This year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon on Sunday 5 July will assemble the strongest elite marathon running field in its 37-year history, headlined by the return of the past two male winners Silah Limo from Kenya and Yuki Kawauchi from Japan.

Today Gold Coast Airport Marathon CEO Cameron Hart announced a stellar cast for both the men’s and women’s marathons which will create an even greater appeal this year for the internationally-renowned event.

Gold Coast Airport Marathon CEO Cameron Hart announces the 2015 international elite field this morning at Jupiters Hotel & Casino

The first runner announced today, Limo last year broke Rob de Castella’s long-standing Australian All Comers Record when he clocked 2:09:14 for victory at the Gold Coast, a race that doubled as his marathon debut. Limo’s performance rewrote the record books for the fastest time in Australia ever over the 42.195km distance.

Kawauchi finished third behind Limo in a creditable 2:11:27 after a spectacular mid-race fall cost him valuable time and momentum and ultimately ended his chances for the win.

Adding even more spice to a showdown this year, Kawauchi with a personal best a full minute faster than Limo, won the race in 2013 in 2:10:01, an equal race record that stood for 12 months until Limo came along and bettered the mark.

Four-time Gold Coast Airport Marathon winner Pat Carroll and Australian women’s marathon record holder Benita Willis cast their eyes over the elite field at Jupiters Hotel & Casino.

Hart was delighted to announce more than 20 international elite runners today with still seven weeks to go until race weekend and more elite runners set to join over the next month.

“The confirmation of these elite runners is a significant development for this year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon and consolidates the event’s status as Australia’s leading marathon,” said Hart.

“Having these quality runners already locked in for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon is a strong indicator of the quality of this event and the pulling power it has on international elite athletes.

“The event has an IAAF Road Race Gold Label which puts it amongst the top echelon of marathon races worldwide, and really makes elite runners sit up and take notice of the Gold Coast when planning their key races for the year.

“We are also reaching a massive international audience now through the television and digital coverage of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon which helps to showcase how flat and fast the course is – attractive features for elite runners.”

Pat Carroll,  Cameron Hart and Benita Willis.

Four of the leading women’s contenders all have best times under 2:30:00 with the race record of 2:27:17 set by Yukiko Akaba in 2013 within their sights.

The Australian All Comers Record of 2:23:14 set by Japanese legend Naoki Takahashi at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games is also under threat, given the personal bests of Ukraine’s Olena Shurkhno and Ethiopia’s Biruktayit Eshetu Degafa are within one minute of the record.

Ten of the confirmed men’s field have run marathon times under 2:10:00, with the fastest in the field (2:04:48) being a first-time visitor to the Gold Coast as well as a former World Junior Record holder for the marathon in Ethiopia’s Berhanu Shiferaw Tolcha.

Confirmed International Elite Field

Men

Silah Limo (KEN) 2:09:14
Yuki Kawauchi (JPN) 2:08:14
Berhanu Shiferaw Tolcha (ETH) 2:04:48
Albert Matebor (KEN) 2:05:25
Kenneth Mungara (KEN) 2:07:36
Evans Ruto (KEN) 2:07:49
Ryo Yamamoto (JPN) 2:08:44
Samuel Woldeamanuel (ETH) 2:08:45
Dereje Tadesse Raya (ETH) 2:08:46
Dominic Kimwetich (KEN) 2:09:36
Tewelde Estifanos Hidru (ERI) 2:10:18
Wirimai Juwawo (ZIM) 2:12:38
Shigeki Tsuji (JPN) 2:13:41
Tomonori Sakamoto (JPN) 2:13:49
Yoshinori Sugimoto (JPN) 2:14:11
Saeki Makino (JPN) 2:17:59

Women

Olena Shurkhno (UKR) 2:23:32
Biruktayit Eshetu Degafa (ETH) 2:23:51
Risa Takenaka (JPN) 2:28:09
Keiko Nogami (JPN) 2:28:19
Tsehay Desalegn Adhana (ETH) 2:31:25
Manami Kamitanida (JPN) 2:31:34
Isabella Ochichi (KEN) 2:31:38
Riona Ishimoto (JPN) 2:38:26
Fumiko Hashimoto (JPN) Debut

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is also hosting the 2015 Oceania Area Marathon Championships and the men’s and women’s elite athletes from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific will be announced in two weeks along with further internationals as they are confirmed.

Key facts about the broadcast reach of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon

• National one-hour telecast on 7mate around Australia
• International television distribution agreement with Sports TV Media Distribution, delivering 1,000+ hours coverage into 80+ countries with a potential reach of 750+ million households
• Live four-hour global webcast at goldcoastmarathon.com.au on Sunday 5 July with an anticipated visitation of 10,000+

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be held on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July in one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world in Queensland, Australia.

It is set to attract more than 27,000 participants of all ages and abilities across a number of events including the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Wheelchair 15km, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Suncorp Bank 5.7km Challenge and Junior Dash 4km & 2km races.

To enter or for more information visit goldcoastmarathon.com.au