Top elite field assembling for Gold Coast Airport Marathon – A classy international field is being assembled for this year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon to be held on Sunday 6 July.

There are some great incentives for the elite runners. A new ‘jackpot’ system has been added to the prizemoney this year for the marathon, half marathon and 10km run.

A $10,000 bonus will be awarded to the male marathon winner if he can run under 2 hours 10 minutes, and a $10,000 bonus will be awarded to the female marathon if she can run under 2 hours 30 minutes.

This ‘jackpot’ system is in addition to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd prizemoney pool totaling $49,000 which is the largest of any accredited marathon in Australia.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon will feature the inaugural Oceania Marathon & Half Marathon Championships; Queensland Marathon Championships; Australian Defence Marathon Championships; Queensland Masters Athletics Marathon Championships; and, Sporting Wheelies & Disabled Association Half Marathon Championships.

Here is a snapshot of current elite entries:

Men’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon

British runner Matt Smith won last year’s Auckland Marathon and has a personal best of 2:14:41 set when fifth in the 2006 Dublin Marathon.

Herman Oscar Cortinez from Argentina has a personal best of 2:13:42 set in 2000 in Santa Rosa. His most recent marathon was the 2007 Buenos Aires Marathon in November when he ran 2:18:48. Cortinez is aiming to qualify on the Gold Coast for the Beijing Olympic Marathon.

A list of top Kenyans have entered including three-time Sydney Marathon winner Julius Maritim (2005, 2006, 2007) who clocked 2:14:22 to win that race last year, Joel Kiblimo Kemboi who ran 2:13:51 for third place in the Monaco Marathon in March, Nicholas Merica Chemaringo who is aiming for a 2:15 marathon, Nicholas Kibet who has a personal best of 2:17:30, and Felix Marube who is aiming for a sub 2:19 marathon.

Victorian runner Rowan Walker will be striving to emulate his Melbourne Marathon feat from last year when he won in 2:19:16.

Two-time Gold Coast Airport Marathon winner Rod de Highden will be making a return to the course that has served him so well with wins in 1995 and 2002. De Highden will be in the running for a time around 2:18.

Japan will also have a strong list of entries led by Takahiko Saeki, Masahiro Matsumoto and Kazuo Ietani.

Women’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon

New Zealand athlete Shireen Crumpton won the 2003 Gold Coast Airport Marathon and set her personal best of 2:37:02 in Helsinki in 2005.

Queensland’s Rina Hill won the 2007 Rotorua Marathon in 2:50:07, and her fastest win was in the 2004 Sydney Marathon in 2:39:46.

Sandra Torres from Argentina is also using the Gold Coast race to try to qualify for the Beijing Olympic Marathon. Sandra set her personal best of 2:39:01 when second in the San Sebastian Marathon in 2005.

New Zealand runner Melanie Burke will also be a strong contender. Melanie won the 2007 New Plymouth Marathon in 2:42:16.

Men’s Asics Half Marathon

Australian Olympic Marathon runner Lee Troop from Geelong in Victoria is set to give the race record of 1:01:16 a good shake. With the aid of pace runners, Troop is aiming for a fast time in his main preparation race prior to Beijing.

Martin Dent from the ACT will be a strong challenger. His resume includes a good win in the 2006 Asics Half Marathon in 1:02:57 and a recent win in the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon.

NSW runner Scott Westcott will also vie for a podium place. Westcott only just missed qualifying for the men’s marathon for the Beijing Olympics after running 2:13:36 for the full marathon in Japan in February.

Once again Japan has a long list of leading entries with Tetsuo Nishimura at the top of the list with a best time of 1:02:35.

Women’s Asics Half Marathon

NSW runner Eliza Stewart won the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon in 1:15:56 last month and believes she could run a time in the 1:12s.

New Zealand’s Jess Ruthe has also targeted a personal best around 1:12, which would break her previous best which stands at 1:13:17 set at the 2006 Christchurch Half Marathon.

Like in the men’s race, Japanese runners will be a force and will be led by Yoko Nishimi who has a best of 1:12:40.

Former World Championships marathon runner Susan Michelsson believes she is capable of a sub 1:15 time. Michelsson does have a personal best of 1:12:30 and finished eighth in the Asics Half Marathon last year in 1:19:20.

Men’s Southern Cross University 10km Run

NSW’s Ben St Lawrence set a personal best recently at the Sandown 10km of 29:04 and will be hard to beat.
Queensland distance runner Chris Reeves won this race in 2005 and has a personal best of 30:17.
ACT’s Scott McTaggart (29:41) and Queensland’s Courtney Atkinson (29:45) both have personal bests under 30 minutes and will also be frontrunners. Atkinson is using this race as preparation for the Beijing Olympic Triathlon.

Women’s Southern Cross University 10km Run

Lara Tamsett from NSW has strengthened this field and is sure to give a good sight at the front of the pack. Tamsett is in hot form after recently winning the Sandown 10km in 33:48, and could give Kylie Risk’s race record (33:26) from 1998 a good shake.
Kylie Risk will also return to one of her favourite races. The Tasmanian has won this race five times – 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002 and 2004.
Two Queenslanders are expected to vie for a top three finish to repeat, if not better, their results from last year. Ashleigh Gentle finished second last year in 35:30, two seconds ahead of Emma Jackson

Another Queenslander Clare Geraghty, who has a personal best of 34:30, will be a strong contender after finishing fifth in the Asics Half Marathon last year.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is regarded as Australia’s premier marathon event and features the 42.195km Marathon, Asics Half Marathon, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Gold Coast Bulletin 7.5km Walk and Junior Dash.

People can enter the Gold Coast Airport Marathon online at www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au up until 5pm Tuesday 1 July.