Japan’s Shumpei Tomita has etched his name into Gold Coast Marathon history, smashing the China Airlines Half Marathon course record in a thrilling opening to race weekend.
In ideal running conditions and a race that around 11,000 participants started on the streets of the Gold Coast, Tomita stopped the clock in 1:00:52, taking 16 seconds off the previous course record set by Andy Buchanan in 2025.
The victory also made him the first international athlete to win the Gold Coast Half Marathon since 2017.
“I am so happy and excited to have got the best time and best record,” Tomita said.
“I was very nervous but it was exciting. There was a very powerful energy here and the atmosphere is perfect.”
Tomita sprinted away from Australia’s Ed Marks in the final kilometre of the race to claim the win. Marks, in his first ever half marathon, finished five seconds behind in second place.
“It was great fun. It got tough towards the end, around 15 kilometres – but before that I was really enjoying it,” Marks said.
“I’d say I met my expectations apart from winning the race which I’d always love to do – my goal coming into it was to run the fastest race I could.
“The feeling is like cross country where you’re just cooked and you’re just trying to survive and bring it home, it was like my cross-country experience that last three – four kilometres to get home.
“I’ve dipped my toe into the water; I’d like to do a few more 10km races – I feel I can run faster, but I will definitely do more half marathons.”
Third place went to Japan’s Kazuto Kawabata, in a time of 1:01:16.
The women’s race belonged to Australian distance star Isobel Batt-Doyle, who secured her maiden Gold Coast Half Marathon title after an impressive front-running performance.
Batt-Doyle crossed the finish line just 12 seconds outside the Australian half marathon record she set in Japan last year, backing up her fourth-place finish on the Gold Coast in 2023 with a commanding victory.
It was the second-fastest time on Australian soil – and the fastest by an Australian woman on Australian soil.
“I was stoked to win, that was the main goal, I just enjoyed the whole race out there,” Batt-Doyle said.
“I am disappointed not to get the record, but it was kind of like a back-of-the-mind-goal today.
“I got a bit of a stitch on the course, kind of had to just breath it out, but conditions were incredible, cool to start, warmed up and just perfect conditions.”
Japan’s Rino Goshima finished second in her first visit to the Gold Coast, finishing in a time of 1:08:50 just shy of her personal best time of 1:08:03.
“I’m very happy and it was a very nice view, it was an ideal course and beautiful scenery as well,” she said.
South Australia’s Caitlin Scott, who finished second in last year’s race was the third woman to cross the line.
“It was really tough, but also such a fun and good event,” Adams said.
“I had a tough patch after 10km, but that’s when you sort of turn around and you’ve got all the other runners, like the mass participants coming back the other way.
“I was just so happy to like have that because it really spurred me on in getting to the finish line and I just love the atmosphere out here.”
Australian Paralympian and world championship winning marathon runner Michael Roeger set a new T46 half-marathon world record in 1:03:18, finishing 19th overall today.
The ASIC Gold Coast Marathon continues on Sunday, with more than 27,000 participants from across Australia and around the world set to take to the streets for the marathon, wheelchair marathon and age-group events.
Top 10 Men – China Airlines Half Marathon
| Finish | Runner | Country | Time |
| 1 | Shumpei Tomita | Japan | 1:00:52 |
| 2 | Edward Marks | Australia | 1:00:57 |
| 3 | Kazuto Kawabata | Japan | 1:01:16 |
| 4 | Brett Robinson | Australia | 1:01:36 |
| 5 | Daisuke Sato | Japan | 1:01:37 |
| 6 | Liam Boudin | Australia | 1:01:37 |
| 7 | Takuma Takemura | Japan | 1:01:43 |
| 8 | Neo Namiki | Japan | 1:01:46 |
| 9 | Tatsuya Kiyama | Japan | 1:01:47 |
| 10 | Shin Kimura | Japan | 1:01:51 |
Top 10 Women – China Airlines Half Marathon
| Finish | Runner | Country | Time |
| 1 | Isobel Batt-Doyle | Australia | 1:07:29 |
| 2 | Rino Goshima | Japan | 1:08:50 |
| 3 | Caitlin Scott | Australia | 1:09:08 |
| 4 | Sayaka Sato | Japan | 1:09:14 |
| 5 | Georgie Grgec | New Zealand | 1:09:34 |
| 6 | Risa Yamazaki | Japan | 1:09:35 |
| 7 | Rie Kawauchi | Japan | 1:09:40 |
| 8 | Seira Fuwa | Japan | 1:10:53 |
| 9 | Ruby Smee | Australia | 1:11:24 |
| 10 | Ellie Pashley | Australia | 1:11:42 |
Top 10 Men – China Airlines Half Marathon
Finish Runner Country Time
1 Shumpei Tomita Japan 1:00:52
2 Edward Marks Australia 1:00:57
3 Kazuto Kawabata Japan 1:01:16
4 Brett Robinson Australia 1:01:36
5 Daisuke Sato Japan 1:01:37
6 Liam Boudin Australia 1:01:37
7 Takuma Takemura Japan 1:01:43
8 Neo Namiki Japan 1:01:46
9 Tatsuya Kiyama Japan 1:01:47
10 Shin Kimura Japan 1:01:51
Top 10 Women – China Airlines Half Marathon
Finish Runner Country Time
1 Isobel Batt-Doyle Australia 1:07:29
2 Rino Goshima Japan 1:08:50
3 Caitlin Scott Australia 1:09:08
4 Sayaka Sato Japan 1:09:14
5 Georgie Grgec Australia 1:09:34
6 Risa Yamazaki Japan 1:09:35
7 Rie Kawauchi Japan 1:09:40
8 Seira Fuwa Japan 1:10:53
9 Ruby Smee Australia 1:11:24
10 Ellie Pashley Australia 1:11:42
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