Sydney Marathon Archives

Pakistan’s marathoner Faisal Shafi sets Guinness World Record at Sydney Marathon

KARACHI: Pakistan runner Faisal Shafi achieved a Guinness World Record on Sunday by completing the Sydney Marathon in a light military uniform, honoring Pakistan’s armed forces.

Shafi, hailing from Karachi, set the record in the inaugural edition of the Sydney Marathon— since the race’s elevation to Abbot World Marathon Major Status.

The race, now the seventh member of the coveted World Marathon Major, took participants through Sydney’s most iconic landmarks.

The course passed the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Garden, and the waterfront of Sydney Cove.

The World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a championship-style competition for runners that started in 2006. The events are a points-based competition founded on seven major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile in a year.

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The series comprises annual races for the cities of Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York.

Faisal Shafi achieved a landmark milestone after completing the challenging 42.195-kilometer course in 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 13 seconds, wearing light military gear, which marked a new world record entry in the category.

Following the marathon, Shafi expressed his thoughts while talking to a private TV channel.

“It was an ideal time to pay tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces, our martyrs, and the immense sacrifices of our soldiers,” Shafi said.

“I am proud to have done that as a civilian on this global stage.” Running in the specially designed military-inspired uniform was far from easy,” he added.

Concurrently, the fastest Pakistani to finish the Sydney Marathon 2025 was Ali Zaidi, based in Australia, who completed the race in 3:05:33.

Islamabad’s Bilal Ehsan recorded a time of 3:15:03, securing the fastest finish among the runners who traveled from Pakistan for the event.

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Olympic champion Sifan Hassan, Kiros smash course records to win Sydney Marathon

Untouchable Olympic champion Sifan Hassan shattered the course record Sunday to surge home first in a historic Sydney Marathon, with Hailemaryam Kiros matching her feat in the men’s race.

Run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors, Hassan was utterly dominant, clocking a blistering 2hrs 18min 22sec ahead of Kenya’s former world record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:18.56)

Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa, who came third, won the race last year in a then-record time, but Dutch multi-distance superstar Hassan obliterated it by more than three minutes.

Hassan, who will skip September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after opting to prioritise Sydney, admitted she almost misjudged her race.

“I pushed too hard and I learnt a lesson,” said the Ethiopian-born 32-year-old who has also won majors at London and Chicago. “I was so done the last 10k.

“It’s amazing, I’m really grateful,” she added. “I’m so happy to win with a course record. It’s history, it’s the first major marathon (in Sydney) and I’m the first winner.”

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The women’s race narrowed down to just five leaders early on before Hassan opened a commanding 40-second gap as she came through 35km before holding on to sprint home.

Kiros also produced a new record time, crossing the finish line at the Sydney Opera House in 2:06.06, 10 seconds clear of fellow Ethiopian Addisu Gobena, a star of the future aged just 20.

Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana was third.

Asked if he expected to break the course record, Kiros said: “Yes, because I prepared well.”

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, arguably the greatest men’s marathon runner of all time, failed in his bid to clinch a 12th marathon major, finishing ninth.

The 40-year-old was with the large lead group at halfway as they set a sizzling pace, but was dropped as the runners approached the 32km mark.

Kiros and Gobena led a seven-man breakaway before the pair opened up a gap between the chasing pack and couldn’t be caught.

Kiros made his move within one kilometre of the finish line to shave more than 10 seconds off the previous record set last year by Kenya’s Brimin Misoi.

Despite being off the pace, Kipchoge received the biggest cheer when he crossed the finish line.

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race and American Susannah Scaroni the women’s.

Around 35,000 runners, a record, competed over the picturesque 42.19 kilometre course through the city from North Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge to the finish line on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

The race was elevated this year as the seventh World Marathon Majors, putting it on a par with London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York in the elite global series.

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Olympic marathon champion Hassan opts for Sydney ahead of worlds

Reigning Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan plans to skip the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, instead preferring to be part of history in Sydney.

The Dutch multi-distance superstar is one of the marquee drawcards at Sunday’s Sydney Marathon, which will be run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors, joining the likes of London, New York, and Boston.

Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia, said the turnaround for the world championships barely two weeks later was too tight.

“In two weeks or three weeks, I don’t even know if I’m going to recover,” Hassan, 32, told reporters. “Like the first couple of days, I barely walk after a marathon.

“It was a hard decision for me because… I have never skipped any world championships (since her debut in 2015).

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“But I really want to be part of the Sydney Marathon because it’s the first major marathon (in Australia). Who doesn’t want to be part of the first major marathon?”

The world championships are on September 13-21.

Sifan Hassan won the 5,000m and 10,000m titles at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and came third over 1500m, so she has fond memories of the Japanese capital.

“I really thought about it. I really thought about what to do, but my heart really wanted to be (in Sydney),” she said.

Pre-race favourite Hassan will be joined on the starting line by defending Sydney champion Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa and Kenya’s five-time major winner Brigid Kosgei.

Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge is the headline attraction in the men’s field.

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Eliud Kipchoge feeling the pressure ahead of Sydney Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge says the desire to inspire others drove him to enter this week’s Sydney Marathon, with the Kenyan legend admitting there was “huge pressure” on him to win.

The 40-year-old, arguably the greatest men’s marathon runner of all time, headlines the field on Sunday in a race being run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors.

It puts it on a par with London, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, Chicago, and Boston, and two-time Olympic champion and 11-time major winner Kipchoge was eager to be involved.

“It’s a huge pressure for me to win the race, but there’s more pressure for me to inspire more people to take up running,” Kipchoge, who is aiming for a major success in his fifth different city, told Olympics.com.

“For me, there’s more pressure to show the people in Australia and beyond what’s needed to enjoy running and showcase my longevity as far as marathon running is concerned.”

Eliud Kipchoge failed to finish a marathon for the first time at the Paris 2024 Olympics, sparking speculation that his career may be nearing an end.

However, he ran the London Marathon in April, finishing sixth, and said he was unfazed by talk of retirement.

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“I have nothing more to prove to the world,” he said, adding that he wants to keep building on his legacy.

“I tell young people that the more you stay in any profession, the more you gain knowledge, get more expertise, and I believe that’s what I am showing.

“What I learned from London is that consistency and patience still rule the day.”

Joining Kipchoge on the start line and looming as a serious contender will be fellow Kenyan Vincent Ngetich, who has never finished lower than fourth in a World Marathon Major.

The depth of the field is bolstered by Ethiopia’s Birhanu Legese, a two-time Tokyo Marathon winner, while the women are led by reigning Olympic champion Sifan Hassan and five-time major winner Brigid Kosgei.

Kenya’s Brimin Misoi (2:06.17) and Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa (2:21.41) both smashed the course record to secure victory in the men’s and women’s races in Sydney last year, before it was elevated to major status.

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