Two of Australia’s best to lock horns at marathon festival
GBR MARATHON
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TWO of the country’s highest profile marathon runners will go head-to-head at this year's Tropical Journeys Great Barrier Reef Marathon Festival in Port Douglas on October 28.
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Michael Shelley, who won gold in this year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast with a time of 2:16:46, will stand alongside his boyhood hero and world champion Steve Moneghetti in the half-marathon.
In an interview with Newsport today, both runners confirmed they are concentrating on the shorter distances and have opted to give the gruelling 42.2 km marathon distance a miss at this year's event.
“I am in a good space right now and looking forward to what I have been told will be a challenging course in Port Douglas,” Shelley said.
“This will be my first visit to the port and I am eagerly awaiting to see what it has to offer.”
Shelley has a few 10km events under his belt and next month, he will be competing in two half-marathons and one 10km event in the UK.
“I will not be running any marathons until next year,” he said.
Moneghetti, who was recently inducted into the Berlin Marathon Hall of Fame, will be making his eighth appearance in Port Douglas as the Run for the Reef Ambassador, said he was looking forward to returning to port.
“I am starting to feel like a local. This is clearly one of my favourite events and its growth over the years is testament to how well it is organised, the atmosphere it generates and the friendliness of everyone,” he said today.
Moneghetti was the fastest marathoner in the world in Berlin in 1990 when he won in the incredible time of 2hr 8min in a race that attracted more than 25,000 participants. He has represented Australia at four Olympics and is a Commonwealth Games Marathon Champion.
“I am running 70-80km per week which I am comfortable with, but certainly not enough to compete in marathons. I am therefore opting to compete in the half-marathon in Port Douglas,” he said
The Port Douglas Marathon Festival is headed for record entries with more than 2,500 participants expected. Thirteen countries and all Australian states and territories will be represented.
For more information visit www.greatbarrierreefmarathon.com.au or CLICK HERE to snap them up.
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