American women now own the course records at both Australia's ASICS Half Marathon and Gold Coast Marathon.
With expert pacing from local great Ben St. Lawrence, former U.S. marathon NR holder Keira D'Amato negative split a 1:06:39 national record and Australian all-comers record to win the women's race in the half marathon Saturday. With a group of sub-elite men in town St. Lawrence took D'Amato through the first two 5 km splits in 15:52 and 15:55, just off pace for the 1:06:52 NR with a 1:07:03 projection. From there they incremented ever so slightly faster, with 15:49 and 15:45 splits to put D'Amato at 20 km in 1:03:22 and a 1:06:51 projected finish time.
Just holding what she had would have put her under the record, but D'Amato went hard over the last 1.0975 km, covering it in 3:17, or 2:59/km pace. And with that, she had a new NR and the fastest-ever time by a woman on Australian soil to her name. "The crowd support was great," she said post-race. "I really hope to come back next year and bring my family."
Keira D’Amato 1:06:38 USA NR unoff at Gold Coast Half! pic.twitter.com/VmI3b06itz
— Japan Running News (@JRNHeadlines) June 30, 2023
Australians took the next three spots, with Leanne Pompeani running a PB 1:09:07 for 2nd and Ellie Pashley and Izzi Batt-Doyle 3rd and 4th in 1:09:25 and 1:09:45. New Zealand's Camille French also made it under the 1:10 mark with a PB 1:09:58 for 5th. Olympic marathon trials winner Chiharu Ikeda was the top Japanese woman at 6th in a PB 1:10:12, with Kaede Kawamura and Misaki Hayashida 7th and 8th in 1:10:22 and 1:11:35.
The men's race played out almost 100% according to script, with 1:00:33 man Keijiro Mogi leading the first 16 km and Australian NR holder Brett Robinson sitting on his shoulder before kicking away with 5 km to go to win. Mogi had said pre-race that he planned to go for the 1:01:16 CR, but with no help from anyone else the pace stayed closer to just sub-63. Mogi made a series of small surges to kill off weaker competition, but Robinson, New Zealand's Cameron Avery and Chuo University's Jin Yuasa stayed in the picture until late.
A move from Mogi after the second turnaround dropped Yuasa and Avery, leaving only Robinson until the big move came at 16 km. Mogi did what he could to hang on, but Robinson had the advantage with a sub-60 PB and low energy expenditure up to that point. He pulled away for the repeat win in 1:02:16, Mogi closing hard but out of range and 2nd in 1:02:20. Avery had the race of his life, taking 2 1/2 minutes off his best with a 1:02:50 PB for 3rd. Yuasa was 4th in 1:03:19, with Chuo teammate Kazusa Takanuma 7th in 1:04:04.
Brett Robinson wins Gold Coast Half in 1:02:17 unoff. Keijiro Mogi 2nd 1:02:20 unoff. pic.twitter.com/qv1xEFuNAy
— Japan Running News (@JRNHeadlines) June 30, 2023
ASICS Half Marathon
Gold Coast, Australia, 1 July 2023
Women
1. Keira D'Amato (U.S.A.) - 1:06:39 - NR, ACR
2. Leanne Pompeani (Australia) - 1:09:07 - PB
3. Ellie Pashley (Australia) - 1:09:25
4. Izzi Batt-Doyle (Australia) - 1:09:45
5. Camille French (New Zealand) - 1:09:58
6. Chiharu Ikeda (Hitachi) - 1:10:12 - PB
7. Kaede Kawamura (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:10:22
8. Misaki Hayashida (Kyudenko) - 1:11:35
9. Sarah Klein (Australia) - 1:11:36 - PB
10. Gemma Maini (Australia) - 1:13:50 - debut
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18. Yuki Nakamura (Panasonic) - 1:16:21
Men
1. Brett Robinson (Australia) - 1:02:16
2. Keijiro Mogi (Asahi Kasei) - 1:02:20
3. Cameron Avery (New Zealand) - 1:02:50 - PB
4. Jin Yuasa (Chuo Univ.) - 1:03:19
5. Ryan Gregson (Australia) - 1:03:40 - PB
6. Seth O'Donnell (Australia) - 1:03:40 - PB
7. Kazusa Takanuma (Chuo Univ.) - 1:04:04
8. Oska Inkster-Baynes (New Zealand) - 1:04:34 - PB
9. Christopher Dryden (New Zealand) - 1:04:36 - PB
10. James Nipperness (Australia) - 1:04:40 - debut
© 2023 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
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