The University of Queensland team is keen to defend its title on home turf when the Australian University Cross-Country Championships are held at the St Lucia campus this month.
UQ team members Megan Mansfield and Anthony Liddell have been training strongly and are determined to improve on the second and third placings (respectively) they recorded in Sydney last year.
Runners of all standards will have an opportunity to be involved in the championships to be held on Saturday, April 21.
The UQ Off Road Run, held in conjunction with the championships, will give members of the public the chance to run the same three- and six- kilometre courses used by the elite university athletes.
Organiser Nina Wright of UQ SPORT is expecting a total of around 300 runners, and walkers, to take on the courses.
'The Off Road Run was created to cater for varying levels of athletes, such as the casual athletes studying or training at the University,' Ms Wright said.
'For local athletes, the event forms part of the Southern Metropolitan District cross-country series.
'For others who might simply choose to walk, it is a great chance and take in some of the sights of the University such as the river path, natural amphitheatre and playing fields'.
Besides Open and Masters divisions there will be a two-kilometre race for under-14s and a one-kilometre event for under-10s.
The championship and Off Road Run, from 8am to 11am, will be the highlight of three days of sporting competition and discussion.
The road relay event of the championship will be held from 3pm to 5pm on April 19, followed by a 'Carbo Load' dinner at St Leo's College.
On April 20 at 7pm Peter Fortune, coach of 400-metre-world-record holder and Olympic champion Cathy Freeman, will host a seminar titled Fortune on Freeman at the UQ Athletics Centre.
Media: For further information, contact Ms Wright (telephone 07 3365 6035) or Brad Turner at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 6035).
