The 2013 Gold Coast Airport Marathon weekend (July 6 – 7) will start with a sensational showdown between a local favourite and one of Australia’s most decorated athletes when upwards of 5900 runners face the starter’s gun at 6.30am on Saturday in the Southern Cross University 10km Run.

Michael Shelley is a Gold Coast hero and the darling of the tens of thousands of fans who line the race course. The 29-year-old has stepped atop the winner’s podium more often than any other athlete on Gold Coast Airport Marathon weekend.

But this weekend he faces national icon, Craig Mottram, in the 10km event in what is sure to be one of the most hotly contested and absorbing races of this year’s marathon carnival.

Shelley will have the city behind him. He ‘owns’ this weekend  having won the 10km event a staggering five times, the first time back in 2004. He also holds the 10km race record, set in 2010 at 28 minutes and 53 seconds.

Shelley also won the 2008 ASICS Half Marathon (1:02:41).

Gold Coasters have watched Shelley grow from a local athletics star to a force on the international stage. Of most significance have been his deeds as a marathoner  in recent years – winning silver at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and then taking out a very commendable 16th place at the 2012 London Olympics (2:14:10).

However there is also no doubting Mottram’s star power on the starting line come early Saturday morning. The Melbournian has been an elite international distance runner for 15 years.

He has represented Australia at four Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012). He has won silver at the Commonwealth Games (5000m, Melbourne, 2006) and bronze in the 5000m at the 2005 World Championships.

He is the current Oceania record holder for the mile to 5000m on the track and Oceania 10km road record holder (27:54, Manchester, 2004).

Shelley and Mottram have the star billing, but there are also plenty of others who could threaten and cause an upset on race day.

Among these are last year’s second placegetter in the 10km run, Inverell’s Hugh Williams, who came in behind Patrick Tiernan in 2012 in a time of 30:44. His aim this year is to crack the 30-minute barrier and again be on the podium.

Gold Coaster Jackson Elliott with a PB of 29:43 will also have plenty of local support. Ben Toomey will also be in the mix as he closes on a sub-30 minute time.

In the women’s race Sydney’s Lara Tamsett will be keen to emulate the feats of previous 10km winner Lisa Jane Weightman. In 2010 Weightman won the half marathon event (in the race record and Australian all-comers record time of 1:09:00). In 2012 she dropped back to the 10km event and also won it (also in race record time 32:17).

Tamsett won the half marathon in 2011 and has her sights set on 10km victory this year. The Sydney-sider has plenty of credentials over the 10km. She is a three-time winner of the Burnie 10km Road Race (2008-2010), was the Australian 2010 10,000 track champion and has represented Australia at both senior and junior level across track, mountain running, cross country, world half marathon and Ekiden.

Tamsett has the potential to give Weightman’s record a shake, having posted a road PB of 32:27 in Sydney in 2011.

Also expected to be prominent in the women’s race is Victorian Sophie Barker who was the second Australian finisher at the 2013 world cross country championships in Poland and has solid credentials at national 5000m level.

Sydney’s Milly Clark, South Yarra’s Lauren Crowe and Brooke Williams from Lorne (Vic) are also podium chances, as is late entrant Tara Palm from Adelaide who has a 10km personal best of 33:08 and, like Barker, represented Australia at the world cross country championships earlier this year.

Southern Cross University Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee said the partnership between the university and the marathon continues to grow in strength.

“The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is a wonderful community event and the Southern Cross University is pleased to continue as a major supporter,’’ he said.

The winner of the Southern Cross University 10km Run will receive $1000, second place $750 and third $500.

There is still time to enter the Southern Cross University 10km Run with entries closing this Friday, 5 July, at 8pm.

Leading chances – Men

Michael Shelley

Race Number: 1

Age: 29

Home City: Gold Coast, Qld

10km PB:  28:44 Launceston, 2012

 

Craig Mottram

Race Number: 2

Age: 33

Home City: Melbourne, Vic

10km PB:  27:54 Manchester, UK, 2004

 

Jackson Elliott

Race Number: 3

Age: 31

Home City: Gold Coast, Qld

10km PB: 29:43 Launceston, 2011

 

Ben Toomey

Race Number: 4

Age: 27

Home City: Melbourne, Vic

10km PB: 30:15 Launceston, 2009

 

Hugh Williams

Race Number: 7

Age: 21

Home City: Inverell, NSW

10km PB: 30:44 Gold Coast, 2012

 

Leading Chances – Women

Lara Tamsett

Race Number: 51

Age: 24

Home City: Sydney, NSW

10km PB: 32:27 Sydney, 2011

 

Sophie Barker

Race Number: 52

Age:  26

Home City:  Melbourne, Vic

10km PB: 34:19 Launceston, 2012

 

Milly Clark

Race Number: 53

Age: 24

Home City: Sydney, NSW

10km PB: 35:18 Sydney, 2012

 

Lauren Crowe

Race Number: 54

Age: 31

Home City: South Yarra, Vic

10km PB: 36:36 Vic 10km Champs, 2012

 

Brooke Williams

Race Number: 55

Age: 23

Home City: Lorne, Vic

10km PB: 35:36 Geelong, 2011

 

Tara Palm

Race number: 87

Age: 27

Home City: Adelaide, SA

10km PB: 33:08 Springvale, 2009

Race Records

Male

28:53 Michael Shelley AUS 2010

Female

32:17 Lisa Jane Weightman AUS 2012

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is a major highlight on Queensland’s event calendar, attracting people from more than 30 countries and showcasing the Gold Coast as a premier sporting event destination.

This year’s race program will feature the full 42.195km Gold Coast Airport Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Suncorp Bank  5.7km Challenge and 4km and 2km Junior Dash races.

Runners and walkers also have the opportunity to dedicate their run and raise funds for the official charity Cancer Council Queensland or for a charity of their choice.

For more information, or to enter, visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au.