Tuesday 23 August saw University of Queensland (UQ) students and staff lace up for the 37th edition of the Great Court Race.
One of UQ’s proudest traditions, the race sees competitors run 636m around UQ’s heritage-listed Great Court. Over the years a number of relay events have also been introduced to the program. In these events, teams must carry a baton through four sections of the Court, each section varying slightly in length. A handicapped 70m men and women’s sprint run on the Great Court grass is another exciting feature.
With the sun shining and a large crowd gathered, it was perfect conditions for this year’s event.
Kicking everything off were the 70m sprints. Emily Omahen powered ahead early to win the women’s event, while Lachlan Kennedy, recent representative at the World Athletics Under 20 Championships in Columbia, asserted his dominance to take out the men’s race.
The UQ Mixed Staff Relay followed. The staff from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Team #2 took this event out, 1.4 seconds clear of the rest of the field.
In a battle of the UQ Sport Clubs, the team from the UQ Athletics Club were the obvious favourites in the Clubs Mixed Relay and won comfortably ahead of the UQ Social Runners.
Headlining the event were the men and women’s individual Great Course Races. With a history of decorated winners, this year’s line up again featured some of UQ’s most talented athletes. The women’s race was first, where Cara Feain-Ryan claimed her second consecutive Great Court Race title. Leading from the start, Feain-Ryan looked comfortable in her first race since representing Australia in the 3000m steeplechase at the World Athletics Championships in July. The men’s race was tighter, but 800m specialist Zane Vozvoteca had a strong finish to take the title ahead of Griffin Kelly.
The biggest rivalries of the day, however, were saved until the very end of the event, where the UQ Colleges battled it out in both the men’s and women’s relays. In two very close finishes King’s College were champions in the women’s race but had to settle for third place in the men’s, where Emmanuel College were just too good. A special mention must also go to St John’s College who finished second in both events by the narrowest margins.
Thank you to the participants, spectators, special guests and staff who were involved in making the 2022 Great Course Race such a wonderful event, see you in 2023!