The ACT’s Martin Dent produced an age-defying sprint to the line to win this morning’s Southern Cross University 10km Run at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in windless, crisp and cloudless conditions on the Gold Coast.

The 36-year-old London 2012 Olympic Games marathoner and two-time ASICS Half Marathon winner showed fine adaptation to the shorter distance to take the win in 29:26.

After a two-man breakaway at the seven kilometre mark, Dent needed to produce something special over the final 300 metres to defeat New Zealander Malcolm Hicks, who finished just two seconds  behind in 29:28.

New South Wales runner Jordan Gusman (29:59) was third.

The women’s race was won by Sydneysider Victoria Mitchell, who was a late entry into the event.

The 33-year-old Beijing Olympic and Melbourne Commonwealth Games 3000m steeplechase representative tamed the flat Gold Coast course in a time of 32:59, relegating Victorian 2014 Commonwealth Games marathoner Sarah Klein (33:15) and last year’s Southern Cross University 10km Run winner NSW’s Bridey Delaney (33:49) to the minor places.

Dent said he was lifted by the crowd.

“There were so many people lining the event watching,” Dent said. “You pass people everywhere and hear everyone cheering your name.

“I saw my family and children towards the end and saw them cheering for me. It gave me the motivation to finish the race,” he said.

Dent said he knew he was a chance of winning a kilometre from the end.

“That was when I realised I had the potential to win it. I thought I’d give it a crack and push as hard as I could and it paid off. I didn’t want to leave it to the last 100m to try and win it,” he said.

His sights are now set on something completely different.

“I’m in shape, so I might look at competing in an ultra marathon towards the end of the year. There’s a bit of a difference in the length but I like the idea of the challenge,” he said.

Hicks, the reigning Sydney 10km titleholder, said he gave everything at the finish.

“I was working really hard to chase Marty down at the finish line,” Hicks said. “The crowd was cheering real loud in those last few hundred metres, but it wasn’t quite enough to get me past Marty.

“I’ve come over from Auckland and I didn’t want to come over for a slow race, and getting a placing and some prizemoney is a great result this weekend.

“It’s a PB on the road and only 10 or 15 seconds off my best on the track, so it’s been an excellent winter.

“I’ll head back to New Zealand and do the New Zealand cross country and road championships and the Auckland half marathon in November.

“I’ve missed out on some races the last couple of years through injury so it’s all about getting through it and keeping at my goals,” he said.

Gusman set a personal best after stepping up in distance.

“I am very happy because I haven’t broken 32 minutes before, so I’m pretty stoked to get under 30,” Gusman said.

“I’m usually a short distance runner, so it was a bit far for me. I decided I was going to be hurting no matter what at the end, so I decided I might as well push the pace. I struggled to keep up, but was happy to hang on for third.

“I was more focused on time, rather than place and I think there’s a bit of prizemoney for third, so that helps,” he said.

The first Gold Coast male to finish was Jackson Elliott who took eighth place in 30:54.

The women’s event also provided some great racing with Mitchell, a late entry, happy with her hurriedly devised race strategy.

“I just wanted to run strongly and consistently and just make sure Sarah didn’t pick me up in the last bit, so it all went to plan,” Mitchell said.

“The atmosphere here is brilliant. Everyone’s lined up along the course for the last kilometre and also on the way out you get the crowd, so it’s awesome,” she said.

Mitchell won’t bask in her 10km glory long as she prepares to head back to the world of steeplechase later this week.

“I fly to Europe on Thursday where I’ll have a couple of races in Finland to prepare for the 3000m steeplechase (at the World Championships in Beijing in August).

“This is a nice hit out before I go. It was a PB on the road for me so I’m really stoked,” she said.

Klein was another to set a personal best on the morning.

“I felt good coming across the line when I saw the clock,” Klein said. “I actually felt great the entire run and it’s a PB so couldn’t be happier.

“I was certainly aiming for a PB on this course. I was aiming for sub-34 and I did that comfortably.

“My strategy was to run consistently. I wanted to make sure my five kilometre splits were quite even. I went out with the lead girls and was able to maintain the momentum,” she said.

Klein will use the race as a warm up for some upcoming longer distance challenges.

“Today was a build-up for the world championships marathon at the end of August and back into the long miles and training ahead of Beijing in a couple of months’ time,” she said.

Delaney said her third place was hard fought.

“I didn’t feel great, but the other girls pushed me,” Delaney said. “It was a great atmosphere out there and I finished strong, but I was not as strong as I hoped.

“I fell behind a few of the girls about halfway and tried to slowly reel them back in, but the other two were too fast.

“It’s a step in the right direction, but I’m looking forward to moving forward to other things,” she said.

Dual world triathlon and 2008 Olympic bronze medallist Emma Moffatt was the first Gold Coast female across the line, finishing sixth in 34:53.

The Southern Cross University 10km Run saw 5,693 people take to the picturesque Gold Coast course.

TOP 10 RESULTS

Men

Martin Dent (ACT) 29m26s 1, Malcolm Hicks (NZL) 29m28s 2, Jordan Gusman (NSW) 29m59s 3, Riley Cocks (SA) 30m03s 4, Toby Rayner (VIC) 30m36s 5, Louis McAfee (QLD) 30m42s 6, Lachlan Cook (QLD) 30m47s 7, Jackson Elliott (QLD) 30m54s 8, Daryl Crook (QLD) 30m55s 9, Tim Norton (VIC) 31m01s 10.

Women

Victoria Mitchell (NSW) 32m59s 1, Sarah Klein (VIC) 33m15s 2, Bridey Delaney (NSW) 33m49s 3, Gemma Maini (VIC) 34m17s 4, Tara Gorman (QLD) 34m46s 5, Emma Moffatt (QLD) 34m53s 6, Michaela Quinn (NSW) 34m54s 7, Brianna Thomas (QLD) 35m52s 8, Karlie Swanson (NSW) 36m43s 9, Audrey Amiya-Hall (NSW) 36m49s 10.