Road to London: Marathon Men and Women

Men

Michael Shelley delivered a surprise to Australia’s track and field team at the Commonwealth games in Deli last year when he streaked to silver in the marathon. Buzzing after his medal, Shelley continued with his success by posting two sub 2.12 performances, running 2.11.38 in the London marathon and 2.11.23 (PB) in Amsterdam in October. Other contenders for the available spots for the marathon include 2011 World champion representative Jeff Hunt. Driven to prove critics wrong after finishing his 2011 season on a low note, Hunt is a true contender. Making his debut at the marathon distance in 2010, Hunt posted a 2.11.00 performance at Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon (JPN), which saw him come 3rd, running the fastest marathon on debut and breaking the NSW record. This season, we should once again see this aspiring Olympian run another sub 2.12 Olympic A qualifier.

Lee Troop made the switch to marathons, after representing Australia in the 5000m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and at the 1999 World Championships. He has also represented Australia in the marathon at three Olympic Games. Troop is one of only five Australian marathoners to have broken the 2:10 mark (2:09.49 at Lake Biwa marathon in 2003). 

Other contenders looking to book themselves a ticket to London in this event is Shaun Forrest, Marty Dent (2.13.27), Scott Wescott (2.12.56) Clint Perret and New Zealander Paul Martelleti who already have B Olympic standards.

Women

For the first 5 months of 2011, Commonwealth bronze medalist Lisa Weightman had a significant amount of time away from training due to injury. Moving forward again Weightman achieved in October 2011, an Olympic A qualifying standard of 2:29:23 well under the 2.32 mark set by Athletics Australia. Shy of her personal best of 2:28:48 which she set in winning the 2010 Nagano International Marathon, Weightman will have to wait for confirmation from selectors to see if she will make her second Olympic team. Others in a hunt for a place in the Olympic team include 2008 Olympian Kate Smythe (2.28.51), Lisa Flint who burst onto the Australian running scene in 2009, running 2:34.08 to win the Melbourne Marathon and secure a Commonwealth Games A qualifier and three time Olympian Benita Willis (2.22.36) who finished 21st in the marathon at the 2008 Olympics.  Kim Smith New Zealand’s national record holder over the 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, halve marathon and marathon (2.25.21) smashed the Olympic qualifying time in finishing 5th at the recent New York marathon and looks to make her second Olympic games team for New Zealand this coming year.

It would also be great to see Anna Thompson in marathon shape once again trying to lower her 2.33.20 PB and also 2006 Commonwealth games representative Lauren Shelley running again close to her 2.33.42 best.

Do not discount possible marathon debutants and World half marathon representatives Nikki Chapple, Jess Trengrove, Cassie Fien and World university half marathon representative Clare Geraghty who made her marathon debut in Melbourne in 2011. 10,000m runner Lara Tamsett also has aspirations to become a marathon runner and has been quoted saying  “I’ve had a few thoughts about if I’m not fast enough for the 10,000m in London and should I just bite the bullet now and try a marathon early next year and see what happens?”

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