If recent results are any true indicator of form, the judges will be able to throw a blanket over the finishers of the 2022 ASICS Half Marathon men’s race in its new timeslot on Saturday 2 July.
That’s how close they could be with several eastern seaboard runners lining up with little to separate them after stoushing in the freezing cold at the Launceston Half Marathon in mid-June.
Australian national record holder (59:57), the Nic Bideau – coached Brett Robinson will race on the Gold Coast for the first time against a field boasting plenty of national and international 21.1km experience and against a challenger he just managed to pip at the post to take out the Launceston event.
Brett, Australia’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games 5000m representative and Tokyo 2020 marathoner, had been on target for the Launceston men’s course record but shifted focus to banking the win when he was unable to shake off dual Olympian Liam Adams.
Liam, the 2012 ASICS Half Marathon winner and first Australian home in the 2019 Gold Coast Marathon is keen to relive his Gold Coast heroics of a decade ago by once again standing atop the podium.
He’ll also be looking to better his newly minted personal best time of 1:02:12, which he set at the Launceston event.
Also right in the mix will be another Bideau protégé Victorian Joel Tobin-White who ran third in Launceston and New South Welshman Ed Goddard, third placegetter in the 2018 ASICS Half Marathon, who will be keen to better his personal best over the distance of 1:02:16.
The 26-year-old ran third in the Launceston 10km just weeks ago and is ready to step up for his first ASICS Half Marathon assault on a track he knows so well.
Victoria’s Andy Buchanan (31) and Queensland’s Tim Vincent (23) will like their chances while there will be plenty of interest in the appearance of two Japanese runners Yudai Nakazawa and Haruto Wakabayashi who will also take places on the front row.
The fast Gold Coast course always lends itself to a raft of possibilities and whilst the line-up of athletes is world-class, there is always the chance an emerging young talent will seize the day with the Saturday 2nd July event doubling as the Oceania Half Marathon Championships.
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