Addisu Gobena runs 2:04:42 in Sydney, seven men under the old course record

Addisu Gobena of Ethiopia won the Sydney Marathon on Sunday in 2:04:42, a course record by 84 seconds. Hailemaryam Kiros had set the old mark of 2:06:06 a year ago; this time the first seven men beat it, and Kiros was sixth in 2:05:16.

A big group ran 14:30 for the first 5 km and reached halfway in 1:02:28, well up on last year. Dawit Wolde and Vincent Ngetich tried to get away around 25 km and were caught; Gobena himself went after 28 km and was pulled back within a kilometre; Sisay Lemma, the fastest man in the field, lost touch after 30 km. Seven were still together at 36 km, 27 seconds inside record pace, and at 40 km in 1:58:38. Only in the last stretch did Gobena and Chimdessa Debele break clear, and Gobena won by four seconds. Tebello Ramakongoana of Lesotho and Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania were both given 2:04:57 for third and fourth, with Jemal Mekonnen fifth in 2:04:59.

Peres Jepchirchir won the women's race in 2:18:31, nine seconds outside Sifan Hassan's course record. Priscah Cherono, 46, led from early on and reached halfway in 1:07:58; Jepchirchir and Irine Cheptai caught her before 28 km and Jepchirchir went alone before 35 km. Cheptai was second in 2:22:11, Shure Demise third in 2:22:33, and Cherono held on for sixth in a personal best 2:23:49.

Manuela Schär won the women's wheelchair race in 1:42:04 and became the first athlete to win all eight Abbott World Marathon Majors; Daniel Romanchuk won the men's in 1:26:50. FloTrack notes that Gobena, 21, was a javelin thrower until 2023.

Seven men under the old record on a course with the Harbour Bridge in it. Sydney has stopped being the slow Major.

Sources: World Athletics; Athletics Weekly; FloTrack.