Queenslanders fly to win Gold Coast Airport 5km titles

Palm Beach (QLD) 24-year-old Harrison Martinenko again wrote himself into the history books by bettering his own race record in the Gold Coast Airport 5km.

His 14:30 was two seconds faster than the 14:32 he ran on the same course in similar perfect conditions in 2023.

Approaching the finish chute in a group of three Queenslanders, Martinenko timed his race perfectly with a huge kick on the final turn that consigned Brisbane 18-year-old Toby Chippendale (14:36) and 19-year-old Charlie Moore (14:38) to second and third place respectively.

"That was easy," Martinenko said.

"No one wanted to do the work on the way back, so I thought, alright, I'll just play chicken with them.

"Coming around that last corner I knew if I could come around in front it was going to be all over, and it was.

"In ten hard steps it was over, and I knew I was on target to beat my own record," he said.

Brisbane's Isabella Valinoti (16:15) made sure her trip down the M1 was worth it this morning, with victory in the women's 5km event.

The 16-year-old impressed ahead of Toowoomba flyer Brielle Erbacher (16:21) and the fast-finishing Kobi Walker (16:44).

“This is my first year at the Gold Coast. It was nice, it was fast and flat, and I really loved everyone cheering me on from the sidelines,” Valinoti said.

“It was an insane race and a personal best for me by about a minute.

“I’m feeling on top of the world. I’ve been training well and feeling good and doing all the right things so I’m happy to see that it’s worked.

“We are just coming off track season and going into cross country season so this 5km race is the perfect distance. I’d love to make the world cross country team."