Lisa Weightman wins cash and the title of 2019 Australian Half Marathon Champion

In sensational running conditions on the Sunshine Coast, Lisa Weightman and Kevin Batt have won the Australian Half Marathon Championships.

In the women's race, Lisa Weightman (42) not only won the title, but also broke the Australian All Comers Record of 69:00 (her record she set back in 2010 ) winning $25,000, thanks to the Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon.

Lisa, finishing in 68:48, beat home the 2018 Half Marathon Champion Sinead Diver (69:08) and Victorian teammate Ellie Pashley (69:14).

“I couldn’t be more excited by that run. Sub 69 minutes has been the talk of the town for the last three or four years, so to break my record - I am beyond thrilled,” Weightman said.

Weightman knew her shorter distance fitness was going well but wasn’t sure about the longer race.

“I was chatting to Dick (Telford) yesterday and we both knew I was going very well over 10km, but we didn’t know how I was going to go over the 21.1 km distance."

“The $25,000 will go a long way to supporting my running career for the next couple of years. I don’t have a sponsor at the moment and Lachlan and I have come up here (QLD) with our child Pete to train for the next couple of months, so it will really help,” Weightman said.

The men’s race was full of surprises with 2018 Champion Jack Rayner finishing first, but due to running the wrong course was disqualified. Kevin Batt consequently took home the title.

Batt finished in 64:12, in front of Queenslander Louis McAfee 64:14 and in third was Victorian James Coleman in 64:20.

Talking about his disqualification, Jack Rayner said:

“The bike took me the wrong way after about 5km, there was a bit of a turn going left and there was a ute with a trailer on it there, which caused a bit of confusion. The guy on the bike said to me to follow him through and so I followed the bike, cause he was one of the officials. I think we were meant to go straight but we went left and he realised shortly after that it was the wrong way. By then it was too late to turn back,” Rayner said.

“I was asking him what was going on and he said he didn’t really know and I was going pretty well. I went through 10km in 28:58 and then at the 13km mark the Referee (Joe Stevens) got out of the car and told me I could be disqualified."

“I didn’t know whether to stop or keep going but I didn’t want to pull out.  I kept going but I just didn’t push myself as hard as I could have.”

The 2018/19 IAAF Competition Rules state:

An athlete may leave the marked course with the permission and under the supervision of an official, provided that by going off course he does not shorten the distance to be covered.

If the Referee is satisfied on the report of a Judge or Umpire or otherwise that an athlete has left the marked course thereby shortening the distance to be covered, he shall be disqualified.

Race Director Jason Crowther said:

“Unfortunately at about the 5km mark he went off course. We are not exactly sure how that happened but he ended up running 40m short, so he was disqualified,” Crowther said.

“Post the race, we had a good chat with him and, Jack being Jack, he was ok with it but we are super disappointed for him,” he added.

“We still have to work out exactly what happened but we will do absolutely everything we can to get him back next year, he is a champion runner and we wish him all the very best."

Kevin Batt talking about his win (having finished second to Jack Rayner) said:

“Obviously it’s a bit of an unfulfilling win. To me Jack was the winner but it is what it is and I definitely don’t feel like the winner, so it’s a bit of a weird feeling.”

“I tried to stay with Jack as long as I could but he is just on a different level. I held with him for 4km but then he just continued on at his pace and I ran my own race,”

Talking about what is coming up, Kevin is preparing for the Dublin Marathon:

“I’ve got my debut marathon coming up in late October, where I’m aiming to run 2:13/14 – so this was the perfect hit out before that."

In the Women’s Australian Teams Half Marathon Championships; Victoria won with 7 points, Queensland finished in second with 24 points and New South Wales in third with 35 points.

In the Men’s Australian Team Australian Teams Half Marathon Championships; Victoria again took home glory with 11 points, Queensland in second with 17 points and Western Australia in third with 29 points.

Over 6,500 people competed in the Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon.

For full results from the Half Marathon Championships, go here.