{
  "id": 4298872,
  "title": "Breaking: Addisu Gobena wins the 2026 Sydney Marathon, as 40K runners take part",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/breaking-addisu-gobena-wins-the-2026-sydney-marathon-as-40k-runners",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-29T22:53:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-30/nsw-sydney-marathon-2026-results/107093806"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Addisu Gobena, an Ethiopian athlete, has emerged victorious in the 2026 Sydney Marathon, setting a new record for the event. The inaugural wave of 40,000 participants began their 42.2-kilometre journey from North Sydney to the Opera House at 6:15am. This marks the second year the marathon has been designated as a prestigious Abbott World Marathon Major, attracting competitive runners from around the world alongside the general public.\n\nGobena demonstrated exceptional speed, completing the grueling race in a record-breaking time of 2:04:42, shaving off more than a minute from the previous year's champion, Hailemaryam Kiros, who finished the course in 2:06:06. Kenyan runner Peres Jepchirchir claimed the women's title, finishing the 42.2-kilometre course in 2:18:31, just slightly slower than the record set by last year's women's champion, Sifan Hassan, who completed the race in 02:18:22.\n\nThe wheelchair division made an impressive start to the race, with USA's Daniel Romanchuk crossing the finish line first in a time of 1:26:50, setting a new record. Paralympic athlete Manuela Schär followed as the first female runner to complete the marathon, finishing the course in 1:42:04 and also setting a new record. Notably, Schär is the first athlete to successfully complete all four major marathon events. Motorists are advised to steer clear of the central business district due to extensive road closures, with the Sydney Harbour Bridge remaining closed until 11am. In addition, major roads such as Oxford Street, Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade are among those affected by the event. To navigate the situation, public transport is recommended, with additional services operating to accommodate the surge in demand.",
  "summary": "Ethiopian athlete Addisu Gobena wins the 2026 Sydney Marathon, touted as the largest marathon in the Southern Hemisphere.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Sydney Morning Herald",
        "title": "From Heartbreak Hill to hometown hero: Can a local star win the Sydney Marathon?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/from-heartbreak-hill-to-hometown-hero-can-a-local-star-win-the-sydney",
        "published": "2026-08-28T09:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Age",
        "title": "From Heartbreak Hill to hometown hero: Can a local star win the Sydney Marathon?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/from-heartbreak-hill-to-hometown-hero-can-a-local-star-win-the-sydney-3933000",
        "published": "2026-08-28T09:30:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Ethiopian Gobena and Kenya's Jepchirchir take Sydney marathon honours",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/29/ethiopian-gobena-and-kenyas-jepchirchir-take-sydney-marathon-honours",
        "published": "2026-08-29T23:48:53.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Gobena and Jepchirchir power to Sydney Marathon victories",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/gobena-and-jepchirchir-power-to-sydney-marathon-victories",
        "published": "2026-08-30T00:18:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}