Addisu Gobena Smashes Course Record, Manuela Schär Makes History at First Sydney World Marathon Major

The 2026 TCS Sydney Marathon marked its debut as the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major with a historic wave of record-breaking performances. More than 40,000 runners crossed the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday, but it was the elite fields that comprehensively rewrote the Australian record books. Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena obliterated the men's course record by nearly a minute and a half, while Swiss wheelchair racing icon Manuela Schär became the first athlete in history to sweep all eight global marathon majors.[1][3]

The men’s race developed into a blistering contest that saw the top seven finishers all dip under the previous course record of 2:06:06, set by Hailemaryam Kiros in 2025. A lead pack established an aggressive pace early on the harborside course, crossing the 10-kilometer mark in 29:22 and hitting the halfway point in 1:02:28.[1]

As the race approached the final kilometers, the 21-year-old Gobena—who remarkably transitioned from javelin throwing to marathons just three years ago—broke away from the surviving lead group. He crossed the finish line at the Sydney Opera House in 2:04:42, securing his first major victory since his debut over the distance in Dubai in 2024.[1][2]

"Gobena returned to Sydney after finishing runner-up last year and got the job done, winning the men's marathon in a course-record," noted FloTrack, highlighting his redemption arc after finishing behind Kiros in 2025. Compatriot Chimdessa Debele Gudeta followed just four seconds later in 2:04:46, while Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana rounded out the podium in 2:04:57.[2]

In the women's elite race, reigning Olympic and world champion Peres Jepchirchir delivered a masterclass in front-running. The Kenyan star gradually reeled in early leader Priscah Cherono before launching a decisive move to drop compatriot Irine Cheptai after the 30-kilometer mark.[1]

Jepchirchir crossed the line in 2:18:31, securing a dominant victory by a margin of three minutes and 40 seconds. While she missed Sifan Hassan’s 2025 course record by a mere nine seconds, the win added Sydney to her glittering resume of major titles, which already includes Boston, London, and New York. Cheptai held on for second in 2:22:11, with Ethiopia's Shure Demise Ware taking third in 2:22:33.[1]

The most historic milestone of the weekend belonged to Manuela Schär in the women's wheelchair division. The Swiss Paralympic great shattered Susannah Scaroni’s course record by two minutes and 48 seconds, breaking the tape in 1:42:04 after launching a decisive attack on Great Britain's Eden Rainbow-Cooper near the 25-kilometer mark.[3][4]

With the victory, Schär completed an unprecedented sweep of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. Having already conquered Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, and the recently added Cape Town Marathon, Sydney was the final missing piece in an extraordinary career.[2][3]

"It's such a big surprise, actually. I hadn't had the best start of the season and in Tokyo in March I had the worst race of my life," Schär told the International Paralympic Committee. "I'm getting older and it's getting harder, [this win] is really surprising and I'm really emotional."[3]

The men's wheelchair race saw its own record fall as American Daniel Romanchuk delivered a commanding performance. Romanchuk finished in 1:26:50, eclipsing Marcel Hug's previous course record and finishing more than four minutes clear of runner-up David Weir, who clocked 1:31:33.[3]

For the domestic field, the race doubled as the Australian Marathon Championships, offering the richest prize purse in the nation's history. Andy Buchanan claimed the men's national title with a time of 2:10:14—the fastest ever run by an Australian on the Sydney course—while Ellie Pashley took the women's crown in 2:28:28.[4][5]

The sheer density of fast times cements Sydney's elevated status on the global calendar. As the newest addition to the World Marathon Majors, the event successfully translated its scenic route into a legitimate proving ground for the sport's elite, setting a formidable benchmark for the 2027 season.[4]