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'Run With Mona' Competition
12 July 2002Sydney's Olympic legacy event, the Flora Sydney Marathon, has launched a competition that offers a unique opportunity to run the 'blue line' course with Australian marathon hero Steve Moneghetti.
Moneghetti, who is known and respected around the world by his childhood nickname 'Mona', will run every step of the 42km 2002 Flora Sydney Marathon, on Sunday September 15, with the winner of the 'Run with Mona' competition.
Fully registered entrants in the 2002 Flora Sydney Marathon are eligible to enter the 'Run With Mona' competition, which requires entrants to explain in 25 words or less why they would like to run the marathon with Steve Moneghetti. The official website www.sydneymarathon.org carries competition entry details. Entries close on September 1, 2002, and the winner will be announced the following week. Entry enquiries can also be made by phoning the event information line on (02) 8907-9460.
The date of the 2002 Flora Sydney Marathon, September 15, is significant as it marks the second anniversary of the opening ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The marathon is a legacy of the 'best Olympic Games ever' and closely follows the famous 'blue line' course from North Sydney across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Anzac Bridge to finish by the cauldron at Sydney Olympic Park.
In 2000 Moneghetti ran the Olympic marathon as the local hero to finish 10th in a time of 2 hours and 10 minutes. This September the Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who has retired from international competition, will not be running to win, but rather to help someone else achieve a marathon dream.
"Now I've retired from international competition I'm doing a bit of coaching and this competition provides a one-off opportunity to coach someone through a marathon - it's a nice fit and I'll enjoy doing it," said Moneghetti. "If I can help someone realise a marathon dream I will be very happy. Everyone's dream will be different because the marathon is an individual challenge. The winner of the competition may be someone who's running the marathon for the first time, someone who's never finished a marathon or someone who wants to improve their time. I'm looking forward to running with whoever wins the competition - the only thing I ask is that the person I run with is capable of finishing within the cut-off time of 5 and a half hours - I'm not keen on finishing in the bus!
Moneghetti, who will travel to the Manchester Commonwealth Games later this month as Athlete Liaison Officer for the Australian athletic team, has competed in marathons around the world. He twice finished second in the prestigious Flora London Marathon. He won gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and has competed in the last four Olympic Games. In 1990 he won the Berlin Marathon in 2 hours 8 minutes 16 seconds, which was the fastest marathon time that year. He won the 1994 Tokyo International Marathon and placed in the top 10 in the Boston and Beijing marathons.
Broadcast quality audio grabs with Steve Moneghetti are available on www.mediagame.com.au
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS OR PHOTOGRAPHS PLEASE CONTACT Mary-Anne Dibbs at Sporting Frontiers
Phone: (02) 8907-9400; (02) 8907-9474; 0419-288-102
Email: maryanne.dibbs@sportingfrontiers.com.au
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