The 35th annual Gold Coast Airport Marathon is on track to host a record number of runners this year, including a band of elite athletes with the credentials to shatter race record times across the 6 – 7 July race weekend.

The event was officially launched this morning at Skypoint atop the Q1 building in Surfers Paradise by the Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games, Jann Stuckey.

The Minister was joined by the Chair of the Gold Coast City Council Economic Development and Tourism Committee, Councillor Jan Grew and Gold Coast Airport Pty Ltd Managing Director Dennis Chant.

Olympian and Commonwealth Games marathoner Michael Shelley also took to the stage to discuss his high-profile match up against fellow Olympian and Commonwealth Games runner Craig Mottram in the Southern Cross University 10km Run (Saturday 6).

“Last year this event became the largest marathon in Australia with a record of more than 28,200 participants,” said Minister Stuckey.

“This year, numbers are tracking even higher than 2012, with unprecedented participation increases across all events resulting in the event organisers having to cap numbers to an increase of 15 per cent.

“In 2013, the Gold Coast will again welcome thousands of athletes from around the world including Japan, Europe, Africa, America, Asia and New Zealand.

“As we look toward the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, it is events like the Gold Coast Airport Marathon that showcase to a global audience our ability to host high calibre international sporting events.”

The top five elite runners for the men’s and women’s 42.195km Gold Coast Airport Marathon were also announced today.

Event Chairman Kerry Watson said the depth in this year’s field could see both men’s and women’s race records broken again.

“We’ll be joined by world-class runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Japan and many other countries, as well as some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s best,” Mr Watson said.

“Japan is particularly well represented in the elite men’s and women’s ranks and, of course, there will be a strong contingent of African runners who never fail to produce something special,” he said.

People from all over the world continue to embrace the world-class Gold Coast event with entries across all events up almost 30 per cent on the same time last year, with an important, proactive safety measure put in place to limit entry to the 42.195km Marathon to an increase of 15 per cent with 6,500 runners while up to 11,000 people will be able to run in the 21km Half Marathon to allow for a 10 per cent growth.

Mr Watson extended his thanks to the 1000-plus volunteer team who work on the event as part of the Suncorp Bank Volunteer Program.

“It is an exciting time for events and sport in Queensland as we march on to the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, which the countdown clock tells us is exactly 1755 days away.

“And events like the Gold Coast Airport Marathon show how incredibly valuable and important to success our volunteers are,” he said.

In another announcement today, champion ironwoman Courtney Hancock told the gathering she’s looking forward to running in her first half marathon on Sunday 7 July.

“The furthest I’ve run in competition has been 12km in the Coolangatta Gold, and that was broken into sections and on sand, so the half is certainly going to be a new challenge,” she said.

Earlier this year the Gold Coast Airport Marathon became the first Australian marathon race to attain the prestigious international designation – an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Road Race Bronze Label – putting it in esteemed company around the world.

The sport’s world governing body, the IAAF, annually awards IAAF Road Race Labels to only those marathons that meet criteria for excellence in the delivery of the race.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is a major highlight on Queensland’s event calendar, attracting people from more than 30 countries and showcasing the Gold Coast as a premier sporting event destination.

This year’s race program will feature the full 42.195km Gold Coast Airport Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Suncorp Bank  5.7km Challenge and 4km and 2km Junior Dash races.

Runners and walkers also have the opportunity to dedicate their run and raise funds for the official charity Cancer Council Queensland or for a charity of their choice.

Entries for the 35th Gold Coast Airport Marathon are open.

For more information, or to enter, visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au.

Top 5 elite runners in the 2013 Gold Coast Airport Marathon

Runner                                                         

Men

Jairus Ondora Chanchima (Kenya) – PB 2:07:44                            

Girmay Birhanu Gebru (Ethiopia) – PB 2:08:11

Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) – PB 2:08:37

Samson Kiprono (Kenya) – PB 2:08:52

Robert Matu (Kenya) – PB 2:10:04

Race Record – 2:10:01

Women

Yukiko Akaba (Japan) – PB 2:24:09

Eri Okubo (Japan) – PB 2:26:08

Goitetom Haftu Tesema (Ethiopia) – PB 2:26:21

Alice Chelang’at Ngerechi (Kenya) – 2:26:36

Alevtina Ivanova (Russia) – PB 2:26:38

Race Record – 2:29:29