Stop Press: 21 November 2009
Fearnley wins fourth straight New York marathon in photo finish
Australian wheelchair champion Kurt Fearnley has won his fourth straight New York marathon in spectacular fashion. Fearnley edged South African veteran Krige Schabort in a photo finish, with both racers stopping the clock in 1 hour 35 minutes 58 seconds. Marcel Hug of Switzerland out sprinted a pack of athletes to finish third, more than four minutes behind the lead two.
An exhausted Fearnley was overjoyed with the result. “I couldn’t be happier” Fearnley said. “That was one of the hardest races I have ever pushed and to finish in front is amazing” he added.
It was a two-man race from early on with Fearnley and Schabort clearing from the pack in the first five kilometres. By the half-way mark they had built up a lead of more than two minutes and continued to pull away as the race continued.
Nothing could split the duo as they entered Central Park steaming towards the finish line. With fifty metres to go the athletes pulled side-by-side before Fearnley surged to snatch the win by the narrowest of margins.
“I can’t believe it came down to the last metre” Fearnley said. “I attacked more than a dozen times during the race and tried to get a bit of a lead, but I couldn’t break him down. We’ve both had success here before and know the course well, and it’s as if Krige knew when I’d attack and vice versa when he had a go. With all the toing and froing we ended up nullifying each other and not even the clock could split us. To finish a race like that as the winner is incredibly satisfying and it’s a great way to round out the year” he added.
Fearnley finished 2009 unbeaten, with six marathon wins from six starts – from Seoul, Paris and London, to Sydney, Chicago and New York.
Despite rounding out his racing year, Fearnley now faces his biggest challenge of 2009 and perhaps his life, by crawling Papua New Guinea’s Kokoda Track.
Joined by a group of 15 family members and friends, Fearnley will tackle the 96km track from next Sunday, a journey he will complete to raise awareness of men’s health issues and in support of the charity initiative Movember.
Stop Press: 11 October 2009
Fearnley makes it three straight in Chicago marathon
Australian wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley has won his third straight Chicago marathon.
Fearnley battled near freezing conditions and a strong international field to win in a time of 1 hour 29 minutes 9 seconds, nearly two minutes ahead of his nearest rival Masazumi Soejima of Japan, with South African Krige Schabort a further four minutes behind.
The victory was Fearnley’s eighth straight marathon win stretching back to May last year and continues his unbeaten run on the Chicago streets.
“It’s nice to keep the roll going” Fearnley said. “I enjoy coming to Chicago, the course is great and the people are fantastic. You never know what sort of weather you’re going to get here and it was tough today in the cold. The pace was good though and I’m happy to have finished in front” he added.
It was a two man race for the majority, with Fearnley and Soejima breaking from the pack in the first five kilometres. By the half way mark the duo had opened up a two minute break on the chasing athletes, and it was at this point that Fearnley elected to make a break on his own.
“I’ve spent a bit of time away from racing this year so wanted to see how the arms would go. I felt good for the first half and Soejima is a great finisher so I thought I’d try and open up a lead and avoid a sprint finish. It worked out well and I’m glad the arms have still got it”.
Fearnley now heads home to Australia where he will finalise his preparation for next month’s New York marathon, a race he has won for the last three years.
“I’m feeling good and can’t wait to get to the start line in New York. It’s a streak that I’d like to keep going for a while yet but I’ll have to be at my best. Most of these guys will back up and will be there and an extra dozen or so top racers from Europe so it will be a ripper of a race” Fearnley added.
Among those on the New York start line will be the only man to beat Fearnley twice over the marathon distance in last three years, the United Kingdom’s David Weir.
The last time they met was in London this May with Fearnley finishing less than two seconds ahead in their trademark sprint finish.
There has been less than three seconds separating the duo in their last three races and with both racers in top form this year’s New York battle is promising to be just as exciting as their last
Stop Press: 21 June 2009
Australia's most inspirational athlete confronts the toughest challenge of his amazing life
UNABLE to use his legs since birth, Paralympic champion Kurt Fearnley says he's willing to risk his sporting career - even losing his arms - in a quest to crawl the Kokoda Trail.
If that sounds over-dramatic, consider that two Australians died within a week of each other while walking the trail in April. Walking.
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archived media releases
Sporting Achievements – Kurt Fearnley
| Meet Name |
Event/Class |
Placing |
| 2000 Paralympic Games, Sydney |
T54 800m |
Silver |
| 2000 Paralympic Games, Sydney |
T54 1500m |
4th |
| 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney |
Demonstration Event – 1500m |
4th |
| 2000 Marathon, Sydney |
Marathon 42km |
1st |
| 2002 Marathon, Sydney |
Marathon 42km |
1st |
| 2004 Marathon, LA |
Marathon 42km |
1st |
| 2004 New York |
10km |
1st |
| 2004 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
2nd |
| 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens |
T54 800m |
4th |
| 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens |
T54 1500m |
4th |
| 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens |
T54 5km |
GOLD |
| 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens |
T54 Marathon |
GOLD |
| 2004 Paralympic Games, Athens |
Men’s Relay 4x100m |
SILVER |
| 2004 Male Athlete of the Year |
| 2005 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
1st |
| 2006 Marathon, New York |
Marathon 42km |
3rd |
| 2006 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
1st |
| 2006 Marathon, Seoul |
42km |
1st |
| 2006 Toronto |
10km |
1st |
| 2006 Long Island |
10km |
1st |
| 2006 IPC World Championships |
800m |
GOLD |
| 2006 IPC World Championships |
5000m |
GOLD |
| 2006 IPC World Championships |
Marathon |
GOLD |
| 2006 IPC World Championships |
1500m |
BRONZE |
| 2006 Tyne Tunnel |
2000m |
1st |
| 2006 Great North Run |
21.1km |
1st |
| 2006 Oita Wheelchair Marathon |
42km |
SILVER |
| 2006 ING New York Marathon |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
1st |
| 2007 Nationals South Africa |
Marathon |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon South Africa |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon, Los Angelos |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon, Rome |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon, Paris |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon, London |
42km |
2nd |
2007 IAAF World Athletics Championships, Osaka |
Demonstration Event - 1500m |
1st |
| 2007 La Salle Bank Chicago Marathon |
42km |
1st |
| 2007 Marathon, New York |
42km |
1st |
| 2008 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
1st |
| 2008 Marathon, London |
42km |
2nd |
| 2008 Outstanding Elite Male Athelete with a Disability |
27th Commonwealth Sports Awards |
|
| 2008 Long Island, New York |
10km |
1st |
| 2008 Cedertown, Georgia |
5km |
1st |
| 2008 Peachtree, Atlanta |
10km |
1st |
| 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing |
T54 800m |
SILVER |
| 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing |
T54 42km Marathon |
GOLD |
| 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing |
T54 5000m |
SILVER |
| 2008 Paralympic Games, Beijing |
T54 1500m |
BRONZE |
| 2008 Marathon, Chicago |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Oz Day, Sydney |
10km |
1st |
| 2009 Marathon, Paris |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Marathon, London |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Marathon, Seoul |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Marathon, Chicago |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Marathon, New York |
42km |
1st |
| 2009 Kokoda Trail crawl |
96km |
GOLD |
