Edesa’s Sydney Marathon course record at risk in loaded WMM debut field
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Reading Time: 3min | Sun. 29.06.25. | 10:45
The Australian all-comers mark was set last year as the Ethiopian shattered the long-standing Olympic record from Sydney 2000
This year’s Sydney Marathon, scheduled for Sunday 31, August, is set to feature the strongest lineup of international and domestic female marathoners ever assembled on Australian soil, putting Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa’s 2:21:41 course record, from last year, on the line.
Leading the charge is four-time Olympic medalist and reigning Paris Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan, whose personal best of 2:13:44 ranks her as the third-fastest woman in marathon history.
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Her rapid rise in the marathon ranks includes back-to-back victories at two Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM), winning both the Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS London Marathon in 2023.
She will be joined by former world record holder Brigid Kosgei, setting the stage for a history-making showdown on the streets of Sydney. Kosgei has finished first or second in all but one of her ten marathon appearances since transitioning to the marathon distance in 2015.
An Olympic silver medalist, Kosgei will make her TCS Sydney Marathon debut with an impressive resume that includes five WMM victories in London (2019, 2020), Chicago (2018, 2019), and Tokyo (2022).
Race Director Wayne Larden said the calibre of this year’s women’s field marks a turning point for marathon racing in Australia.
“This is without question the greatest women’s marathon field ever seen in Australia. With some of the world’s fastest and top-ranked athletes confirmed, Sydney is now firmly on the map as a world-class marathon destination. This is what AbbottWMM racing is all about, and we’re proud to deliver it right here in Sydney,” Larden said.
The TCS Sydney Marathon, now officially a member of the prestigious AbbottWMM, is expected to be the scene of another all-time performance, with seven athletes boasting personal best times under 2:19.
Returning to defend her 2024 title is Edesa, who set the Australian all-comers record last year in a time of 2:21:41, shattering the long-standing Olympic record from Sydney 2000. She will face tough competition from a host of sub-2:19 athletes, including compatriots Ashete Bekere (2:17:58), Meseret Belete (2:18:21), and Tiruye Mesfin (2:18:35).
The women’s elite list also features some of Australia’s most celebrated distance runners. Commonwealth Games gold medalist and two-time Olympian Jessica Stenson will make her highly anticipated debut at the TCS Sydney Marathon.
Joining her is four-time Olympian Lisa Weightman, who boasts an extraordinary competitive career spanning nearly two decades, including top-10 finishes in London, New York, and Chicago. Weightman is also a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, having won bronze in 2010 and silver in 2018.
Rounding out the list of elite Australian women is rising star Leanne Pompeani, the 2022 City2Surf champion and a national 10,000m titleholder, who continues to establish herself as a force across both road and track events. Pompeani made a statement in her marathon debut earlier this year, clocking 2:24:53 to set a new Australian Debut Marathon Record.
Widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Australian distance running, she continues to build impressive momentum in the sport.
WOMEN’S ELITE FIELD
Sifan Hassan 2:13.44
Brigid Kosgei 2:14.04
Workenesh Edesa 2:17.55
Ashete Bekere 2:17.58
Meseret Belete 2:18.21
Tiruye Mesfin 2:18.35
Sichala Kumeshi 2:19.53
Buze Diriba 2:20.22
Gladys Chesir 2:20.30
Ai Hosoda 2:20.31
Evaline Chirchir 2:20.33
Pascalia Chepkosgei 2:22.11
Anchialem Haymanot 2:22.23
Jessica Stenson 2:22.56
Lisa Weightman 2:23.15
Leanne Pompeani 2:24.53
Abi Nordberg 2:34.57
Danette Sheehan 2:36.15
Ella McCartney 2:38.43
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