Sifan Hassan and Eliud Kipchoge Headline Historic Sydney Marathon

Australia’s First-Ever Major

C’est une première historique pour l’Australie. Le Marathon de Sydney est officiellement entré dans le cercle très fermé des Abbott World Marathon Majors, rejoignant des courses de légende : Berlin, Boston, New York, Chicago, Tokyo et Londres. Sydney ne joue plus seulement dans la cour des grands : elle est désormais un pilier du marathon international. Et pour son grand baptême en tant que Major, le plateau élite réuni est tout simplement monstrueux.
This marks a historic moment for Australian distance running. Sydney has officially joined the elite circle of Abbott World Marathon Majors alongside Berlin, Boston, New York, Chicago, Tokyo, and London. No longer just a rising star, Sydney is now firmly established as a pillar of the global marathon scene — and it’s making sure its debut is unforgettable.

Olympic Champion Sifan Hassan Set for Sydney Start Line

© Bob Martin / London Marathon Events

© Jed Leicester / London Marathon Events

© NN Running Team

© Bob Martin / London Marathon Events

© Bob Martin / London Marathon Events

Never before has a women’s marathon in Australia attracted such a high-caliber field.

Leading the charge is Sifan Hassan, triple medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics (gold in the marathon, bronze in both the 5,000m and 10,000m). Already a winner in London and Chicago in 2023, she’ll be chasing her third Major victory. Her personal best of 2:13:44 makes her the third-fastest woman in marathon history.

Joining her is Kenyan superstar Brigid Kosgei, a former world record holder and five-time Major winner. Kosgei has stood on the podium in nine of her ten career marathons and also claimed Olympic silver at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

Together, Hassan and Kosgei enter as the clear race favorites, with their eyes on the course record — 2:21:41, set last year by Ethiopian Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa. Expect the pace to be blistering on Sydney’s streets.

Edesa will return to defend her title, backed by a formidable Ethiopian contingent:

✔ Ashete Bekere – 2:17:58
✔ Meseret Belete – 2:18:21
✔ Tiruye Mesfin – 2:18:35

Australia’s top women will also be in the mix, led by Jessica Stenson (2:22:56), Lisa Weightman (2:23:15), and rising star Leanne Pompeani, who clocked 2:24:53 in her debut marathon earlier this year.

 This is without question the greatest women’s marathon field ever seen in Australia.  With some of the world’s fastest and top-ranked athletes confirmed, Sydney is now firmly on the map as a world-class marathon destination.  This is what AbbottWMM racing is all about, and we’re proud to deliver it right here in Sydney. 

2025 TCS Sydney Marathon Women’s Elite Field

Sydney’s Men’s Field Led by Marathon Legend Eliud Kipchoge

© Bob Martin / London Marathon Events

On the men’s side, the depth is unprecedented — 15 athletes have personal bests under 2:07.

The spotlight will inevitably fall on Eliud Kipchoge. At 40 years old, the two-time Olympic champion (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021) will run the 23rd marathon of his career. His PB, a staggering 2:01:09 set in Berlin in 2022, remains one of the greatest performances in history. Though he’s had recent setbacks (6th in Boston 2023, DNF at the Paris Olympics), he bounced back with a 2:05:25 in London earlier this year.

Sydney’s undulating course — with 317 meters of elevation gain and 400 meters of descent — will make breaking the course record (2:06:18, set by Kenya’s Brimin Kipkorir in 2024) a tall order. Kipkorir has since been handed a five-year doping ban.

Challenging Kipchoge will be a stacked lineup:

✔ Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya), 2:03:13 in Berlin 2023, 3rd in Tokyo the past two years, ranked 9th in the World Athletics marathon standings.
✔ Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia), 2:02:48 PB, double Tokyo champion, NN Running Team member.
✔ Dawit Wolde (Ethiopia), 2025 Xiamen Marathon winner in 2:06:06.
✔ Edward Cheserek (Kenya), former NCAA superstar, 2:05:24 in Valencia 2024.

Australia will be represented by Brett Robinson (2:07:31), Liam Adams (2:08:39), and promising talents such as Haftu Strintzos (1:00:36 for the half marathon) and Samuel Clifford (27:34 over 10 km). Japanese crowd favorite Yuki Kawauchi, the surprise 2018 Boston Marathon champion and record-holder for most sub-2:20 marathons (over 100!), will also be on the start line.

 When you look at the depth of this year’s men’s field, it’s not just star-studded and fast, it’s exceptionally deep. We have multiple athletes capable of running under the course record, rising stars on the brink of global breakthrough, and of course, Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathoner of all time. We’ve also focussed on Australian elites and it’s exciting to see so many top Aussies lining up alongside world-class internationals in our first year as an Abbott World Marathon Major. For Australian fans and athletes alike, this is a rare opportunity to witness the very edge of human performance unfold on home soil.”

2025 TCS Sydney Marathon Men’s Elite Field

Sydney’s first edition as a Major goes far beyond sport. It’s a statement of intent: Australia wants to become a permanent fixture in world marathon culture. With global icons like Hassan and Kipchoge on the start line, the eyes of the running world will be on Oceania.

✔ Mark your calendars: August 31, 2025. The stage is set, the stars are ready — now it’s just a few more weeks of training before Sydney delivers what could be one of the most exciting races of the year.