Sydney: The Sydney Marathon has made its debut as a World Majors Series event, with Dutch distance star Sifan Hassan and Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros setting race records in front of 35,000 participants.
Hassan stormed to victory in the women’s race with a winning time of 2:18:22, smashing the previous course record by more than three minutes. Hassan finished 34 seconds ahead of Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, while Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa took third in 2:22:05.
Hassan remarked that, “The last five kilometres, I was dead. It’s the first major marathon in Australia, and I’m the first one to win. That’s big history for me.” In the men’s event, Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros clocked 2:06:06, setting a new Australian all-comers record. Hailemaryam Kiros edged out compatriot Addisu Gobena by 10 seconds, with Tebello Ramakongoana of Lesotho finishing third.
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The result eclipsed the previous record of 2:06:18 set last year by Kenya’s Brimin Kipkorir, who is currently suspended following a positive doping test. Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge, 40, failed to make the podium, finishing ninth in 2:08:31 after falling behind the leaders at the 31km mark.
Among the Australians, Leanne Pompeani delivered the top women’s performance, finishing seventh in 2:24:47. Olympians Jess Stenson and Lisa Weightman followed in eighth and ninth.
In the men’s race, Haftu Strintzos was the best-placed local runner in 14th at 2:11:27, ahead of Thomas Do Canto in 16th and Brett Robinson in 17th.
Swiss superstar Marcel Hug shattered Kurt Fearnley’s long-standing record, winning the men’s wheelchair marathon in 1:27:15 – more than six minutes clear of Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki.
In the women’s wheelchair category, USA’s Susannah Scaroni dominated with a time of 1:45:52, breaking Madison De Rozario’s 2024 record. De Rozario, a two-time Sydney Marathon champion, did not compete this year.
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