Former Australian World Athletics Championships runner Julian Spence has sacrificed the final few metres of his race at Sunday’s Melbourne Marathon to help a struggling runner cross the line on two feet.
Spence, who represented Australia at Doha in 2019, was on the home stretch of the full marathon inside the MCG when he spotted a man struggling to keep his feet at the end of his half-marathon.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Julian Spence sacrifices Melbourne Marathon finish for struggling runner.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Instead of leaving the runner to collapse onto the ground, Spence stopped running and held him upright while walking him back into the correct lane and over the finish line.
Medical staff were quick to react, following the pair as the half-marathoner stumbled over the line on shaky legs.
Spence, who is also the co-host of popular distance running show Inside Running Podcast, then eased him to the ground and allowed the medical staff to take over.
“Super grateful. After carrying me across the line he even stopped my Garmin. Legend,” the man, whose name on Instagram is Michael Barney, said.
His partner, Cayla Demske, added: “That’s my partner — very thankful someone helped him to the finish.”
The struggling runner spent an hour in the medical tent before he was released.
“He’s much better now,” Cayla later said.
Spence sacrificed up to a minute of his official finishing time to help the man, finishing with a net time of 2:32.09.
The 28-year-old has a personal best of 2:14, but has battled injury in 2024.
A few minutes prior, Genevieve Gregson scored her first marathon win, two months after running in the event at the Paris Olympics..
The Queenslander won the Melbourne Marathon on Sunday in 2:28.13 seconds, beating local hope Sarah Klein by nearly three minutes. Kate Mason, also from Melbourne, completed the women’s podium in 2:34.08.
Genevieve’s husband Ryan Gregson finished second in the men’s race behind Jack Rayner, who clocked 2:11.49 after winning the Melbourne half-marathon for the past three years.
Gregson finished in 2:13.31 to take another step in his transition from middle-distance events, while New Zealander Christopher Dryden posted 2:18:10 for third.
Reece Edwards, after opening up a big lead in the middle section of the race on beach road, finished fourth.
It was the first time the two winners have run the full distance in Melbourne.
Paris was Genevieve’s third marathon — she clocked 2:29.56 for 24th place at the Games, after running on the track at the previous three Olympics.
The 46th Melbourne Marathon festival attracted 42,000 runners, with Bendigo’s Andy Buchanan winning the men’s half-marathon in 1:01.42 after he also ran in the marathon at the Paris Games.
Leanne Pompeani from Canberra took out the women’s race, posting 1:09:01 in an exciting finish, to back up her win in the same distance at Gold Coast earlier this year.
Adelaide’s Jess Stenson, one of Gregson’s Paris Olympics marathon teammates, was only two seconds behind Pompeani in second.
Only eight seconds separated first from third, with Paris Olympics 5000m runner and fellow Adelaide entrant Izzi Batt-Doyle completing the podium.
– With AAP