The 2025 UniSport Nationals Distance Running Championship concluded over the weekend with blue skies, fast times, and unforgettable moments at the ASICS Gold Coast Marathon held on 5\u00a0\u2013 6\u00a0July.\u00a0Students from universities across the country descended on Queensland’s world class\u00a0coastline to represent\u00a0their institutions in the marathon, half marathon, and 10km races.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the crack of the starter\u2019s gun to the final cheers at the finish line, there were over 200\u00a0student-athletes from 30\u00a0universities participating\u00a0in this year’s event, demonstrating\u00a0the strength and reach of university sport across Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Headline Performances<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the men\u2019s marathon, Archer Ramsay from The Australian National University\u00a0(ANU)\u00a0claimed gold with a time of 2:30:01.\u00a0His\u00a0victory put ANU on the map, but it was The University of Sydney\u00a0(USYD)\u00a0that ultimately topped the overall men\u2019s standings with a powerful team effort across all events\u00a0to hold top ladder position ahead of The University of Queensland (UQ) and University of South Australia (UniSA)\u00a0in second and third place respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The women\u2019s marathon crown went to Oliviah Bodycott\u00a0of Charles Sturt University\u00a0(CSU), who charged home in 3:03:03, a gutsy run that earned her both individual gold and crucial points for CSU, who finished 4th overall in the women\u2019s team standings.\u00a0However, it was UQ\u00a0who emerged\u00a0as the Women\u2019s Champion University, thanks to consistent scoring across all race categories. UQ was closely followed by The University of Tasmania\u00a0(UTAS), while Griffith University (GU)\u00a0claimed third in a tightly contested field.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the half marathon, UniSA\u2019s\u00a0Tiana Cetta dominated the women\u2019s field, clocking a blazing time of 1:13:22.\u00a0On the men\u2019s side, James Nipperess\u00a0of Australian Catholic University (ACU)\u00a0crossed the line first in 1:04:06, leading a hotly contested race from start to finish.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The 10km races brought explosive speed to the Gold Coast streets. University of Canberra (UC) Shaun Harris blazed through the men’s field in 30:11, while the women’s race was won convincingly by Ruby Smee from the UTAS, with a brilliant 33:04 finish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0Inclusion on the Move: Multi Class Debuts<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n A key moment in the history of UniSport Nationals Distance Running was the introduction of the multi class category in the 10km event. Tamsin Colley, representing UNSW Sydney, made history as the inaugural winner with a time of 54:32. A passionate advocate for inclusion in sport, Tamsin was instrumental in championing the creation of this category. Her victory wasn\u2019t just a triumph on the course, it was a milestone for representation, inspiring peers and paving the way for future athletes of all abilities to participate at the highest level of university sport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n