SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, August 30 — The fall WMM season kicked off with the Sydney Marathon and two entertaining races. Ethiopian Addisu Gobena sprinted to a course record 2:04:42 to best a deep men’s field and Kenyan veteran Peres Jepchirchir ran from behind through 27K in the women’s race, then ran away to win her fourth different major in 2:18:31.
Jepchirchir finished just 9 seconds off Sifan Hassan’s course record while Gobena led 5 men under 2:05:00 with fellow Ethiopian Chimdesa Debele a close 2nd in 2:04:46. Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana (2:04:57) repeated last year’s 3rd-place finish, crossing just ahead of Tanzanian Alphonce Simbu (2:04:57) and Ethiopian Jemal Yimer (2:04:59). Defending champ Hailemariyam Kiros finished 6th in 2:05:16, 50 seconds faster than last year’s course record effort.
Tapping near perfect Down Under spring racing weather, Sydney’s sophomore WMM contest featured rather aggressive racing over a course hillier and more aided than Boston.
Like Boston, much of the aided part comes in the opening 2 kilometers that freefall down to the Harbor Bridge setting up a fast start in both races.
Virtually every elite man on the docket bought into the 2:43 opening K before settling in to a 2:55–3:00-per-kilo clip — steady pace given the ever-undulating terrain.
A trio of pacers deftly guided the lead pack of 16 runners through 10K in 29:23, and 14 stayed together climbing Sydney’s version of Heartbreak Hills between 11 and 16K. The group crossed 20K in 59:15 and halfway in 62:28.
Credit elite athlete coordinator Luis Posso for curating a deep men’s field that included last year’s podium of Kiros, Gobena and Ramakongoana. Added to the mix were Ethiopian veterans Sisay Lemma, Dawit Wolde, Yimer and Debele. With world champion Simbu plus fellow Kenyans Vincent Ngetich and Kennedy Kimutai, the assemblage constituted a gaggle of talent collectively committed to staying on task and under 2:05 pace.
Wolde and Ngetich made short-lived forays off the front at 25K, followed by Ramakongoana at 27K, Gobena at 29K and Debele in the uphill 31st K, but 9 athletes ran together passing 35K in 1:44:07.
Debele launched another uphill attack at 37K stringing out the pack but dropped only Wolde and 7 athletes regrouped to cross 40K in 1:58:38.
Unlike Boston, Sydney has a roller-coaster finish that climbs 14m in the 41st K before plunging 30m to the finish. A year ago Gobena led over the uphill only to see Kiros rocket away on the descent. This time the former javelin thrower followed Debele’s charge and nearing the crest of the hill launched his sprint to quickly forge a 10m advantage that he held to the finish.
“I’m very happy,” the 21-year-old rising star exclaimed. “Last year I came second and I made one mistake. I went back home and worked on my mistake to perform and break the record today.”
The women’s race also started fast on the downhill and 46-year-old Priscah Cherono just kept rolling. She built a 13-second lead at 5K (15:34) that grew to 23 seconds at 10K (31:37).
Some two decades ago, Cherono, now 46, was a fixture on 8 title-winning Kenyan World Cross Country teams. She raced at 3 track Worlds (5000 bronze in 2007) and the Beijing Olympics.
Last year she returned to competition on a lark and won the Boulderthon half-marathon in 76:50. She got in some training with U.S. coach Scott Simmons’ crew and ran 2:25:17 last December at the Marathon Project. In March, she led from gun to wire to win the LA Marathon in 2:25:20.
Cherono was determined to replicate that strategy in her first WMM race in a career that began a handful of years before Eliud Kipchoge. Losing a little ground on the uphill between 11 and 16K, she dug in and extended her lead to 28 seconds crossing halfway in 67:58.
Jepchirchir was content to maintain a steady pace running alongside fellow Kenyan Irene Cheptai. Cherono held a 20-second lead at 25K, but began to falter as her 40-something body and 2:25 PR came to terms with the 2:16 pace.
Cheptai and Jepchirchir caught Cherono at 27K and the trio ran together through 30K (1:37:49). Jepchirchir showed no signs of fatigue; she maintained a steady stride that soon dropped Cherono and then Cheptai at 33K.
Jepchirchir’s patience paid off as she cruised home to finish in 2:18:31, while Cheptai (2nd in 2:22:11) and Cherono (6th in a PR 2:23:49) struggled mightily on the run-in. Ethiopian Shure Demise finished 3rd in 2:22:33.
Reigning world champion Jepchirchir — who is also the 2021 Olympic gold medalist — claimed her fourth WMM title adding Sydney to her victories in NYC ’21, Boston ’22 and London ’24.
“I am very glad,” Jepchirchir beamed, adding, “the course was tough, but it was good that I managed to win. I was well prepared, but I was not sure. It was so hilly and the first kilometers were so tough, but the second half was better, but it was not easy. I was not expecting to run a course record. It was not on my mind.”
The win was a nice rebound for the 32-year-old Kenyan. She had run a 2:14:43 PR last December in Valencia, but was then forced to withdraw from April’s London Marathon with a stress fracture sustained in training.
SYDNEY MARATHON MEN’S RESULTS
1. Addisu Gobena (Eth) 2:04:42 PR; 2. Chimdesa Debele (Eth) 2:04:46; 3. Tebello Ramakongoana (Les) 2:04:57 NR; 4. Alphonce Felix Simbu (Tan) 2:04:57; 5. Jemal Yimer (Eth) 2:04:59 PR; 6. Hailemariyam Kiros (Eth) 2:05:16; 7. Vincent Ngetich (Ken) 2:05:28; 8. Dawit Wolde (Eth) 2:06:41; 9. Kennedy Kimutai (Ken) 2:06:50; 10. Gilbert Kibet (Ken) 2:07:13;… 13. Ethan Shuley (US) 2:08:34.
SYDNEY MARATHON WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Peres Jepchirchir (Ken) 2:18:31; 2. Irene Cheptai (Ken) 2:22:11; 3. Shure Demise (Eth) 2:22:33; 4. Haven Hailu (Eth) 2:22:57; 5. Meseret Abebayahau (Eth) 2:23:40; 6. Priscah Cherono (Ken) 2:23:49 PR; 7. Stella Chesang (Uga) 2:23:52; 8. Fikrte Wereta (Eth) 2:25:18; 9. Ellie Pashley (Aus) 2:28:28; 10. Aberu Ayana (Eth) 2:28:30.
