The start line is in sight! On Sunday, August 31, 35,000 runners from around the world will lace up for the Sydney Marathon – the first-ever World Marathon Major to take place in the Southern Hemisphere (and the seventh to join the elite list globally). This landmark event is shaping up to be the most significant and competitive road running race in Australian history, with record-breaking participation and the fiercest elite field our nation has ever seen.
Like the athletes competing, the Sydney Marathon has put in the hard yards to reach this moment. It underwent a two-year journey where participation soared from 5,300 in 2022 to 25,000 in 2024, and major updates were made to the course and entertainment zones. This year, 35,000 runners were selected from almost 80,000 ballot entries to tackle the 42.195-kilometre challenge. These sporty spices represent 156 countries, making Sydney Marathon the most internationally diverse marathon in Australia to date.
An impressive line-up will hit the streets in Sydney’s CBD, including the widely regarded greatest marathon runner of all time Eliud Kipchoge, Olympic women’s marathon champion Sifan Hassan, plus one of Australia’s top distance runners Jess Stenson. With such a fierce line-up, every Sydney Marathon record is well and truly at risk.
Last year, both the male and female course records were broken by Kenya’s Brimin Kipkorir Misoi (2:06:18) and Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa Gurmes (2:21:41). In 2025, Dutch Olympic champion Sifan Hassan – with a current personal best of 2:13:44 – is chasing the highly beatable women’s record, with defending champ Gurmes also returning to the track. South Australian Olympian Jess Stenson is also in top shape for a big run after achieving a personal best of 2:22:56 at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.
In the men’s race, all eyes will be on Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, the only human on Earth to run a marathon in less than two hours and an 11-time World Marathon Major champion. Joining him on the start line are strong Aussie contenders, including former national record holder Brett Robinson and Olympian Liam Adams.
The Sydney Marathon Elite Wheelchair race will also host the strongest wheelchair field Australia has ever seen. Swiss Paralympic athletes Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär are front-runners to break the existing wheelchair records – 1:38:35 for the men and 1:54:09 for the women.
If you’re keen to cheer on the stars or support your mates, there are plenty of fan zones along the route. The Sydney Marathon starts in North Sydney, with the wheelchair athletes setting off at 6.15am AEST, followed by the elite runners at 6.30am. From there, participants will charge across the iconic Harbour Bridge, past 33 entertainment zones and four live spectator sites – including The Rocks, Martin Place, Taylor Square and Moore Park – before finishing in style at the Sydney Opera House. And if you sleep through your alarm or want to tune in from across the globe, you can watch the live stream on YouTube. For more details, check out the Sydney Marathon spectator guide here.