Kenya’s Kenneth Mungara will face off with Japanese rival Yuki Kawauchi in this year’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon on July 2.
The two men fought out the closest finish in the history of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race last year. Mungara will come to the Gold Coast in great form again after posting a 2:09:37 runner-up finish earlier this month at the Milan Marathon, the race that has become his traditional lead-up to the Gold Coast.
On the same day, Kawauchi notched his sixth marathon since last year’s run on the Gold Coast and placed sixth at the Daegu International Marathon in 2:13:04. He will build up to the Gold Coast Airport Marathon by racing in May’s Prague Marathon and June’s Stockholm Marathon.
“Last year’s dramatic finish between these two champions was one of the most memorable in the event’s history and I’m thrilled to welcome both men back to the Gold Coast in July,” said Gold Coast Airport Marathon CEO Cameron Hart. Last year, Mungara added to his 2015 victory when he won an epic showdown with Kawauchi by a single second, breaking the finish tape in 2:09:00.
The win put Mungara in illustrious company as he joined compatriot Fred Kiprop (1998/99) and Queensland running legend Pat Carroll (1984/85) as the only back-to-back winners of the men’s Gold Coast Airport Marathon.