by Brett Larner In its 35th edition the Gold Coast Airport Marathon makes its debut as an IAAF bronze label event, the first Australian race to earn an IAAF label. Both the women's and men's races feature fields worthy of an even higher level, and on both sides course records look likely. The clear favorite in the women's race is this year's London Marathon 3rd-placer Yukiko Akaba (Team Hokuren). Having been left off the Japanese World Championships team in favor of two empty seats, Akaba told JRN that she came to Gold Coast to go for the 20 year-old 2:29:29 course record in a moderate mid-summer effort ahead of an ambitious fall. Speaking later at the press conference she commented, "The field is a lot better than I expected and so getting the win will be a challenge, but I'll be going for the course record either way and hopefully that will put me up front." Asked whether the $20,000 bonus for clearing Naoko Takahashi 's 2:23:14 Aus...
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