Gobena and Jepchirchir power to Sydney Marathon victories

Addisu Gobena waited until the final kilometre to make his move, then surged to his first World Marathon Major victory in Sydney. The 21-year-old Ethiopian finished in 2:04:42, four seconds ahead of compatriot Chimdessa Debele Gudeta, with Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana third.

Gobena’s time broke the course record by almost a minute and a half. He had finished second the previous year, while last year’s winner, Hailemaryam Kiros, fell away in the closing stages.

Peres Jepchirchir dominated the women’s race, crossing the finish line in front of the Sydney Opera House in 2:18:31. She finished nearly four minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai, with Ethiopia’s Shure Demise Ware third. Jepchirchir, a world champion, added Sydney to previous victories in Boston, New York and London.

Jepchirchir finished nine seconds outside the course record set by Olympic champion Sifan Hassan in 2025. The men’s lead group had narrowed to 15 runners by halfway, including Gobena, world champion Alphonce Simbu and Kiros.

About 40,000 runners, a record, competed over the 42.19-kilometre course from North Sydney across the Harbour Bridge to the Opera House. The event became the seventh World Marathon Major last year, joining London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York. American Daniel Romanchuk won the men’s wheelchair race, while Switzerland’s Manuela Schär won the women’s event.