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Ethiopia’s 21-year-old Addisu Gobena produced a stunning late surge to win the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, breaking the course record in the process.
With only a few kilometres remaining, seven runners were still locked in a tight battle for the title. Gobena eventually pulled away from the pack and crossed the finish line in 2 hours 4 minutes 42 seconds, leaving around 40,000 competitors behind.
The race began at 6:15am from North Sydney, with runners covering the 42.2-kilometre course before finishing near the Sydney Opera House. A record 40,000 participants took part in the 2026 edition, which was held for the second consecutive year as an Abbott World Marathon Major event.
Gobena, who finished second in Sydney last year, not only claimed his maiden title but also set a new course record. His time was around one minute and 24 seconds faster than the previous record of 2:06:06 set by 2025 champion Hailemariam Kiros. He also recorded the fastest marathon time by a male athlete in Australia.
Chimdessa Debele Gudeta of Ethiopia finished second, while Tebeno Ramakongwana came third. Both runners also finished faster than the previous course record.
In the women’s race, Kenyan world champion Peres Jepchirchir dominated from the start, winning in 2:18:31. She finished 3 minutes 40 seconds ahead of runner-up Irine Cheptai, while Shur Demaiz Ware took third place.
Jepchirchir narrowly missed the women’s course record of 2:18:22 set by Sifan Hassan last year, finishing just nine seconds outside it.
Two Wheelchair Records
The wheelchair marathoners reached the finish line ahead of the main race.
American Daniel Romanchuk set a new men’s course record of 1:26:50, beating Marcel Hug’s previous mark of 1:27:15.
In the women’s category, Paralympic athlete Manuela Schär also broke the course record, finishing in 1:42:04—2 minutes 48 seconds faster than the previous record held by Susannah Scaroni.
Schär’s victory also made her the first athlete to win at all eight Abbott World Marathon Majors courses.
Australia’s fastest male finisher was Andy Buchanan, who clocked 2:10:14, while Ellie Pashley was the country’s leading female finisher in 2:28:28.
Fuller’s Inspiring Run During Chemotherapy
One of the most inspirational stories came from Five Dock’s Toby Fuller, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, at the age of 23.
Despite undergoing treatment, Fuller completed the marathon in 3 hours 18 minutes. His achievement was recognised by Guinness World Records as the fastest marathon completed by a patient while undergoing chemotherapy.
“It was incredible. I’m so happy,” Fuller said emotionally after crossing the finish line, while acknowledging that every kilometre had been difficult.
He planned to celebrate the achievement with his loved ones over curry after the race.
Beyond competition, the Sydney Marathon also highlighted its charitable impact. Organisers said the event has raised more than A$38 million for charity to date, strengthening its role as not only a major sporting event but also an important platform for humanitarian causes.