Course records were blown away on a historic day of racing at the McGrath Launceston Running Festival.
The biggest fun run ever held in the city saw new benchmarks set in both Peppers Silo Half Marathon events as men's winner Teruki Shimada came within one second of an Australian all-comers' record dating back more than three decades.
Competing in his first ever overseas race, the 21-year-old claimed his maiden victory by leading home a top-quality field in the Peppers Silo Half Marathon.
Shimada's time of 61:12 smashed Brett Robinson's 2020 course record of 61:38 and just missed Queenslander Pat Carroll's Australian all-comers' record of 61:11 set in Sydney in 1993. The day producing the second and third fastest times ever on Australian soil.
"It's the first race I've ever won," announced Shimada who hails from Mie Prefecture on Honshu and has a personal best of 60:56.
Speaking through an interpreter, he added:
"This is my first race outside Japan so I was pretty nervous about it but very honoured to get invited. So I just wanted to show up and give a good performance and it really means a lot to deliver that.
"I tried to hold back and save a bit for the last few k's and that worked out pretty well for me.
"I knew that the guys up front were really fast and I just tried to enjoy racing against them.
"Getting to run overseas for the first time and to win a high-level race like this means a lot and gives me a lot of confidence and I really hope that's going to help me perform really well in the upcoming (Japanese road racing) season."
Two-time 10km champion Isaac Heyne, of South Australia, finished just a second behind Shimada in 61:13 with three-time winner and Australian record-holder Robinson, of Victoria, third (61:20).
An astounding 14 men broke the 65minute barrier.
South Australia's reigning Commonwealth Games marathon champion Jess Stenson won the women's race in 69:51, smashing Sinead Diver's course record of 71:04 set in 2022 to add a $1000 bonus to her $8000 winner's cheque.
"It means a lot to win this. I'm very excited," said the 37-year-old.
"I'm really pleased with that result - it wasn't quite a PB but it felt like it.
"Since about 2012 I've been coming here to race. It's just got a special feel about it and the community really supports it. It's such an elite race."
Stenson broke away solo to lead home Yumi Yoshikawa (70:43) and Caitlin Adams (71:14) and add to her win in the event's 10km in 2022.
"I feel like I paced that really well because I felt really strong in the final few k's. I had no idea I was running a course record so that's awesome.
"Normally I don't like running by myself but I felt quite peaceful out there. It worked quite well for me to be running free."
Home-town pair Sam Clifford (62:00) and Milly Clark (73:44) were the first Tasmanians home, finishing seventh and fifth in their respective genders.
Newly-crowned Australian 10km record-holder Clifford added the Tasmanian half marathon record which stood at 62:39.
"I got a stitch at about 15k but still happy to come away with a state record," said the Sydney-based 23-year-old.
"It makes it exciting for the community to see us guys running so fast on the streets of Launceston. I know it's had a rich history in the 10k so to be able to do this in the half (marathon) is a fantastic opportunity for the city.
"This was good to see where I was at fitness-wise but 10km for me is where it's at. Half is a good challenge for me."
Rio Olympic marathoner Clark added to her overall victory from 2021.
"I'm really happy with that, it's the fastest I've run in a long time," said the 36-year-old teacher who was roared home by her Scotch Oakburn school students.
"Having all the support of my schoolkids was really lovely. It means more than I have words for. It's been great to see them get behind this event. I hope they love it and keep coming back.
"I remember when this half-marathon started a few years ago and on the course you just didn't see anyone and now it's huge. It's great to see how big it's got."
As the only World Athletics Elite Label road race in the Southern Hemisphere, the race attracted what organisers believe was the deepest half-marathon field ever assembled on Australian soil, all chasing a $50,000 prize pool.
Two-time Olympian Stewart McSweyn provided a fairytale victory in the Tamar Chiro 10km, almost exactly 30 years to the moment after he was born across town.
"It's been a good birthday so far," said the King Islander whose time of 27:58 beat his PB by five seconds and broke Brett Robinson's course record of 28:12 set in 2023.
"My mum said 'Do you realise you were born in Launceston Hospital at 9.58?' which was when I was warming up today. I'm not a superstitious guy but it was a nice omen when I worked it out.
"It's amazing to be back in Launceston and I thoroughly enjoyed it. First time back for a while but what better place to start than in Launceston where I was actually born. To come back here on my birthday was a bit of an omen and hopefully holds me in good stead for the year."
After a delayed start to his season to finish university studies, McSweyn flies to Europe on Tuesday to commence his 2025 track season.
Launceston's 2022 race winner James Hansen came second in 28:47 with Matt Buckell (29:08) third.
Hobart's Ruby Smee made it a Tasmanian double by winning the women's race in 32:57 from Jenny Blundell (33:27) and Charlotte Wilson (34:22).
"Very exciting, I'm in shock," said the 24-year-old who eclipsed her PB by 10 seconds.
"I've run this event for many years. Winning wasn't really something I expected. I was excited to take the opportunity and have a real crack so I put myself up there from the start.
"I love racing in Tassie. This is not just a national-class event, it's a world-class event so it's so nice just a two-hour drive away, it's so special."
With more than 3400 runners entered across four events - also including the Liv Eat Mile and The Athlete’s Foot 5km - the 2025 McGrath Launceston Running Festival was the biggest fun run ever held in the city.
The figure eclipsed the participation record from last year by more than 1000 entrants and doubled the figure from 2023.
VISION – 10km here – half marathon here