By The Habesha News Desk
August 31, 2025
Sydney, August 31, 2025 — In a stunning display of endurance and speed, Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros blitzed the 42.2 km course to claim the fastest marathon performance ever recorded in Australia. Crossing the finish at the iconic Sydney Opera House, Kiros stopped the clock at 2:06:06, shaving 12 seconds off the previous record held by Kenya’s Birimin Kipkorir ABCReutersNews.com.au.
Kiros broke away with compatriot Addisu Gobena around the 30 km mark, maintaining a fierce pace until the final stretch, where he pulled ahead to seal victory ReutersESPN.com. Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana claimed third place, rounding out an elite men’s podium ReutersNews.com.au.
In the women’s division, Dutch powerhouse Sifan Hassan stunned the field, setting a new course record of 2:18:22 and becoming the first woman to finish the Sydney Marathon in under 2 hours and 20 minutes ABCReutersDaily Telegraph. She held off a strong challenge from Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei and Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa ReutersNews.com.auThe Guardian.
This year’s race marks Sydney’s debut in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series—the first in the southern hemisphere—joining elite events in New York, London, Boston, Berlin, Tokyo, and Chicago ABCReuters. Under crisp winter skies, around 35,000 runners took to the streets at dawn, weaving across the iconic Harbour Bridge before culminating at the Opera House forecourt.
Kenyan great Eliud Kipchoge, a perennial favourite, finished ninth in 2:08:31, conceding ground after the lead Ethiopians surged ahead ReutersThe Guardian.
Sydney Marathon race director Wayne Larden called the event a “milestone in Australian marathon history,” praising both the exceptional athleticism on display and the tremendous community turnout