Ruth Chebitok became the first Kenyan woman to win the Gold Coast Marathon crossing the line in 2:24:49

Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok set a race record and the fourth fastest time ever recorded in Australia with her win in the 40^th edition Gold Coast Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Chebitok, the first Kenyan woman to win this race, won the AUD $20,000 winner’s purse as well as a $10,000 time bonus for her race record of 2:24:49, breaking the previous record of Abebech Bekele (2:25:34) by 45 seconds.

Creating just as much excitement was second place for Aussie Jessica Trengove who improved her personal best (PB) to 2:26:31 and claimed a special incentive for Australian athletes to run sub 2:28.

For the 40^th edition of the race, organisers offered a $40,000 prize pool for Australian athletes who ran sub 2:28 for women and 2:10 for men.

As the only Australian to go under those marks this morning, Trengove (SA) was awarded the AUD $40,000 and an additional AUD $8,000 for her runner up finish.

Trengove said post-race that she would contribute some of her incentive money to charities close to her heart.

It has been a great year for Trengove, 30, with a bronze medal in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games, a second-place finish in the Gold Coast Marathon in a PB and then crowned the IAAF Oceania Marathon champion with her performance as the leading athlete from Oceania.

Top seed for the race Agness Barsosio from Kenya finished in third position clocking 2:27:46 after losing touch with her Kenyan compatriot with about 10km to go.

Miharu Shimokado was fourth in 2:29:38 while another Australian Celia Sullohern (NSW) finished fifth in 2:30:19, after being on sub 2:28 pace up until the 40km mark.

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The 40th  edition Gold Coast Marathon will feature eight races including the Gold Coast Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Wheelchair 15km, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Gold Coast Airport Fun Run, Garmin 4km Junior Dash and Garmin 2km Junior Dash.

The Gold Coast Marathon is organised by Events Management Queensland, a major event management company wholly owned by the Queensland Government as part of Tourism and Events Queensland.