FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

More than 20,000 entrants to take to the streets
in the 2021 Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon

In a grand salute to the return of mass participation events more than
20,000 entrants from every state and territory in Australia will take to
the streets of the Gold Coast to compete in the 2021 Village Roadshow Theme
Parks Gold Coast Marathon.

The event will boast its largest ever Australian field of marathon runners
in the events 42-year history with 5,200 entrants and over 50 per cent of
all event entrants will travel to the Gold Coast from interstate.

Destination Gold Coast and Events Management Queensland Chairman, Paul
Donovan said they are absolutely thrilled with the final numbers with the
3-4 July marathon weekend shaping up to be a great celebration of
Australian running.

"We will certainly miss our international friends this year but we are
looking forward to welcoming everyone, with more participants from
interstate than in 2019.

"The event this year will be a huge boost for our tourism and hospitality
industry with the estimated economic impact in the vicinity of $25 million
and many accommodation providers booked out over the marathon weekend," Mr
Donovan said.

Events Management Queensland CEO, Cameron Hart said the support from the
Australian running fraternity has been great ? we are delighted with the
entrant numbers and the outstanding field of elite athletes our event has
attracted this year.

"The calibre of athletes across all races is incredibly high and includes
six members of the Australian Olympic Marathon team who will race in the
ASICS Half Marathon in preparation for Tokyo 2021.

"The event will host the Australian Marathon Championships and the Oceanic
Marathon and Half Marathon Championships.

"It will subsequently offer up a unique six opportunities for male and
female marathoners to run qualifying times and a potential to wear the
green and gold for the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2022 World Athletics
Championships," Mr Hart said.

Mr Hart said final preparations to implement a COVID-safe event were well
and truly underway with entrants and spectators advised to expect a number
of changes.

"This year we have moved the ASICS Half Marathon from the Sunday to the
Saturday to spread our crowd more evenly and we?ve cancelled the usual
pre-race check-in centre in favour of mailing out race kits which will
include personal protection equipment.

"A scaled down version of the ASICS Sport and Leisure Centre will be
located at the Broadwater Events Parklands with exhibitors including ASICS
footwear and fashion, Southern Cross University and Polar with
opportunities to purchase event merchandise and access last minute event
information for runners and members of the public.

"Our priority in 2021 is to implement a COVID safe event and deliver a
positive running experience for our recreational and elite runners that
showcases the Gold Coast and highlights the fact that major events have
returned," Mr Hart said.

The 42nd Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon will be held on 3
- 4 July 2021.

It will feature eight races including the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold
Coast Marathon (World Athletics Label Road Race), Wheelchair Marathon,
ASICS Half Marathon, Wheelchair 15km, Southern Cross University 10km Run,
Gold Coast Airport 5k Fun Run, Health and Wellbeing Queensland 4km Junior
Dash and 2km Junior Dash.

The Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon is organised by Events
Management Queensland, a major event management company wholly owned by the
Queensland Government as part of Tourism and Events Queensland.

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