Sydney Marathon

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Wikipedia

Sydney Marathon
Sydney Opera House near the finish line in 2005
DateLate August
LocationSydney, Australia
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
(also 10 km, 4.2 km)
Primary sponsorTCS and ASICS
Established2001 (24 years ago) (2001)
Course recordsMen's: 2:06:06 (2025)
Ethiopia Hailemaryam Kiros
Women's: 2:18:22 (2025)
Netherlands Sifan Hassan
Official siteSydney Marathon
Participants32,964 finishers (2025)[1]

The Sydney Marathon is a marathon held annually in Sydney, Australia. The event was first held on the 30th of April 2000 and called The Host City Marathon as a test event for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and has continued every year since, as a legacy of the 2000 Summer Olympics.[2] The marathon is categorized as a Platinum Label Road Race by World Athletics. Previously held in the middle of September, the race moved to late August from 2025, as part of its elevation to the World Marathon Majors.[3][4][5]

The Sydney Marathon also includes a 10K run, and a 5 km (3.1 mi) race.[6]

History

The Sydney Marathon started in April 2000, following the same course as the marathon during the 2000 Summer Olympics.[3][7] The women's race in 2001 was won by Krishna Stanton, who had never run a marathon before, and was doing the event as a result of a challenge from a friend.[7]

In 2014 the marathon was awarded a Silver Label Road Race by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), then in December 2014 the race was awarded a Gold Label Road Race[8] in time for the 2015 race and it is now a Platinum Label Road Race.[3]

The 2020 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all entries automatically transferred to 2021, and all registrants given the option of also running the race virtually for free.[a][10][11] Moses Kibet won the 2022 race in 2:07:02, a new course record, and the fastest marathon time run on Australian soil.[3]

In July 2022, organisers of the race announced that they were applying to be added to the list of World Marathon Majors. Following two consecutive successful assessments as a candidate race, the marathon was elevated to the series on 4 November 2024, and ran its first race as a World Marathon Major on 31 August 2025.[12][5] The 2025 Sydney Marathon produced the fastest times ever recorded in Australia in both the men's and women's events, with Hailemaryam Kiros beating the previous record set by Brimin Kipkorir in 2024 by 12 seconds, and Sifan Hassan beating Workenesh Edesa's 2024 time by over four minutes.[13]

Course

The marathon course initially followed the same course that was used in the 2000 Summer Olympics.[7]

In 2010 the marathon course was changed to flatten it out which, according to the organisers, makes it "a faster, more scenic and spectator friendly course."[14]

The marathon runs on a point-to-point course that begins in North Sydney, crosses over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, runs through Pyrmont and The Rocks, down Oxford Street and Anzac Parade towards Kingsford, before returning to the city via Moore Park and Centennial Park, ending in front of the Sydney Opera House.[3][15]

Other awards

To date, eight runners have competed in every Sydney Marathon, and have been dubbed "Blue Line Legends".[16]

In addition, runners who have completed at least 10 marathons are eligible to be inducted into the Bridge Club.[17][b]

Other races

In addition to the marathon, a 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) race and a 4.2 kilometres (2.6 mi) "Mini Marathon" are also held as part of the event.

The 10km race was added in 2002, before being reduced to 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) in 2005. It has since returned to being an AIMS certified 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) distance, ending at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

The "Mini Marathon" is run the day before the full marathon, and also finishes at the Sydney Opera House.

The event also featured a half marathon distance, which was last run in 2023. It was removed as part of Sydney's candidacy for the World Marathon Majors.

