Sifan Hassan and Hailemaryam Kebedew from the Netherlands and Ethiopia, respectively, won the 2025 Sydney Marathon on Sunday.
Sifan Hassan
Hassan notched another major victory in her near peerless career with a course record time and Australian all-comers record of 2:18:22.
The three-time Olympic champion produced yet another outstanding display of distance running to claim her third victory at a World Marathon Major and add to the London and Chicago titles she snared in 2023.
Competing in the historic first Marathon Major in the Southern Hemisphere, the Dutch athlete made her decisive move between 30-35km, kicking clear of her main rival, Kenyan Brigid Kosgei.
Kosgei is the former world record holder from Chicago 2019 with her 2:14:04 performance.
Taking third was Ethiopian Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa in 2:22:15. She ran her personal best in April this year at the Hamburg Marathon, clocking 2:17:55.
Taking in the appreciation of the passionate fans in Sydney, the Olympic marathon champion continued to pour on the pressure in the latter stages to secure victory in the shadow of the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Hassan said, “I started too hard and that last 10km was very tough, but I am happy. The crowd gave me a lot of motivation, a lot of energy; it was amazing. I’m really grateful to get a course record and a win.”
Hassan has won 5000m and 10,000m Olympic titles at Tokyo 2020. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she won marathon gold after earlier winning 5000m and 10,000m bronze medals. She also claimed the world 1500m and 10,000m titles in 2019.
The first Australian athlete across the line finished seventh in the time of 2:24:47. Six of the next seven were also Australian, including 46-year-old Lisa Weightman, who finished ninth in 2:29:34.
Hailemaryam Kebedew
Hailemaryam Kebedew clocked in a new course record with a 2:06:06 performance, 10 seconds in front of fellow Ethiopian Addisu Gobena Aga. Another 31 seconds back was Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana.
Kebedew set his personal best last year at the Berlin Marathon clocking in a 2:04:35.
The first Australian was Steven McKenna in 2:18:26, bettered by the women’s winner, Hassan, by four seconds.
Top-20 men
| POS. | NAME | NAT. | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hailemaryam Kiros KEBEDEW | ETH | 2:06:06 |
| 2 | Addisu Gobena AGA | ETH | 2:06:16 |
| 3 | Tebello RAMAKONGOANA | LSO | 2:06:47 |
| 4 | Mustapha HOUDADI | MAR | 2:07:17 |
| 5 | Edward CHESEREK | KEN | 2:07:38 |
| 6 | Masato ARAO | JPN | 2:07:42 |
| 7 | Laban KORIR | KEN | 2:08:06 |
| 8 | Felix Kiptoo KIRWA | KEN | 2:08:18 |
| 9 | Eliud KIPCHOGE | KEN | 2:08:31 |
| 10 | Victor KIPCHIRCHIR | KEN | 2:09:08 |
| 11 | Kento KIKUTANI | JPN | 2:09:34 |
| 12 | Brian SHRADER | USA | 2:10:29 |
| 13 | Samuel FITWI SIBHATU | DEU | 2:10:30 |
| 14 | Haftu STRINTZOS | AUS | 2:11:27 |
| 15 | Cornelus Kibet KIPLAGA | KEN | 2:12:09 |
| 16 | Thomas DO CANTO | AUS | 2:13:25 |
| 17 | Brett ROBINSON | AUS | 2:15:00 |
| 18 | Fraser DARCY | AUS | 2:17:24 |
| 19 | Martin OLESEN | DNK | 02:18:0 |
| 20 | Steven MCKENNA | AUS | 2:18:26 |
Top-20 women
| POS. | NAME | NAT. | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sifan HASSAN | NLD | 2:18:22 |
| 2 | Brigid Jepchirchir KOSGEI | KEN | 2:18:56 |
| 3 | Workenesh Edesa GURMESA | ETH | 2:22:15 |
| 4 | Kumeshi SICHALA | ETH | 2:22:50 |
| 5 | Evaline CHIRCHIR | KEN | 2:23:13 |
| 6 | Ai HOSODA | JPN | 2:23:27 |
| 7 | Leanne POMPEANI | AUS | 2:24:47 |
| 8 | Jessica STENSON | AUS | 2:28:56 |
| 9 | Lisa WEIGHTMAN | AUS | 2:29:34 |
| 10 | Abigail NORDBERG | AUS | 2:35:43 |
| 11 | Danette SHEEHAN | AUS | 2:36:56 |
| 12 | Riine RINGI | EST | 2:38:45 |
| 13 | Kate BAKER | AUS | 2:42:00 |
| 14 | Lauren REID | AUS | 2:43:06 |
| 15 | Charlotte WILSON | AUS | 2:43:33 |
| 16 | Margaret LUDICK | USA | 2:46:18 |
| 17 | Brooke WILLIAMS | AUS | 2:47:11 |
| 18 | Sophie HOUGHTON | AUS | 2:48:38 |
| 19 | Lauren FRENCH | AUS | 2:49:25 |
| 20 | Maddyson MALLET | AUS | 2:49:46 |
