Big day for East Africans in the Sydney Marathon as Addisu Gobena and Peres Jepchirchir win

It was a big day for East Africans at the Sydney Marathon as Ethiopian Addisu Gobena broke the course record to win in 2:04:42. Meanwhile, world champion Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya won the women’s race in 2:18:31 on Sunday, August 30.

The men

Gobena dropped a seven-person pack over the final few kilometres to win his second marathon. He held off fellow Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele, who took second in 2:04:45. Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana took third in 2:04:57 as the first seven men all finished well under Hailemaryam Kiros’ previous course record of 2:06:06.

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The first big move came at about 26km, when Ethiopia’s Dawit Wolde and Kenya’s Vincent Ngetich opened up a small gap between them and the rest of the group. They were quickly re-absorbed by the pack, which included most of the main contenders, including world champion Tanzanian Alphonce Simbu, former Boston and London winner Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia, and defending champion Kiros.

Gobena then made an attempt at nearly the 30km mark. Again, he was surrounded by the group, who were not going to let go just yet.

Ten remained, although Lemma, the fastest seed with a 2:01:48 PB to his credit, had surprisingly fallen back.

By 37km, the leaders were a group of seven, and inside course record time. Debele briefly tried to force the pace shortly after; however, the pack would have none of it. It was apparently going to come down to a sprint finish.

They remained together toward 40km, which they reached in 1:58:38.

Finally, as the pack could sniff the finish, the break came. Gobena and Debele dropped the others, and they fought hard for the win.

Seventeen seconds separated the top five. Simbu and Kiros were also among the seven athletes to finish inside the previous course record.

The women

The legendary Peres Jepchirchir was dominant again. She crossed the finish line in front of the Sydney Opera House with the victory, nearly four minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai and Ethiopia’s Shure Demise Ware.

Kenya’s Priscah Cherono went out hard, opening an 18-second gap by 15km and 30 seconds by halfway.

The chase pack was whittled down to just Jepchirchir and Cheptai. The two caught the 46-year-old Kenyan at 29km.

Jepchirchir and Cheptai eased clear, and the world champion then stepped on the gas.

She finished nine seconds off the course record set by Olympic champion Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan in 2025.

American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair race, while Switzerland’s Manuela Schar, a three-time Paralympic gold medal winner, took the women’s.

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Shoestrings…

The first non-African finisher was American Ethan Shuley in 2:08:34, who set a new personal best in Osaka in February, clocking 2:07:14. The first Australian was Andrew Buchanan in 2:10:14. His best is from Valencia two years ago, where he ran 2:06:22.

The first non-African woman was Ellie Pashley in 2:28:27, who finished in ninth place. It has been over seven years since she ran her personal best in Nagoya, clocking 2:26:21 at the time. Her Sydney performance could be considered on par with Nagoya, considering the rolling nature of the Australian course, and Nagoya is very flat.

Approximately 40,000 runners raced over the picturesque 42.195km course. They ran through the city from North Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge to the finish in front of the Opera House.

Results

Men top 20

Women Top 20