Sydney, Australia has been added to the six Marathon Majors, making it now a total of seven. On Monday it was announced that Sydney would join Berlin, London, New York, Boston, Chicago and Tokyo in the triannial series.
World Marathon Majors chief Dawna Stone said the “improvement” in the Sydney race’s operations and event experience had been “deeply impressive.”
SYDNEY IS OFFICIALLY ON THE GLOBAL MARATHON MAP 🇦🇺🏃🗺️
— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) November 3, 2024
Athletics Australia is celebrating an historic moment for the sport, with the news today that @sydmarathon has officially joined the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, elevating it to the pinnacle of global… pic.twitter.com/Lsip73qIxy
“We cannot wait to see our community embrace this race as a Major and start planning their visits to run the streets of one of the finest cities in the world,” she added in a statement.
The Sydney Marathon is a legacy of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The race was first held as a test event five months before the Games edition. Over 1,200 runners took in the initial race — a long lap of the city. The race has grown over the past 24 years. Sydney is now a popular destination marathon.
Approximately 40,000 registrants take in the Sydney event, raising millions of dollars for charity, while the race is broadcast on live television.
The course records were broken in September 2024 as Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa and Kenya’s Brimin Misoi made significant improvements to them. They won in 2:21:40 and 2:06:17 respectively.
No Australian men have won the race. While five Australian women have won. The most recent is Helen Stanton in 2010 clocking a 2:49:58 finish time.
The course, changed in 2010 to make it faster, runs point-to-point beginning in Bradfield Park, Milsons Point, crosses over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and ends in front of the Sydney Opera House.
“This is an extraordinary achievement for Sydney and a transformative moment for Australian athletics,” Athletics Australia President Jane Flemming said.
“The Abbott World Marathon Majors represents the very best in marathon running, and to have Sydney join this elite group is a testament to the dedication, passion and expertise of everyone involved, but it is an achievement that will inspire countless Australians to take up running.
“We’re incredibly proud of the journey this race has been on and we are beyond excited for what this means for the future of the sport in Australia.”
