Kenya’s long-distance runner Peres Jepchirchir produced a stunning race to win the women’s race at the TCS Sydney Marathon in Australia on Sunday.
Jepchirchir was a clear winner in 2:18:31 after keeping pace with early leader Priscah Cherono before breaking away from Irine Cheptai after 30km.
The Kenyan went on to win by more than three minutes, just nine seconds shy of the course record set by Sifan Hassan last year.
This victory added Sydney to Jepchirchir’s impressive list of major marathon titles, which already includes Boston, New York, and London.
Jepchirchir pulls clear of Cheptai
Jepchirchir began to pull away from Cheptai before 35km, reaching that checkpoint in 1:54:47 - exactly on course-record pace. Although her tempo gradually slowed over the final kilometres, her advantage over the rest of the field continued to grow.
By 40km she led Cheptai by about two minutes and the Olympic and world champion was able to enjoy an unchallenged run to the finish, crossing the line in 2:18:31.
Jepchirchir beat her compatriot Irine Cheptai by 3:40, while Shure Demise of Ethiopia was third in 2:22:33, and Haven Hailu, also of Ethiopia, was fourth, 4:25 behind the winner.
The 32-year-old has enjoyed an incredible campaign since switching to marathon. She won the gold medal in the women’s marathon at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Jepchirchir was the champion at the 2016 and 2020 World Half Marathon Championships, and further claimed victories at the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston Marathons and finished third at the 2023 London Marathon.
She claimed a further victory at the 2024 London Marathon, finishing in 2:16:16 and breaking the women’s-only world record (that is, the world record for the fastest time by a female marathon runner without using male pacemakers).
Her best time for the half marathon of 1:05:06, set in 2017 in the UAE, is a former half marathon world record.
She holds the women’s-only half marathon world record of 1:05:16 set at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, which was an improvement on her own previous record.
Gobena breaks course record
In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena broke the course record to win the race. Gobena emerged from a seven-man lead group in the closing stages to take his second career marathon victory, finishing three seconds ahead of compatriot Chimdessa Debele.
Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana was third in 2:04:57 as the first seven men all finished inside Hailemaryam Kiros’ previous course record of 2:06:06.
Gobena and Debele broke clear, and the Ethiopian pair fought for victory, with Gobena edging away to cross the line in 2:04:42. Debele followed in 2:04:45, with Ramakongoana taking third.
For Gobena, it was his first marathon victory since his debut over the distance in Dubai in 2024.
He gained significant international attention after winning the 2024 Dubai Marathon on his debut over the distance, marking him as a promising new talent in the sport.
Later in 2024, he participated in the 2024 New York City Marathon, where he finished 21st with a time of 2:14:12.
