Gobena, Jepchirchir power to Sydney Marathon victories

Ethiopian Addisu Gobena and Kenyan champion Peres Jepchirchir claimed dominant victories in the men's and women's races at the Sydney Marathon. This marked Gobena's first triumph in a World Marathon Major, while Jepchirchir extended her list of previous wins in Boston, New York and London. Gobena sprinted in the final kilometer to finish four seconds ahead of fellow Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele Gudeta, clocking 2 hours, 4 minutes and 42 seconds.

He shattered the course record by nearly one and a half minutes. Kenyan Jepchirchir completed the race in 2 hours, 18 minutes and 31 seconds, nearly four minutes ahead of Kenya's Irine Cheptai and Ethiopia's Shure Demise Ware. In the men's race, the competition narrowed to 15 runners by the halfway point, with Gobena, world champion Alphonce Simbu and Kiros remaining.

Jepchirchir and Cheptai extended their lead, and Jepchirchir then surged, finishing nine seconds shy of the record set by Olympic champion Sifan Hassan in 2025. American Daniel Romanchuk won the men's wheelchair division, while Switzerland's Paralympic gold medalist Manuela Schar claimed the women's race. Over 40,000 runners participated in the picturesque 42.19 kilometer course, a record-setting field, through North Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge, and to the Opera House finish.

This race was elevated to the seventh World Marathon Major, joining the likes of London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.