The stage is set for an electric day of racing at the 2025 McGrath Launceston Running Festival, with what is likely to be the deepest half marathon fields ever assembled on Australian soil for both the Peppers Silo Half Marathon, to be held on Sunday, 1 June.
As the only World Athletics Elite Label road race in the Southern Hemisphere, Launceston continues to attract global talent to its famously fast and flat course. This year, athletes will chase part of a $50,000 prize pool, along with time-based bonuses and potential course records.
🔥 Half Marathon Showdown
Leading the men’s field is Australian record holder Brett Robinson (59:57), who headlines a stellar line-up featuring a deep Japanese contingent including:
Recently crowned Australian marathon record holder Andy Buchanan (1:00:28) returns to the race with an elevated profile after becoming an Olympian last year and placing 11th in the London Marathon a little over a week ago.
The depth is so strong, that organisers had to bring in Japanese rising star Kento Baba (1:00:26) to be the pacemaker. He’s part of the Japanese team for the World University Games half marathon in July.
6 time Olympian and Mongolian record holder Ser-Od Bat-Ochir will also use the race as a lead up to his 12thstraight run in the World Athletics Championships to be staged on the streets of Tokyo in September.
With 19 men clocked under 64 minutes, the race promises to be one of the fastest in Australian history.
After a blistering Australian record over 10km on Saturday night, Launceston’s Sam Clifford also steps up to the longer distance, with the Tasmanian record of 62:39 clearly on borrowed time.
Other notables include:
In the women’s race, fans can expect fireworks as three of Australia’s finest line up:
They’ll be challenged by Japan’s Yumi Yoshikawa (1:09:32) and fellow Australians Sarah Klein, and Caitlin Adams.
Asian marathon champion Khishigsaikhan Galbadrakh (1:10:32) of Mongolia rounds out a truly world class field.
⚡ Stacked Tamar Chiro 10km Fields
In the men’s 10km, local favourite and Olympic finalist Stewart McSweyn (28:03) headlines a strong line-up. He’ll be pushed by:
On the women’s side, Ruby Smee (33:07) enters as the one to beat, facing a quality field that includes:
Race Director Richard Welsh said the 2025 edition is shaping up to be the festival’s most competitive to date:
“This year we’ve significantly increased our funding into the elite athlete program, which is clearly shown in the fields we’ve assembled for June 1. This will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before, Launceston is ready for an unforgettable day of racing. This event continues to grow, and we’re proud to see it recognised globally with the World Athletics Elite Label,” Welsh said.
The McGrath Launceston Running Festival includes 4 events to choose from and the event has already surpassed its participation record of 2080 set last year;
Men Half Marathon
Brett Robinson
Tsubasa Ichiyama
Kento Baba
Andy Buchanan
Teruki Shimada
Hiroto Kuniyasu
Ryuichi Yoshioka
Kento Otsu
Ed Goddard
Joel Tobin-White
Liam Adams
Isaac Heyne
Liam Boudin
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir
Ryan Gregson
Oliver Chignell
Jinya Ozaki
Sam Clifford
Jacob Cocks
Andre Waring
Bailey Murzeki-Hince
Tom Bowers
Alastair Christy
Matthew Schaumberg
Fraser Darcy
Lachlan Scott
Luke Mitchell
Pat Hennessy
Sam Hopper
Alex Shaw
Tipo Packman
Jack Maxwell
Samuel Maurer
Phil McConnon
Daniel Wood
Deon Kenzie
Women Half Marathon
Leanne Pompeani
Jess Stenson
Yumi Yoshikawa
Khishigsaikhan Galbadrakh
Milly Clark
Sarah Klein
Caitlin Adams
Vanessa Wilson
Bree Golub
Isobel Hume
Men 10km
Stewart McSweyn
James Hansen
Matt Buckell
Hamish Longworth
Luca Di Conza
Nick Earl-Jones
Luke Hince
Tynan Mims
Thomas Dowd
Matt Hansen
Michael Marantelli
Jordan Skelly
Nick Dewar
Isaac Shaw
Lachlan Hall
Sam Bunnage
Jacob Gardner
Marco Els
Harm Schaap
Matt Patton
Jess Dunsmore
Angus Lennecke
Cameron Sayce
Paul Luttrell
Jimmy Hortle
Women 10km
Ruby Smee
Kate Spencer
Charlotte Wilson
Melanie Daniels
Rebecca Lowe
Saskia Lloyd
Annabelle Eastman
Amy Fawcett
Lilly Ellis
Brooke Williams
Jennifer Clancy
Nerissa O'Donnell
Eloise Doherty
Olivia Twining
Kaitlin McIntosh
Erin Pottharst
Lucie Spurling