Race record tumbles in men’s marathon while debutant wins women’s ASICS Gold Coast Marathon

Japan’s Yuki Takei smashed the 2023 men’s race record of countryman Naoki Koyama in today’s ASICS Gold Coast Marathon.

His 2:07:33 broke the old record by seven seconds in his first overseas marathon while Ethiopia’s Tegest Ymer (2:29:27) took the 2025 women’s crown in her first time racing over the distance.

They were at the pointy end of a record field of over 15,000 in the weekend’s feature event, which was run in perfect windless conditions on the Gold Coast today.

Takei defeated compatriots Aoi Ota (2:08:31) and Ryoma Takeuchi (2:08:38) to become the 2025 men’s champion and the 11^th Japanese winner of the Gold Coast event since Shinji Kawashima’s breakthrough win in 1991.

Stunningly, eight of the top 10 men were from the Land of the Rising Sun with USA’S Josh Izewski (7^th) and Kenyan Mathew Samperu (8^th) foiling a top 10 clean sweep.

The best placed Australian male, Recce Edwards, finished 20^th in 2:17:57, a performance which placed him second in the 2025 Oceania Marathon Championships behind New Zealander Chris Dryden who ran a personal best to win the title (2:17:34). Alex Harvey (2:19:40) was third in the Oceania Championships and the Sunshine Coast athlete won the 2025 Queensland Marathon Championships.

Takei (25) said he was pleased to win his first marathon overseas and, he says, the personal best time and race record were big bonuses.

“Instead of chasing my PB or the record, I was simply aiming for the first place today,” Takei said.

“But to break the course record at such a good and vibrant marathon is amazing,” he said.

Takei came to the Gold Coast a few days prior to familiarise himself with the course and enjoy the “beauty and ambience” of the city.

He said he decided to race the Gold Coast for his international debut because of the fast course and the traditionally favourable mid-winter conditions.

“This has been a great stepping stone and makes me want to try more marathons and come back next year to defend my title,” he said.

Similarly, 22-year-old Ota was ecstatic with his podium placing in his first ASICS Gold Coast Marathon.

“It’s only my second marathon – the first one I’ve actually finished and the first of many I hope to compete in overseas,” Ota said.

The 10,000m and half marathon specialist said his full distance race strategy held up until near the end.

“I had pre-planned surges at different parts of the course, but I found it hard to break from the pack and when Takei took off at the end, I couldn’t match him.

“But I’m very happy to have finally finished a marathon and to have completed it here,” he said.

Third placegetter Takeuchi was another to bag a personal best today.

"I knew I was on track for a PB, and I made it, so I’m feeling 100 percent,” Takeuchi said.

The 2024 Gold Coast pacer said he loved the flat course so much he had to make the trip back for 2025.

“The pacing was great and it was a very flat course, great for dropping times, I just loved it,” he said.

“Everyone was cheering by my first name today because they could see it on my bib; it was just so great and felt really good,” Takeuchi said, “And I’m looking forward to having a lot to eat and drink tonight.”

The women’s race

Ethiopian Tegest Ymer (2:29:27), Kenyan Caroline Kilel (2:29:44) and another Ethiopian in Alemtsehay Zerihun (2:31:17) filled the women’s podium.

Ymer was so pleased with her win on debut that she is already planning her title defence.

“I'm happy to be the champion today and I’ll be coming back to this beautiful place,” Ymer said.

Having never raced over the brutal marathon distance before, the young Ethiopian sat on second placed Kilel before unleashing a sensational sprint kick around 800m from home to win by 16 seconds.

“It was my tactic to sit and kick until close to the finish,” Ymer said.

“Half-marathons can be hard, but the marathon is a lot harder; I felt very good today though,” she said.

Ymer is the first Ethiopian winner of the race since Abebech Bekele’s triumph in 2017 and only the third in the history of the Gold Coast event, the other being Goitetom Tesema’s breakthrough win in 2011.

Second placed 44 year-old journeywoman Kilel, running in her 40^th full distance event and first on the Gold Coast, said marathoners never stop learning.

“I was with the group at the halfway mark, and the footsteps I was hearing were largely African [four of the five athletes in the lead group at that time], so I was with company and feeling good,” she said.

“I gave a couple of kicks at the 30km and 35km mark, but when Tegest made her break with about a kilometre or so to go, I couldn’t keep up with her.

ASICS sponsored Zerihun crossed the line third and said her big podium move was made at the 25km mark.

“I’ve never run the Gold Coast Marathon before, but it was a good race and went to plan,” Zerihun said. “However, I’m definitely feeling a bit of pain now.”

Zerihun who trains with Ymer, was excited to see her stablemate and friend take home the win.

“I didn’t know that my teammate had won, so I’m very happy for her,” Zerihun said.

The best placed Australian woman and winner of the 2025 Oceania Marathon Championships was Simone McInnes who finished a gallant 7^th in 2:37:05. Second in the Oceania Championships was Ella McCartney (2:43:20) and third was Nikki Curry (2:43:41). The winner of the 2025 Queensland Marathon Championships was Gold Coast local Riine Ringi who defended her title from last year.

And on a day and weekend of firsts Robi Syianturi, who finished 13^th (2:15:04) and Odekta Elvina Naibaho (2:31:34), the 4^th woman overall, set new men’s and women’s Indonesian national marathon records.

A record crowd. A new race record. A day to remember.
Rolling or running, thousands took to the Gold Coast streets today to tackle the marathon.
Swipe through the scenes, smiles, and sprints from an unforgettable race day.