Events Management Queensland veteran promoted to Race Director at 2023 Gold Coast Marathon

Events Management Queensland veteran of more than 20 years, Ryan McDonald has been promoted to Race Director at the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon powered by Chery.

Events Management Queensland (EMQ) Chief Executive, Ben Mannion said it was McDonald’s tenure with the event, his expertise and incredible network of contacts coupled with his passion for the Gold Coast Marathon that underpinned his promotion to Race Director.  

The passionate advocate for all things running and fitness, McDonald started with Gold Coast Events as it was known in 2003 in a short-term contract position before taking on a full-time role in Athlete Services in 2004 and becoming the General Manager Event Services in 2014.

And two decades later with a couple of COVID induced marathon cancellations under his belt, McDonald is about to embark on his 19th delivery of the iconic event with arguably the best elite field in the Gold Coast Marathon’s history.

Reflecting on his years with Gold Coast Events and its evolution to become Events Management Queensland, McDonald said there was so many elements that he enjoyed about his career, from working with the dedicated team at EMQ to building relationships with the elite athletes, the athlete managers and other marathon organisers from around the globe.

With so much experience on the marathon racing circuit it is really no surprise to those that know him that the humble and devoted employee still attributes much of the success of Australia’s premier road race event to his family, wife Katie, children Sienna (12) and Harper (10) and those people he’s worked alongside over the years. 

“There are many elements that integrate to deliver a successful event with the collective input of important stakeholders like the City of Gold Coast, Queensland Police Service, Ambulance and Fire Services, Transport and Main Roads, the Marathon Operations Group (affectionately known as the MOG), the operational contractors and service providers, the many volunteers and community groups and our highly skilled team at EMQ” McDonald said.

He also acknowledges those that walked in the race director shoes before him as important figures in his journey to the pinnacle of his career including past Gold Coast Marathon race directors Dusty Lewis, Dave Cundy and former EMQ Chief Executive, Cam Hart.

Apart from sharing their time and experience, McDonald notes the passion and innovations the previous race directors brought to the Gold Coast Marathon from guiding the event through its first iteration with chip-timing, instilling standards for technical excellence and establishing the event as the first race in Oceania to hold a World Athletics Label and to provide live intermediate split timing and a globally accessible livestream.

He recounts fondly the 2014 Gold Coast Marathon when Silah Limo (2:09:14) broke Robert de Castella’s 1982 Australian Allcomers marathon record (2:09:18) and delivered the event’s first sub 2:10 result as something he’ll always remember in a career that has enjoyed many highlights.

And while he recognises it had been a long time since an Australian topped the Gold Coast Marathon podium with Lee Troop in 2006 and Lauren Shelley in 2009 and would love to see a domestic athlete win the race again soon, he was looking forward to more international athletes returning and appreciated their support after the COVID cancellations.  

The 2023 Gold Coast Marathon powered by Chery weekend will feature the 42.195km marathon, the CPL Wheelchair Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, Southern Cross University 10km Run, CPL Wheelchair 10km, Gold Coast Airport 5km Fun Run and the Health and Wellbeing Queensland 2km and 4km Junior Dashes.

The Gold Coast Double 63.3km event – contested by hardy runners competing in both Saturday’s half and Sunday’s full marathon – will also be contested.

People wanting further information on the 2023 Gold Coast Marathon powered by Chery events can visit www.goldcoastmarathon.com.au