A strong field of athletes will be out to make history when they line up for the 19th annual University of Queensland Great Court Race on Wednesday, May 21.
The fields for the finals of the 636-metre dash around the sandstone cloisters of the University`s picturesque Great Court were decided after a series of heats held last week. The event is based on the Cambridge University Race, as featured in the film Chariots of Fire.
The challenge for competitors is to finish before the University bell tolls 12 times to be assured of a race record.
A drama charged final looms in both the men’s and women’s races with less than a second separating the fastest three qualifiers in each event.
Medical student Tom Dover qualified fastest for the final with a time of 1.31.38 seconds and will be looking to improve on his heat run where he fell behind after an early slip.
Dover, a member of UQ’s National Club Championship win in April, will have to overcome a hot field including promising juniors Robbie Rankin and Leo Mewing, who qualified second and third fastest respectively.
Former U/20 State 1500m champion Danny Russell and 2001 Great Court Race champion Stuart Bowden round out one of the strongest men’s fields in recent years. The current race record is 1.26.40 set in 1988 by four-time victor Simon Still.
The women’s race shapes as a tight battle between three rising stars of the track. Science student Sophie Curtis, second at this year’s U/20 state 1500m, qualified fastest in 1.52.62 and will be tested by GPS girls champion Daina Surka and U/20 state 3000m champion Amber Peckston.
Trying to catch the trio will be Arts student Sarah Splatt and Pharmacy student Jess Hall.
Defending sprint champion Will Caswell is back in the 70m handicapped sprint race, which will again be run as a prelude to the Great Court Race.
The winner of the open men`s and open women`s Great Court Race events will receive $300 cash from UQ SPORT, with trophies and prizes for the minor placegetters and relay teams. Sprint winner’s will receive $100 and prizes.
The Great Court Race festivities will begin at 1pm with the sprint race finals, followed by the men’s and women’s Inter College Relay, then the open women`s final at 1.30pm and the open men`s final at 1.40pm.
Further information contact: Rowan Foster on 3365 6041 or 0421 976 972
