On track: Richard Colman at training in Geelong this week.
ERIN PEARSON
GEELONG paralympian Richard Colman faces international opposition when he defends his TAC Wheelchair Athletes title in next week’s Great Ocean Road Marathon Festival.
Colman, who recently returned from the world championships with gold, helped establish the festival’s wheelchair category after turning up to compete at the 2009 competition unannounced.
He will contest this year’s title against New Caledonia’s Pierre Fairbank and New Zealander Matthew Lack.
Fairbank, one of the world’s top wheelchair racers, won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and gold at the world championships.
Lack, 19, represented New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and in the 2011 world championships.
Colman said he was excited to line up in an international field for the 14km race from Apollo Bay to Paradise and back.
“I’ll have a good crack,” he said.
“One of my top rivals, Pierre, will race and train with me, so it’s going to be very tight with us.
“The elite pack will be very big and the last corner will be really great to watch.”
Colman competed in New Zealand earlier this year and will take on a half-marathon in Seoul this weekend before returning for the festival.
He also plans to compete in England, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and America this year.
The winner of the festival’s wheelchair challenge will earn an all expenses-paid trip to Hawaii’s Honolulu Marathon in December.
The five event marathon festival will run from May 14 to 15.
