With the 2025 London Marathon on his schedule this spring, the world’s fastest-living marathoner, Eliud Kipchoge, is already adding fall races to his calendar. His plans? To run a race he’s never done before, in a country he’s never raced in: headlining the 2025 Sydney Marathon on Aug 31.
In the race’s first year as an Abbott World Marathon Major, with an expected record-breaking 35,000 finishers, the TCS Sydney Marathon has announced one of the sport’s biggest stars. Kipchoge is the only human in history to run the marathon distance in under two hours, clocking 1:59:40 at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 2019. He is a two-time Olympic gold medallist (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020) and an 11-time marathon major champion, including four victories at the TCS London Marathon, five at the BMW Berlin Marathon, and single titles at the Chicago Marathon and Tokyo Marathon.
The 40-year-old has been a target for the Sydney Marathon for the last two years. In 2023, the race launched a social media campaign to lure Kipchoge to the 2024 event. Last year, being an Olympic year, Kipchoge had to decline, but now he’s making it up to the race in 2025.
The president of Athletics Australia, Jane Flemming, expects Kipchoge’s presence at the Sydney Marathon to change marathoning in the country. “Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two-hour marathon places him among groundbreaking sports legends such as Roger Bannister, Usain Bolt, Muhammad Ali, Roger Federer and [eight-time Olympic medallist, Australian swimmer] Dawn Fraser. We look forward to welcoming him,” said Flemming.
In a press release, Kipchoge expressed his excitement to race in Australia for the first time. “Running has the power to inspire and unite people, and I look forward to joining the wonderful Australian running community as the country and the world embrace this rapidly growing event. Every marathon is a new challenge, and I am eager to test myself on the streets of this beautiful city. I hope to see you all in Sydney!”
The former world record holder is the second-fastest marathoner in history, behind the late Kelvin Kiptum, with an official personal best of 2:01:09 set two and a half years ago at the 2022 BMW Berlin Marathon.
Kipchoge running in Sydney on Aug. 31 means we won’t likely see him at the Berlin Marathon or the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, which will be held nearly two weeks later. The only marathon major Kipchoge has not yet run is the New York City Marathon.
The Sydney Marathon is Australia’s largest marathon and the seventh marathon major. Last year, the race had a record 25,000 finishers.
