Kenyan world champion Peres Jepchirchir has won the women’s race at the Sydney Marathon, while Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena claimed the men’s title.
Jepchirchir dominated the women’s race, clocking 2:18:31 to finish nearly four minutes ahead of fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai. Ethiopia’s Shure Demise Ware was third.
The victory adds Sydney to Jepchirchir’s previous World Marathon Major wins in Boston, New York and London. She finished just nine seconds outside the Sydney course record set by Olympic champion Sifan Hassan last year.
In the men’s race, 21-year-old Gobena secured his first World Marathon Major victory in a course-record 2:04:42, finishing four seconds ahead of compatriot Chimdessa Debele Gudeta. Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana was third.
Around 40,000 runners took part in the race, which last year became the seventh World Marathon Major alongside London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.