Winners

Key:    Course record

Year Athlete Nationality Time[c] Athlete Nationality Time[c]
Male Female
2025 Hailemaryam Kiros Ethiopia 2:06:06 Sifan Hassan Netherlands 2:18:22
2024 Brimin Kipkorir Kenya 2:06:18 Workenesh Edesa Ethiopia 2:21:41
2023[18] Othmane El Goumri Morocco 2:08:20 Betsy Saina USA 2:26:46
2022 Moses Kibet Kenya 2:07:03 Tigist Girma Getachew Ethiopia 2:25:10
2021cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[10]
2020cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic[10]
2019 Filex Kiprotich Kenya 2:09:49 Stella Barsosio Kenya 2:24:33
2018 Elijah Kemboi Kenya 2:13:37 Mercy Kibarus Kenya 2:31:24
2017 Shota Hattori Japan 2:15:16 Makda Harun Ethiopia 2:28:02
2016 Tomohiro Tanigawa Japan 2:12:11 Makda Harun Ethiopia 2:32:22
2015 Hisanori Kitajima Japan 2:12:44 Meriem Wangari Kenya 2:34:38
2014 Gebo Burka Ethiopia 2:11:18 Biruktayit Degefa Ethiopia 2:29:42
2013 Willy Koitile Kenya 2:13:48 Biruktayit Degefa Ethiopia 2:32:46
2012 Yuki Kawauchi Japan 2:11:52 Mitsuko Hirose Japan 2:48:49
2011 Joel Kemboi Kenya 2:17:31 Letay Negash Ethiopia 2:43:22
2010 Issac Serem Kenya 2:25:17 Helen Stanton Australia 2:49:58
2009 Julius Seurei Kenya 2:17:07 Naoko Tsuchiya Japan 2:52:46
2008 Julius Maritim Kenya 2:19:01 Lisa Flint Australia 2:47:43
2007 Julius Maritim Kenya 2:14:38 Naoko Tsuchiya Japan 2:43:10
2006 Julius Maritim Kenya 2:19:51 Naoko Tsuchiya Japan 2:48:44
2005 Julius Maritim Kenya 2:21:47 Ruth Kingston New Zealand 2:53:56
2004 Oswald Revelian Tanzania 2:21:13 Rina Hill Australia 2:39:46
2003 Oswald Revelian Tanzania 2:26:01 Tausi Juma Ethiopia 2:46:23
2002 Stephen Bwiret Kenya 2:17:30 Heather Turland Australia 2:51:06
2001 Damon Harris New Zealand 2:25:49 Krishna Stanton Australia 2:38:11
Source (up to 2018): "Previous Winners". Sydney Running Festival. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018.

Multiple wins

By country

Country Total Men's Women's
 Kenya17134
 Ethiopia1028
 Japan844
 Australia505
 New Zealand211
 Tanzania220
 Netherlands101

Notes

  1. ↑ Before being cancelled, it was postponed to 8 November 2020, with all registrants given the option of obtaining a 75% refund or transferring their entry to another runner or to 2021.[9]
  2. ↑ The marathons do not have to be run on consecutive years.[17]
  3. 1 2 h:m:s

References

  1. ↑ "Results List".
  2. ↑ "Event FAQs". Sydney Running Festival. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Payten, Iain (6 January 2023). "Sydney chasing Kipchoge in race to join world's 'major' marathons". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". www.worldathletics.org. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. 1 2 "Sydney Marathon to join elite ranks of world marathon majors alongside London and New York City". ABC News. 3 November 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "TCS Sydney Mini Marathon". TCS Sydney Marathon. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "Sydney Marathon: 2001 Results". Coolrunning. 28 October 2001. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Blackmores Sydney Marathon Awarded IAAF Road Race Gold Label". Sydney Running Festival. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "Event Update".
  10. 1 2 3 "Blackmores Sydney Running Festival - Event Update September 2020". 14 September 2020. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
  11. ↑ "Virtual Event- FAQ". Archived from the original on 22 September 2020.
  12. ↑ "Sydney Marathon Passes Stage One Of Abbott World Marathon Majors Assessment". 28 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "Sydney Marathon 2025: Records broken as Sifan Hassan, Hailemaryam Kiros win". 31 August 2025. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  14. ↑ "Course FAQs". Sydney Running Festival. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  15. ↑ "Marathon". Archived from the original on 26 February 2020.
  16. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20200728203650/https://sydneyrunningfestival.com.au/bluelineledgends
  17. 1 2 "Bridge Club". Archived from the original on 28 July 2020.
  18. ↑ Taouk, Maryanne (17 September 2023). "Sydney marathon winner dedicates race to the Moroccan quake survivors". ABC News. Retrieved 17 September 2023.