Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan won the Sydney Marathon on Sunday (31).
The Dutch distance running icon ran the fastest time ever by a woman on Australian soil, racing to victory in 2:18.22, heading home former world record holder Brigid Kosgei of Kenya (2:18.56) and Ethiopia's Worknesh Edesa (2:22:15).
It was first time the Sydney Marathon had been staged since becoming one of the world’s seven marathon majors and Hassan ensured it was a fitting occasion, running a big negative split, covering the first half in 70:01 and accelerating through the final 13.1 miles in 68:21.
"Big history"
It is Hassan’s third major marathon victory aside from last year’s triumph at the Paris Olympics. She also won in London and Chicago in 2023.
“The last five kilometres, I’m dead,” Hassan said afterwards. “It’s the first major marathon in Australia, in Sydney, and I’m the first one to win, so it’s big history for me.
“I felt so good in the first 5Ks and I think I pushed too hard. I pushed really hard the last 10Ks. I was like, ‘That’s not really smart. I’m going to pay the price’ but I feel I got away with it. I’m so grateful.”