They say 7 is a lucky number, and when it comes to the Sydney Marathon, its story’s no exception. The 7th and as of now final member of the World Marathon Majors, ever since being entered into consideration the Sydney Marathon has experienced nothing but exponential growth in both size and recognition. Of its 26 years of existence it’s only been a major for one, but that one year is all it needed to make a lasting impression.
With the addition of Tokyo the majors finally conquered Asia, and with Sydney came Australasia. And, most significantly, a venture into the southern hemisphere. Which is a big part of the major marathons’ story, considering the London course alone crosses two hemispheres. But being north east and north west, those are ground already well covered by the other 5.
A new century brings a new marathon
In spite of how it may seem, Sydney’s ability to host sporting events of the highest standard is not a newly-discovered talent. The turn of the century, which brought with it the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was the turning point. Want to know another thing people say? That those Olympics were the greatest of all time. The organisation, friendly spirit, celebration of local culture, all elements that were praised at the time, and all well-honed skills that Sydney has passed on to its modern-day marathon.
After all, the history of one is the history of both. The idea for the Sydney Marathon first came about in 2000, where it was run as a test for the Olympics later that year under the name ‘Host City Marathon’. Those Olympic Games then went on to be so successful that the decision was made to honour their legacy through the continuation of an annual Sydney Marathon.
Never too late to begin
The story of the first female winner from 2001 is a perfect reflection of what the Sydney Marathon represents today. That being new to the major marathon scene is not a barrier, it’s an opportunity. An opportunity to learn, to carve your own path. There’s no catching up to do when the standards are yours to set. Which is exactly what Krishna Stanton did, when she agreed to run the Sydney marathon upon a friend’s suggestion and ended up winning in a time of 2:38:11.
Before her debut appearance, Krishna Stanton was a track distance runner, having represented Australia in the 3000m at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. But persistent injuries put a damper on her success and by 2000 she had called time on her career. That was, until her return at the 2001 Sydney Marathon. After which she went on to win silver over the distance at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and 24 years later her career has found a new lease of life, with a most recent 2024 appearance in the Sydney Marathon.
Sydney’s growth by numbers
Krishna Stanton’s experience of 2024 will have felt a lot different, because so much has changed in those 24 years. But despite it all Sydney’s essence can still be captured through the crowds. Crowds which are only getting bigger by the year. And to put into perspective just how incredible that growth is, let’s turn the talk to numbers.
In 2022, there were around 5000 applicants for the Sydney Marathon. A year later, over 17,000. That’s a 340% increase. What had changed? The spotlight that is the gaze of the Abbott World Marathon Majors was officially pointed in Sydney’s direction. By 2024, that number had risen to 25,000 and last year it hit a new peak of 79,000.
But don’t be fooled: the growth rate isn’t slowing. Ahead of the 2026 edition of the Sydney Marathon, 123,000 runners entered the ballot, with over 120 countries represented. It may only be 10% of what London experiences, but one of those marathons has been around for 46, and the other 26, years. The Sydney Marathon is currently growing faster than almost any other marathon in the world. And with this being only its second year as a major, slowing down is not in the cards.
With determination comes results
Having now been proclaimed the largest marathon in Australasia, the Sydney Marathon is no longer just a local treasure. It’s an international one. But with elevated status comes elevated expectation, demand, standards to be met. Standards which Sydney has wasted no time in not just meeting, but exceeding. A growth that rapid can’t be reached by external factors alone: the Sydney Marathon is determined to succeed.
That determination manifested itself as a series of changes made to the race course, in order to facilitate faster times and create a better experience for runners. What was originally a September marathon became an August one, and the route saw fewer turns and less congestion. The only thing it didn’t see less of, were the hills. Unfortunately for some (or many), the Sydney Marathon remains a hilly course with an overall elevation gain of 313m, most of which is kindly saved for the second half.
But when you look at the results from 2025 only one conclusion can be drawn: these changes more than paid off. In times, that is. All 4 marathon races, including both wheelchair divisions, were won in course records. Hailemaryam Kiros and Sifan Hassan, the male and female winners of the 2025 Sydney Marathon, ran the fastest times ever recorded in Australia. 2:06:06, and 2:18:22.
Back to where it all began
There’s one other change I haven’t mentioned yet though. One that wasn’t made for the sake of new times, but for old times instead. The Sydney Marathon may now be a major but it’s never been one to stray from its roots. And those roots are the start line of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Marathon. So that when runners begin their journey through the city, they’re reminded of the one that came before it. The one that started it all.
Written by- Rosana Ercilla
