Gold Coast Half Marathon: 2011 Women's Preview

The top women runners in Sunday’s (3 July) ASICS Half Marathon on the Gold Coast come into the race from all parts of Australia with running credentials as diverse as the 

wide brown land itself.

The elite field boasts a number of national road, track and cross country champions, all with their eyes on their first Gold Coast 21km victory and the $2500 first prize.

Early favouritism sits with Victorian Anna Thompson and Sydney-based half marathon debutante Lara Tamsett.

34-year-old Thompson has competed internationally in marathon, half marathon and over the 10km road distance.

She has also represented Australia on nine World Cross Country teams and on the track at the Manchester 2002 and Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games over 5000m and 10,000m respectively.

The 2006 City to Surf winner boasts an impressive half marathon personal best of 1:11:38, set in 2007.

Tamsett, 22, comes into her first half marathon as another City to Surf winner (2010) and with a similarly impressive running CV.

She was the 2007 Under 20 World Mountain Running Champion, is a three-time Burnie 10km Road Race winner, was the 2008 Australian 10,000m Champion and, like Thompson, has worn the green and gold on a number of World Cross Country teams.

“As it is my first half marathon, I haven’t set a goal in terms of time,” Tamsett said.

“Rather, my aim is to be competitive in the women’s field, to finish strongly and most importantly to enjoy my first half marathon,” she said.

Tamsett had an excellent warm up in the cold of Tasmania recently (19th June) with an impressive win in the Launceston Ten 10km event.

Adelaide’s Jessica Trengove, 23, is another Gold Coast podium chance.
Her third place in this race on debut last year saw her selected for the World Half Marathon Championships in China where she finished 24th to be the second-placed Australian.

For Sunday however the 2010 Australian Cross Country Champion has her mind set on a well measured run.


“[My goal is] to achieve a personal best time for the half marathon [currently 1:12:48] and finish with a strong final 10 kilometres,” Trengove said.

Clare Geraghty, 25, from Brisbane knows the Gold Coast layout well, but has entered the race under a fitness cloud.

The 2010 Noosa Half Marathon winner will be using the race as preparation for a planned half marathon assault in August at the World University Games in Shenzhen, China.

There are no such worries for 2008 Australian Long Distance Triathlon Champion Abigail Bayley, 33, who says she is looking for a sub 73 minute run.

The UK-born Victorian is her adopted home state’s 2010 and 2011 5000m, 10,000m and 10km road champion.

She took second place the recent Launceston Ten 10km, finishing just eight seconds behind winner Tamsett. 

Other Victorians lining up on the front row of the starting line will be 2011 Great Ocean Road Half Marathon Champion Kelly Jarrett, Brooke Condon and Rhiannon Snipe while New South Wales’ Belinda Martin and Sarah McRae from the ACT are also expected to perform well.

The race record is 1:09:00 set by Lisa Weightman in this race last year. If the record is 

broken again this year, the winner will pocket a $1000 bonus.

Events Queensland General Manager Cameron Hart said preparations are well underway for a record turnout across the Gold Coast Airport Marathon weekend.

"Our race precinct at the Broadwater Parklands at Southport is a hive of activity and our crew there is certainly appreciative of the blue skies they've had to work under this week," Mr Hart said.

"It augers well for a record participation and the best event in our 33 year history," he said.
Staged annually on the first weekend in July, this year's Gold Coast Airport Marathon is set to attract more than 25,000 runners from all over Australia and the world.

It will feature an event for all ages and abilities, including the Gold Coast Airport Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Wheelchair Half Marathon, Southern Cross University 10km Run, Queensland Health 5km Challenge and Junior Dash 4km and 2km races.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon is also supporting the Gold Coast's bid to host the 2018 Commonwealth Games. This event will reinforce the city's capabilities to host major events and showcase to the world the wonderful and diverse attractions the Gold Coast has to offer.

The Gold Coast Airport Marathon, organised by Events Queensland Gold Coast, has won the Best Major Event/Festival at the Queensland Tourism Awards for the past two years. VisitHERE

Registrations close at 8pm (AEST) on Friday 1 July. For information about entry fees or to enter, visit HERE