- Melbourne Marathon
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This article is about the 42.195 Km race, which is part of the Melbourne Marathon Festival.. For information about the entire festival of running events, including the marathon, half-marathon and other shorter races, see Melbourne Marathon Festival.
Melbourne Marathon in 2009 at Fitzroy Street, St Kilda.
The Melbourne Marathon has been held every year from 1978. It is run over the traditional marathon distance. (42.195 km). The Race celebrated its 30th birthday in 2007 with a new course which featured the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as both the starting point and finishing point. 3328 competitors completed the 2008 race. Another 17,000 people participated in Half Marathon (21.1 km), 10 km and 5.5 km events. The 2010 running of the marathon saw a record number of 5026 finishers, and race records set for both men and women.
Contents
The course
A variety of different courses have been used for the Melbourne Marathon although the most common course has begun at Frankston and concluded at either Albert Park or at The Arts Centre on St. Kilda Rd. It is normally run on the second Sunday in October.
Since 2007 the event has started near the MCG and finished with a lap of the ground. The predominately flat marathon course goes through some of the most scenic areas of Melbourne. It skirts the Botanic Gardens and Albert park Lake with several kilometres on the road parallel to the beaches of Port Phillip Bay. The other events share parts of the course but staggered starts ease congestion.
Previous winners
MALE
Year Winner Time Year Winner Time 1978 William Scott 2:21:04 1995 Osamu Monoe 2:17:19 1979 Andrew Lloyd 2:26:44 1996 Zerhun Gizaw 2:22:40 1980 Andrew Lloyd 2:17:37 1997 Greg Lyons 2:15:49 1981 Andrew Lloyd 2:19:03 1998 Daniel Radebe 2:12:48 1982 Bill Rodgers 2:11:08 1999 Michael McIntyre 2:25:04 1983 Juma Ikangaa 2:13:15 2000 Jamie Harrison 2:25:53 1984 Juma Ikangaa 2:15:31 2001 Todd Ingraham 2:23:58 1985 Fred van der Vennet 2:12:35 2002 Phillip Sly 2:22:28 1986 Richard Umberg 2:17:21 2003 Magnus Michelsson 2:14:00 1987 Ric Sayre 2:14:16 2004 Magnus Michelsson 2:26:51 1988 Thomas Hughes 2:18:14 2005 Nick Harrison 2:23:30 1989 Takeshi So 2:18:13 2006 Kazunari Suzuki 2:23:43 1990 Russell Foley 2:20:35 2007 Rohan Walker 2:19:16 1991 Victor Muzgovoi 2:17:02 2008 Asnake Fikadu 2:17:43 1992 Slawomir Gurny 2:16:04 2009 Asnake Fikadu 2:17:32 1993 Jerry Modiga 2:15:07 2010 Japhet Kipkorir 2:11:04 1994 Manabu Kawagoe 2:19:02 2011 Japhet Kipkorir 2:11:12 FEMALE
Year Winner Time Year Winner Time 1978 Elizabeth Hassell 2:53:38 1995 Lyn Clayton 2:38:50 1979 Jane Kuchins 3:12:35 1996 Sylvia Rose 2:41:53 1980 Rosemary Longstaff 2:46:16 1997 Tracey Newton 2:48:32 1981 Jackie Turney 2:42:12 1998 Sherryn Rhodes 2:37:56 1982 Sue King 2:37:57 1999 Susan Hobson 2:48:32 1983 Rhonda Mallinder 2:37:56 2000 Nellie Marmy-Conus 2:49:22 1984 Margaret Reddan 2:43:40 2001 Samantha Hughes 2:39:44 1985 Margaret Reddan 2:44:56 2002 Sherryn Rhodes 2:47:08 1986 Tani Ruckle 2:36:06 2003 Loretta McGrath 2:49:01 1987 Jackie Turney 2:44:18 2004 Belinda Schipp 2:54:01 1988 Coral Farr 2:47:38 2005 Sherryn Rhodes 2:50:35 1989 Colleen Stephens 2:49:18 2006 Karen Natoli 2:53:06 1990 Alevtina Chasova 2:39:00 2007 Hanny Allston 2:40:34 1991 Irina Petrova 2:39:57 2008 Mai Tagami 2:38:16 1992 Alena Peterkova 2:33:02 2009 Lisa Flint 2:34:08 1993 Dominique Rembert 2:44:22 2010 Mulu Seboka 2:32:20 1994 Winnie NG 2:47:37 2011 Irene Mogaka 2:35.12 Spartans
Spartan Qualification
Spartans are runners who have completed 10 or more Melbourne Marathons. Spartans are recognized today by their distinctive green, gold, red, maroon or navy running singlets. Every Spartan has their own personalized race number. The singlet is worn with pride by all Spartans as a sign of their dedication to marathon running and the Melbourne Marathon in particular. Club records reflect more than 1100 who have qualified as Spartans. Most come from Victoria but there are many from other states and one from Japan.
Spartan Legends
Spartan Legends are a select group of runners who have completed every Melbourne Marathon since the beginning. After the 30th running there were only 13 remaining Spartan Legends, named below with the total number of completed runs, including 2011, shown in brackets:
Spartan Legends prior to the 2007 Melbourne MarathonPeter Battrick (34)
Frank Biviano (34)
John Dean (32)
John Dobson (34)
David Foskey (34)
Neville Gardner (34)
Jack Gubbins (30)
Bruce Hargreaves (34)
Manual Karageorgiou (34)
Peter Ryan (34)
Wayne Thompson (34)
Roger Weinstein (34)
Shirley Young (30)
Other Spartans Who Have Completed 30 or more Melbourne Marathons
Since 2008 the following runners have also completed their 30th Melbourne Marathon:
Ken Bowes (32)
Ian Campbell (33)
Bryan Flegg (33)
Laurie Glover (33)
Chas Harcoan (33)
Brickley Hepburn (31)
Jim Hopkins (31)
Keith Hunter (30)
Patrick Larkins (31)
Antony Martin (33)
Conor McNeice (32)
Dennis Nish (33)
Grayson Summers (31)
Richard Tann (32)
Clarke Whitehand (30)
Wheelchair Spartans
The Melbourne Marathon has always included wheelchair entrants. Two have attained Spartan status: Ian Gainey who has completed 23 races and Dean Callow who has completed 12.
References
External links
Categories:- Festivals in Melbourne
- Marathons in Australia
- Sports festivals in Australia
- Sport in Melbourne
- Recurring sporting events established in 1978
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