The world's marathon record could be under threat on the Gold Coast in 2018 with organisers revealing a fast, flat Commonwealth Games marathon course running along many of the coast's world-recognised beaches next April.
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The Commonwealth Games course is modelled on the annual Gold Coast marathon.
While selection for the Commonwealth Games' teams are still to be finalised, organisers are hoping to lure some of the world's leading marathon runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Scotland, Europe and Australia to the Gold Coast.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games' big competition in April will be the London Marathon, which will be staged in the same month.
The world record of 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds, was set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto at the 2014 Berlin Marathon.
At May's Monza Marathon in Italy, fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge finished in two hours, 25 seconds, but his marathon attempt was not recognised because of variations in how the race was paced is not recognised by international athletics authorities.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games marathon course will start and finish at the Southport Broadwater Parklands, beside the park's lake.
Australian Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist Michael Shelley is likely to be Australia's number one men's medal hope, while fellow Australian Jess Trengrove, who won the bronze medal at the Glasgow Games, is also well within medal-winning times.
For the first time, wheelchair athletes will compete at the same Commonwealth Games.
Australian wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley, one of the Gold Coast Games ambassadors, will for the first time be able to compete in a Commonwealth Games marathon, with the wheelchair marathon added to the list of events for the first time.
"The wheelchair marathon at these Games presents a first for me as an athlete," Fearnley said.
"In all my years racing around the world this is the first time I get to share the same stage with my able-bodied peers whilst racing in the green and gold for Australia.
"I love the opportunity of being able to start this race just moments before the able-bodied runners."
Fearnley, Shelley and Trengrove were all at Monday's unveiling of the marathon route, overseen by Gold Coast Commonwealth Games organising committee chairman Peter Beattie.
The route winds through Runaway Bay then over the Sundale Bridge, out the Main Beach beachfront, then 25 kilometres south down to Burleigh Heads, before returning beachside to Surfers Paradise and back over the Sundale Bridge, before finishing at the Southport Parklands
Mr Beattie said he was told the marathon route would be fast and spectacular for television viewers.
"The marathon is one of the iconic events in the history of the Commonwealth Games," he said.
"The marathon course is not only flat and conducive to fast racing, it is one of the most picturesque in the world and will showcase the Gold Coast to a global audience of 1.5 billion people."
Gold Coast organising committee chief executive Mark Peters and Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones encouraged residents to support the marathon athletes.
"The wheelchair marathon will be staged for the first time at a Commonwealth Games, adding to what will be an exciting program of road races on the final morning of the Games," Mr Peters said.
"The atmosphere and colour generated from a big crowd along the course will contribute to a memorable finale to the Games."
Ms Jones said locals would be spoilt for choice on where to watch the marathon.
"There are 42 kilometres of vantage points to witness these amazing endurance athletes in action on one of the most scenic courses in the world," he said.
Scottish marathon runner Callum Hawkins, rated Great Britain's number two marathon runner, said he would forego the 2018 London Marathon to race instead on the Gold Coast.
"I'll go to Australia to compete at the Commonwealth Games. I'd rather have medals over times. They mean more, they stick longer," he said.
