In what is shaping up to be a record-breaking IAAF Gold Label Road Race, three past winners will battle it out for the title at the 40th edition of the Gold Coast Marathon this July.

Organised by Events Management Queensland, a major event management company wholly owned by the Queensland Government as part of Tourism and Events Queensland, the Gold Coast Marathon will feature eight races that include the Gold Coast Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon and the Southern Cross University 10km Run.

Japan’s Takuya Noguchi, the defending champion, as well as Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara – who won the 2015 and 2016 editions, and 2013 winner Yuki Kawauchi, also from Japan, will all return to stake their claim on the AUD $20,000 prize money and up to AUD $20,000 in time bonuses.

Takuya Noguchi.

Last year, the three above runners had finished in first, second and third place respectively with Noguchi outstaying Mungara in the finale kilometre to win in his personal best of 2 hours 8 minutes 59 seconds.

And in 2016, Mungara and Kawauchi produced one of the all-time great Gold Coast Marathon finishes with just one second separating them.

Noguchi, who celebrates his 30th birthday the day after the Gold Coast Marathon, is in good form, having run a 2 hour 11 minute 48 second marathon at the Lake Biwa Marathon in March followed by a 1 hour 03 minute 41 second half marathon in Sendai, Japan, last month.

Yuki Kawauchi.

Mungara on the other hand, will be hungry for success at the 2018 Gold Coast Marathon, after missing out on the title last year.

His recent results show that he is raring to go – he began 2018 by winning the Hong Kong Marathon in 2 hours 13 minutes 39 seconds and then finished 10th in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games as many wilted around him under the hot temperatures.

Said Mungara, “I love coming back to the Gold Coast in July as the course and weather suit me very well and the people are very friendly and supportive. Overall I feel good at the Gold Coast and want to keep coming back.”

The Kenyan also sensationally won the 2015 event in 2 hour 08 minute 42 second and this time still stands as the race record.

For last year’s second runner up, Kawauchi, he will be back for the seventh consecutive year and is chasing a fifth podium finish. The Japanese Citizen Runner’s honour roll to date reads fourth in 2012, first in 2013, third in 2014, eighth in 2015, second in 2016 and third last year. Only Australian Pat Carroll has more podium finishes in the history of the Gold Coast Marathon, with seven to his name.

Kenneth Mungara

Having recently won the Boston Marathon in April, fresh after setting a season best of 2 hour 11 minute 46 seconds at a marathon in Kita-Kyushu, Japan, in February, Kawauchi is in red-hot form. 

Said Cameron Hart, Events Management Queensland CEO, “I believe that this is the best men’s field that we have assembled for the Gold Coast Marathon in the event’s 40 year history.” 

He added, “The field features the top three finishers from last year and if recent history is anything to go by, this year’s race will be another close tussle with the race record having a chance to be bettered.”

As well, other elite runners taking place include Kenya’s Philip Sanga, Victor Kipchirir, Douglas Chebii and Michael Githae, all of whom have run sub 2 hour 10 minute marathons and they too, are all eager to lay their hands on the prize money.

Said Kipchirir, “It will be my first time in Australia and it’s a fast course with good prize money so I am really looking forward to it.”

And added Githae, “Because I am in good shape, it looks like I can make a good race. I am looking forward to it because I have heard that it is a nice course with nice scenery. My goal is to win and run a sub 2 hour 09 minute marathon.”