Beijing time 4:30 AM on August 30, the first World Marathon Majors event of the second half of the year — the Sydney Marathon — fired the starting gun, the event attracted more than 123,000 registrations, and 40,000 runners ultimately lined up at the start.
The course has approximately 313 meters of cumulative ascent; this is not a fast course. Runners set off from Miller Street in North Sydney, ran across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and finished in front of the Sydney Opera House.
01
Race highlights
There are as many as 14 male elites under Sub-2:05, led by Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma (PB 2:01:48), and 2025 Budapest World Championships champion Alphonce Simbu.
Defending champion Hailemaryam Kiros set a course record of 2:06:06 in Sydney last year and will be fighting to defend his crown this year.
Can Ethiopia's former javelin thrower and last year's Sydney runner-up Addisu Gobena (Addisu Gobena) succeed in revenge?
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The women's elite field was led by Olympic champion (Tokyo 2020) Peres Jepchirchir (Peres Jepchirchir) (PB 2:14:43). This was her first official race since the Valencia Marathon in December last year.
Chinese marathoner Fang Bo appeared on the Sydney startlist as an invited elite, Wu Haoran also raced. The celebrity "Wa Ge" Zhong Hanliang took on the Sydney Marathon. The 51-year-old ran under two hours (1:49:12) at the Chengdu World Heritage Half Marathon in March this year.
02
Race start
0-10km
At 5 km, the men's lead group was large, covering the distance in 14:30, averaging 2:54 per kilometer.
The leading woman was 46-year-old Kenyan Priscah Cherono (Priscah Cherono), who broke away and led solo after the start.
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However, at the first aid station there was a small hiccup: Priscah Cherono grabbed the wrong feed.
At 10 km,Priscah Cheronoclocked 31:37, leading the women's second pack by 23 seconds; at this point she was running alongside Fang Bo.
10-20km
The men's lead group numbered nearly 20, 30 seconds ahead of the course record; the pack tacitly adopted a conservative strategy — after the 20 km split, would anyone break the balance?
Priscah Cherono reached 20 km in 1:04:28,with Fang Bo close behind. The women's second place was Peres Jepchirchir, 25 seconds back.
20-30km
After 20 km, two-time Xiamen Marathon champion Dawit Wolde surged out of the lead group trying to open a gap, but was quickly brought back.
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At the half, the men's lead group clocked 1:02:28;Priscah Cheronosplit 1:07:58, one minute ahead of the course record.
After a long time leading and the climb between 25–28 km,Priscah Cheronowas overtaken byPeres JepchirchirandIrine Cheptai.
30-40km
After 30 km, Priscah Cherono was unable to regain position after trying to shadow the leaders for 2 km; Peres Jepchirchir and Irine Cheptai ran side by side.
With just 6 km to the finish, 2003-born Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele began to accelerate and the race entered a white-hot phase.
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At 40 km, 2004-born youngster Addisu Gobena broke clear, 52 seconds ahead of the course record; behind him was Chimdessa Debele.
03
The finish line
Addisu Gobena charged across the finish in front of the Sydney Opera House first, in 2:04:42 — not only avenging himself, but also improving the Sydney Marathon course record by 1 minute 24 seconds; men's runner-up Chimdessa Debele finished in 2:04:46; third place Tebello Ramakongoana in 2:04:57.
Chinese runnersWu Haoran 2:18:17, Fang Bo 2:21:51 completed the race successfully.
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Peres Jepchirchir won the women's title in 2:18:31, just 9 seconds short of breaking the women's course record,Irine Cheptai took second in 2:22:11, and Shure Demise Ware finished third in 2:22:33.
[End interaction]
#Did the men's and women's champions match your predictions?#
Text/Editor: MP
Image source: sydney_marathon
Visuals: Max
