The Great Court Race is one of The University of Queensland’s proudest traditions – a bucket list event for competitors and a must-see spectacle!
First held in 1985 to celebrate UQ’s 75th anniversary, the event is based off Cambridge University’s famed Great Court Run – immortalised in the film ‘Chariots of Fire’.
The majority of races take place around the heritage-listed Great Court at UQ’s St Lucia campus, with the handicapped Men’s and Women’s 70m Sprint held on grass.
Due to the Great Court’s unique layout, events held between the cloisters are contested over a distance of 636m. Relays are also run over four irregular legs – the shortest being 145m and the longest 180m.
Year-on-year, the Great Court Race attracts some of Queensland’s finest athletes, with Olympians Mitchell Kealey and Caitlin Sargent-Jones among the roll call of past winners.
Due to UQ Sport’s ongoing response to COVID-19 (coronavirus), the 2020 Great Court Race has been postponed indefinitely, and will NOT proceed on Wednesday 20 May. We will announce a new event date via this page in due course.
UQ Sport
The University of Queensland,
Building 33, Union Rd,
St Lucia, Qld 4067
Race Categories
Men’s & Women’s Great Court Race
The Great Court Race is the event’s signature sprint – a 636m lap of UQ St Lucia’s iconic Great Court. Open only to UQ undergraduate students, four competitors race through the Great Court’s historic cloisters to the sound of chiming bells, with the aim to complete the lap before the 12th chime. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Men’s & Women’s College Relays
Bragging rights are on the line when UQ’s Colleges go head-to-head in the always competitive Men’s and Women’s Relays! Open only to students who reside at a UQ College, each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Men’s & Women’s 70m Sprint
Raced on the grassed area inside the Great Court, the Men’s and Women’s 70m Sprint is a handicap race. A maximum of six runners can compete in each sprint, with nominations open to all current UQ students (undergraduate and postgraduate). Handicap distances will be determined by time trial results. Starting blocks are provided to all participants, and spikes may be worn.
Mixed Staff Relay
It’s faculty vs faculty in the Mixed Staff Relay, with both full and part-time UQ staff eligible to compete. Each four-person team must consist of two male and two female runners. Each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Mixed Club Relay
There’s no love lost when UQ’s clubs battle to the finish in the Mixed Club Relay! Open to all UQ Clubs, each team consists of two male and two female student runners (competitors must be a registered member of the respective club). Each relay involves four irregular legs (145m, 156m, 155m, and 180m) due to the Great Court’s unique layout. Spikes are not permitted; time trials will be used to determine race entry in the event more than four entries are received.
Partners
