SYDNEY, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena smashed the course record to win the men’s title at the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, while Kenya’s world and former Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir dominated the women’s race.
Gobena, who finished runner-up last year, crossed the line at the Sydney Opera House in two hours, four minutes and 42 seconds, lowering the previous record of 2:06:06 set by compatriot Hailemaryam Kiros in winning the race last year.
Chimdessa Debele of Ethiopia was second in 2:04:46, while Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana finished third in 2:04:57.
“I am very happy,” said the 21-year-old Gobena, who broke clear of a five-man leading group in the closing stages.
“Last year I came second, I learnt from my mistake, and I went back home and I worked on my mistake to perform and broke the record today.”
Jepchirchir was equally dominant in the women’s race, finishing more than three minutes ahead of compatriot Irine Cheptai to claim her fourth marathon major in 2:18:31.
Cheptai was second in 2:22:11, with Ethiopia’s Shure Demise third in 2:22:33.
Jepchirchir, 32, won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 but fell just nine seconds short of the Sydney course record of 2:18:22 set by current Olympic champion Sifan Hassan when she won the race last year.
