World’s fastest marathon man Kipchoge to lead runners as Sydney race joins elite group
Organisers expect about 35,000 people to run on Sunday, with event predicted to be worth US$47 million in tourism spending over next three years
One of the world’s most iconic bridges will swap cars for tens of thousands of pounding feet on Sunday morning, as Sydney joins the elite ranks of the World Marathon Majors.
About 35,000 people are expected to toe the start line in Australia’s biggest marathon to date, including the fastest man to run the distance, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge.
The 26.2 mile course crosses the Sydney Harbour Bridge and loops through downtown and Centennial Park before ending at the famous Opera House steps.
Growing from just 5,300 participants in 2022, the race received a surge in interest this year after it became the first southern hemisphere event to be added to the ranks of the so-called Major series, which includes the likes of the London, New York, Boston and Tokyo marathons.
Its expansion mirrors massive growth in social run clubs worldwide since the Covid pandemic, along with a push by Australian marathon organisers to get local runners to step up from the more popular half-marathon distance, race director Wayne Larden told Bloomberg.
Major races are sought after by endurance runners worldwide trying to complete the series. More than 79,000 people entered the lottery to enter the 2025 Sydney race, with a goal of getting to 50,000 starters within a few years.