Japan’s Takehiro Deki will be on a mission to add an ASICS Half Marathon victory to his international portfolio when he leads the elite field as favourite at this year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon on Sunday 5 July.

The 25-year-old, who clocked the ninth fastest Japanese marathon debut of all time (2:10:02, 2012 Lake Biwa Marathon), passed the halfway point in this year’s Tokyo Marathon in an impressive 1:03:11, signalling his ability to post a quick time on Gold Coast’s flat and fast course.

However, Deki’s chances of claiming top spot on the podium will be challenged by 2014 Commonwealth Games Australian marathon representative, 2012 ASICS Half Marathon victor and two-time City2Surf winner (2011 & 2012) Liam Adams.

The Victorian’s half marathon personal best (1:03:28, Gold Coast) and recent return to form, having claimed the 2015 Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon (1:04:25), suggests he is a strong contender to take out the 21.1 kilometre race which doubles as the IAAF Oceania Area Half Marathon Championships.

In tow are three men who are no strangers to Australia’s leading road race event having notched at least one podium finish on the Gold Coast in either the ASICS Half Marathon or Southern Cross University 10km Run in recent years.

2014 ASICS Half Marathon second placegetter (1:05:33) and defending IAAF Oceania Area Half Marathon champion Brad Milosevic will draw motivation from last year’s race to go one better and claim the title after Melbourne-based Kenyan Reuben Kosgei beat him to the line in 1:04:56.

Milosevic’s training partner and United Kingdom citizen Ben Moreau managed third place (1:03:59) the last time he raced the ASICS Half Marathon in 2013 and returned to the Gold Coast last year only to be pipped to the line by Mitchel Brown in the Southern Cross University 10km Run.

It has been over a decade since Queensland veteran Alastair Stevenson stood on the Gold Coast podium twice in three years after winning the Southern Cross University 10km Run titles in 2001 and 2003 and the 36-year-old is still a threat.

Stevenson recently went back-to-back at the Brisbane City2South (2014 & 2015) and took out his age group in last year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon clocking 2:23:48.

Joining the international field will be New Zealanders Benjamin Ashkettle, Callan Moody and Caden Shields who will all vie for a piece of the $9,000 prize pool.

Despite a disappointing result at last year’s ASICS Half Marathon (1:13:21), Ashkettle’s course experience and half marathon personal best of 1:03:45 (2011), the third fastest in this year’s field behind Adams and Deki, verifies his ability to cause an upset.

Ashkettle will benefit from the support of fellow countrymen Callan Moody who broke the tape first and recorded a personal best at the 2015 Christchurch Half Marathon (1:05:13) as well as 2013 10,000m New Zealand champion Caden Shields.

Victorian Duer Yoa, the first Sudanese athlete to represent Australia in any sport, recently won the Launceston 10km (29:29) and will use July’s race as another stepping stone towards fulfilling his dream of competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and is certainly one to look out for.

Fellow Victorian Brady Threlfall could also push for a breakthrough podium finish if he brings his a-game on Sunday 5 July.

The ASICS Half Marathon doubles as the IAAF Oceania Area Half Marathon Championships open to all athletes who are registered with an Oceania Federation (including associate members) and meet the IAAF rules for International Competition.

The first three open men and women Oceania athletes to finish the ASICS Half Marathon will be presented with Oceania Championship medals. Another set of medals will be presented to the top three Pacific Island athletes.

Men

Takehiro Deki (JPN) 1:03:11
Liam Adams (VIC) 1:03:28
Benjamin Ashkettle (NZL) 1:03:45
Ben Moreau (UK) 1:03:59
Callan Moody (NZL) 1:05:13
Brad Milosevic (NSW) 1:05:33
Duer Yoa (VIC) 1:05:35
Alastair Stevenson (QLD) 1:05:46
Brady Threlfall (VIC) 1:06:28
Caden Shields (NZL) 1:06:32

Previous IAAF Oceania Area Half Marathon Championship Winners (all Australian)

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