Addisu Gobena Breaks Sydney Marathon Record as Peres Jepchirchir Wins Women's Race

Addisu Gobena won the men's Sydney Marathon in a course-record 2 hours, 4 minutes and 42 seconds on Sunday, while Peres Jepchirchir claimed the women's title in 2:18:31. The Associated Press reported that the race drew 40,000 competitors to the hilly harbourside course in the event's second year as a marathon major.

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Gobena, a 21-year-old Ethiopian who competed in the javelin until 2023, separated from a six-runner lead group with compatriot Chimdessa Debele Gudeta inside the final two kilometres. He then pulled clear on the downhill run to the Sydney Opera House, beating Gudeta by four seconds.

The winning time lowered the course record by more than 90 seconds. Lesotho's Tebello Ramakongoana placed third in 2:04:57, and the first seven finishers all ran faster than the previous record of 2:06:06, set by Hailemaryam Kiros in 2025. Gobena had finished second to Kiros in that race before returning to win this year's edition.

Jepchirchir established control of the women's race early and finished more than three minutes ahead of the rest of the field. Her 2:18:31 was nine seconds outside the Sydney course record set by Sifan Hassan last year. The Kenyan's victory added Sydney to her previous marathon-major wins in Boston, New York and London.

Irene Cheptai of Kenya finished second in 2:22:11. Ethiopia's Shure Demise Ware was third, crossing 22 seconds after Cheptai. Sydney is part of the group of major marathons that also includes New York, London, Berlin, Boston, Tokyo and Chicago.

Course records also fell in both wheelchair races. American Daniel Romanchuk won the men's event in 1:26:50, finishing more than 30 seconds inside the previous mark, with Britain's David Weir second and China's Luo Zingchuan third. Switzerland's Manuela Schar took the women's wheelchair title in a record 1:42:04, ahead of Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper and American Tatyana McFadden.