:11, Marwa was pleased with his run.

“I will run the 5000 metre at the Commonwealth Games,” he said. “After thirty eight (38) kilometres I took the lead. This is my second win and last time was harder (2:12:53 in 2003),” he said.

In a tight, truly international finish, Marwa was followed home a mere three seconds later by Japan’s Tsutomu Saeki (2:16:17) and Kiwi marathon debutante, 10,000 metre specialist, John Henwood (2:17:19). Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games aspirant Jackie Fairweather made the most of her hometown crowd support taking the 2005 female crown in a time of 2:34:45.

West Australia’s Lauren Shelly (2:37:20) and Tanzanian Sarah Majah (2:40:39) filled the minor placings.

“It’s awesome, it’s my first marathon win,” Fairweather said. “I wish I’d felt a bit better and could have enjoyed it a bit more. “I went out fast and after about the half way mark I was just looking forward to the finish line.

“Still, it was pretty nice to have a win, particularly at the Gold Coast. I had a lot of support out there, which was really good,” she said. The race was a master and apprentice scenario with Fairweather coaching the second placed Shelley.

Fairweather’s 2:34:45 was inside the Commonwealth Games qualifier of 2:35, but time will tell as to whether it is good enough to see her into the three-woman team.

She and the ACT’s Brett Cartwright are the Australian Marathon Champions after being the first Australian woman and man across the line. Earlier in the day Tanzanian Patrick Nyangelo took out the ASICS Half Marathon in a time of 1:03:35, five seconds in front of Japan’s Akinori Shibutani (1:03:40) and twelve seconds in front of third placegetter, another Japanese runner Kazutaka Enoki (1:03:47). Japan’s Jun Hiromichi was victorious in the Wheelchair Marathon in a time of 1:41:53.

Japanese runners dominated the Asics Women’s Half Marathon with Yuko Sato taking the honours (1:12:49) in front of compatriots Sachiyo Yamada (1:12:51) and Yuki Sato (1:12:55).

The Wheelchair Half Marathon was won by New South Welshman Patrick Baker (49:33) and Queenslander Kelly Darragh (1:10:46). Christopher Reeves from Eastern Heights (QLD) took out the Telstra Country Wide 10 Kilometre Run (30:21) while Auckland’s Jessica Ruthe defied unfamiliar 20 degree winter temperatures to take out the women’s division (33:58).

Gold Coast ten-year-old Ben van Dorsselaer won the Norco Pauls 2.25 Kilometre Junior Dash while fellow Coaster James Webster won the 4 kilometre events in a slick time of 13:56. A record 12,700 runners and walkers faced the starter for today’s 2005 Gold Coast Airport Marathon.

Their number easily eclipsed the previous record, set last year, of 11,807. They were made up of people from over thirty three (33) countries from as far away as Austria, the United States and the Czech Republic. Queensland Events Gold Coast Board Chairman, Kerry Watson, said the growth of the past three years is showing growth of the event is well advanced. “While we were looking for just over 12,000 participants this year, the leap to 12,700 demonstrates acceptance by not only the elite runners, but the local community at large.

“We are now looking forward to expanding the Gold Coast Airport Marathon even further and we thank all Gold Coasters for supporting their own event – an event that all of Queensland, Australia and our international friends can be immensely proud of.

“Today shows the huge potential to grow international visitation and the all important tourist market to the Gold Coast,” he said. Athletics Australia Chief Executive, Danny Corcoran, flew from Melbourne for his first look at today’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon. “This is a terrific event for the Gold Coast,” Mr Corcoran said. “It’s important to appreciate the role marathons and fun runs have in building a healthier Australia.

“Events such as this give something for people to aim for as a part of their everyday lives and we’ll certainly be working with Queensland Events Gold Coast to ensure this event gets bigger and stronger. “We’re also discussing the possibility of holding the Australian club relay championships on the Gold Coast, maybe at the beginning of the athletics season, but it’s early days yet,” he said. All Gold Coast Airport Marathon details can be found at www.goldcoastmarathon.com .