Think Big Half Marathon - Elite Fields Announcement

Organisers are excited to announce the elite fields for the Think Big Half Marathon at the McGrath Launceston Running Festival to be held on Sunday June 2.

The event carries a World Athletics Label, the first time a Tasmanian event has been awarded such a status.

Entry numbers have flown in for the event, expecting to be almost double last year’s 349 finishers. More than 1800 entries have been received across all four events, already exceeding last year’s total figure of 1455.

The Think Big Half Marathon is likely to sell out, with only 33 places remaining.

Among the half marathon entries are Australian marathon record holders Brett Robinson and Sinead Diver. Both athletes own the course records, with Robinson running 61min 38seconds in back in 2020, while Diver set the women’s benchmark of 71:04 in 2022. Both athletes are imminently expected to be announced in the Australian team for the Olympic marathon in Paris, with this race being one of their final preparation events before they depart for Europe.

Kenyan James Rungaru carries the fastest personal best in the field, having produced a 59:37 back in 2018. The 29 year old was 6^th at the World Cross Country Championships in the junior race back in 2011 and has been a Japanese resident for a number of years. Unraced in 2023 or this year, he most recently ran 2:08:21 at the Fukuoka Marathon in December 2022 and will use the Think Big Half Marathon to return to racing.

The remaining men’s field is a roll call of Australia’s best current athletes. Including dual Olympian Liam Adams, defending champion Ed Goddard, Riley Cocks, Reece Edwards, Liam Boudin, Jacob Cocks and Adrian Potter. The top 10 ranked men all have lifetime bests inside 65minutes, making it the deepest half marathon field assembled on Australian soil in recent times.

2021 champion Milly Clark who is building up to full training for the first time since the start of the pandemic also returns to her hometown streets. World Road Running representative Tara Palm and Sydney 10 winner from the weekend Abigail Nordberg, Rebecca Lowe and Meriem Daoui will also line up.

World Athletics Label Road Races are races that World Athletics designates as one of the ‘leading road races around the world.’ The Labels are assessed and awarded each year. Race organisers have to apply to the World Athletics for recognition, and show that their race can meet a number of criteria. The criteria vary for the different levels, with the McGrath Launceston Running Festival being awarded the entry level classification for the Think Big Half Marathon event.

Saturday 1st June
• Liv-eat Competitive 1-Mile – 3:00pm Start
• Liv-eat Community 1-Mile – 3:15pm Start
• Anytime Fitness 5km – 3:45pm Start

Sunday 2nd June
• Think Big Half Marathon – 8:00am Start
• Anytime Fitness Launceston 10km – 10:15am Start

Clifford Craig Foundation have also just been named as the official charity of the event. The Clifford Craig Foundation works to help the Launceston General Hospital and ensure that our community has access to the best healthcare possible. Participants can fundraise from the Clifford Craig Foundation as part of their entry journey up until race day.

Limited entries are still open at https://www.launcestonrunningfestival.com.au until sold out.

Full elite fields for the Think Big Half Marathon are;

Men

James Rungaru