Australian race is now part of the World Marathon Majors series and has attracted top-class fields

At the age of 40, age is beginning to catch up with Eliud Kipchoge. After defeats finishing 10th in the Tokyo Marathon last year and fifth in London this year, he also DNF'd in the Paris Olympics.

His last win in a marathon was in Berlin in September 2023 when he clocked 2:02:42. One year earlier he set a world record of 2:01:09 in the same German city. His sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna took place nearly six years ago.

“I have nothing more to prove to the world,” he says, although he remains competitive and keen to spread the running gospel.

Hence he is big name in the men's elite line-up at the Sydney Marathon this weekend, with Sifan Hassan leading the women's field.

The Australian race has joined the Abbott World Marathon Majors series and consequently this will be the most competitive men's elite field ever assembled on Australian soil with 15 runners having PBs equal or faster than the course record.

Kipchoge's rivals on what is known to be an undulating course include fellow Kenyan Vincent Ngetich. He burst on to the scene with 2:03:13 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, the third-fastest debut marathon in history, and has since backed it up with consecutive podium finishes in Tokyo, placing third in the 2024 and 2025 editions of the race.

Dawit Wolde of Ethiopia has a PB of 2:03:48 and recently claimed victory at the 2025 Xiamen Marathon in 2:06:06. Birhanu Legese, also from Ethiopia, is a two-time Tokyo Marathon champion and has a PB of 2:02:48 set in Berlin in 2019.

Look out as well for Edward Cheserek, the multiple NCAA champion from Kenya, and Yuki Kawauchi, the Japanese racing machine who won the Boston Marathon in 2018.

Not surprisingly Australian runners have come out in force to support the event, led by former Australian record holder Brett Robinson, Olympian Liam Adams rising talent Haftu Strintzos.

They will be joined by marathon debutant Samuel Clifford, who recently broke the Australian 10km record in a time of 27:34 in Japan, followed by a Tasmanian half-marathon record of 1:01:49 at the 2025 Gold Coast Half.

Race director Wayne Larden said: “When you look at the depth of this year’s men’s field, it’s not just star-studded and fast, it’s exceptionally deep. We have multiple athletes capable of running under the course record, rising stars on the brink of global breakthrough, and of course, Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathoner of all time.

"We’ve also focussed on Australian elites and it's exciting to see so many top Aussies lining up alongside world-class internationals in our first year as an Abbott World Marathon Major. For Australian fans and athletes alike, this is a rare opportunity to witness the very edge of human performance unfold on home soil.”

Hassan is the reigning Olympic marathon champion and also won bronze medals in the 5000m and 10,000m in Paris last year. She has won major marathons in London and Chicago and her PB of 2:13:44 makes her the third fastest woman in marathon history. She was due to race at the London Diamond League a few weeks ago as part of her build-up but withdrew at the last moment to focus on her marathon preparations.

Hassan will face Brigid Kosgei, the former world record-holder from Kenya. Kosgei ran 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019 and has won major marathons in London and Tokyo too.

Defending her title in Sydney is Workenesh Edesa of Ethopia, who set the Australian all-comers' record last year in 2:21:41, beating the long-standing Olympic record from Sydney 2000. She will face tough competition from a host of sub-2:19 athletes including Ashete Bekere, Meseret Belete and Tiruye Mesfin.

For the host nation, Commonwealth Games gold medallist and two-time Olympian Jessica Stenson will make her marathon debut.

Joining her is four-time Olympian Lisa Weightman, now aged 46, who has enjoyed top-10 finishes in London, New York and Chicago, plus Leanne Pompeani, the Australian 10,000m champion and 2:24:53 marathoner on her debut earlier this year.

The elite races start in North Sydney at 6.30am local time on Sunday (9.30pm on Saturday night in the UK) with the event on Eurosport and YouTube.

The elite runners will depart Miller Street in North Sydney at 6:30am Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), which is 9.30pm on the previous Saturday evening in the UK, 10:30pm in Central Europe, 4:30pm in New York, and 1:30pm for San Francisco.