Kerryn McCann joined the pantheon of heroes at the mighty MCG when she won the women’s marathon at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

McCann, who at 38 was the oldest member of the track and field team and one of the least known, staged an enthralling duel with Kenya’s Hellen Cherono Koskei over the final 10km, swapping the lead constantly.

McCann finally prevailed on the finishing lap of the stadium to win by two seconds, with the race later declared by a panel of experts to have been the highlight of the Games and was awarded the 2006 The Don Award.

Sadly, less than three years later McCann died of breast cancer at 41.

Image: Commonwealth Games Australia Twitter