Ethiopian athlete Addisu Gobena and Kenyan athlete Peres Jepchirchir won the 2026 Sydney Marathon on Sunday, with a record 40,000 runners taking part.

Ethiopia's Addisu Gobena celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 2026 Sydney Marathon in Sydney on August 30, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Gobena won the men's race on Sunday morning in a time of two hours, four minutes and 42 seconds, setting a new course record and shaving off more than one minute from 2025 winner Hailemaryam Kiros's time of 2:06:06.

Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele Gudeta finished second in a time of 2:04:46, while Lesotho's Tebello Ramakongoana rounded out the podium in a time of 2:04:57.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir celebrates as she crosses the finish line to win the Women’s section of the 2026 Sydney Marathon in Sydney on August 30, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Olympic gold medalist Jepchirchir won the women's race in a time of 2:18:31, ahead of compatriot Irene Cheptai in second in 2:22:11 and Ethiopia's Shure Demise Ware in third in 2:22:33.

The Sydney Marathon was named the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major in November 2024 and officially joined the series in 2025.