Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena and Kenya’s world champion Peres Jepchirchir claimed commanding victories in the men’s and women’s Sydney Marathon races on Sunday.

For the 21-year-old Gobena, it marked his first World Marathon Major win, a significant achievement after finishing second in the same event last year. Jepchirchir, an Olympic champion, added the Sydney title to her impressive list of victories, which includes major marathons in Boston, New York, and London.

Gobena surged ahead in the final kilometer to finish four seconds ahead of his compatriot Chimdessa Debele Gudeta, clocking a time of 2:04:42. The win not only secured his personal best but also shattered the existing course record by nearly one and a half minutes. Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana secured third place.

Jepchirchir ran a dominant race, crossing the finish line in front of the iconic Sydney Opera House with a time of 2:18:31. She finished nearly four minutes ahead of her closest competitors, fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai and Ethiopia’s Shure Demise Ware, demonstrating a significant performance gap.

Gobena’s path to victory involved a strategic move late in the race. The men's leading pack had narrowed to 15 runners by the halfway point, including Gobena, world champion Alphonce Simbu, and last year's winner Hailemaryam Kiros. Several runners attempted breakaways, but a pack of seven remained with six kilometers to go. Gobena and Gudeta ultimately broke free, with Gobena outkicking his countryman in the final sprint.

In the women's race, Kenya's Priscah Cherono initially led, establishing a substantial gap by the 15km mark. However, Jepchirchir and Cheptai, the main chasers, caught Cherono just before the 30km mark. Jepchirchir and Cheptai then pulled away, with the world champion Jepchirchir eventually breaking clear to finish just nine seconds shy of the course record previously set by Sifan Hassan in 2025.

Gobena, who transitioned to long-distance running after a background in javelin throw, gained international recognition with his win at the 2024 Dubai Marathon. Reflecting on his Sydney performance, he stated he learned from his second-place finish last year and worked on his mistakes to achieve his record-breaking victory.

Jepchirchir expressed her satisfaction with the win, acknowledging the challenging, hilly course, particularly in the first half. Despite her preparedness, she admitted to initial uncertainty about securing the victory, making the win even more gratifying. American Daniel Romanchuk was the winner of the men's wheelchair race.