Olympic Champion Sifan Hassan Headlines Sydney Marathon Elite Women’s Field

The TCS Sydney Marathon has unveiled a star-studded women’s elite field for its 2025 edition, marking what organizers are calling the most competitive lineup of international and domestic female marathoners ever assembled in Australia.

Headlining the race is four-time Olympic medallist and reigning Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands.

Hassan, who burst onto the marathon scene with back-to-back victories in Chicago and London in 2023, holds a personal best of 2:13:44, making her the third-fastest woman in marathon history.

Her entry into the Sydney field is a major coup for the event in its first year as an official member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors.

Joining her is Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei, the former world record holder and Olympic silver medallist.

Kosgei’s marathon dominance over the last decade includes victories at five World Marathon Majors: London (2019, 2020), Chicago (2018, 2019), and Tokyo (2022). Since transitioning to the marathon in 2015, she has finished first or second in 14 races at the distance, which included a dominant stretch between 2018-2020 when she won four World Marathon Majors in a row.

Race Director Wayne Larden described the 2025 lineup as a breakthrough moment for marathon racing in Australia.

“This is without question the greatest women’s marathon field ever seen in Australia,” Larden said to Australian Athletics. “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.”

Seven athletes in the field hold personal bests under 2:19, highlighting the depth and quality of the competition.

Among them is defending champion Workenesh Edesa of Ethiopia, who shattered the Australian all-comers record last year with her winning time of 2:21:41. She’ll face fierce competition from fellow Ethiopians Ashete Bekere (2:17:58), Meseret Belete (2:18:21), and Tiruye Mesfin (2:18:35).

The international depth is matched by a strong Australian contingent, with several of the country’s most accomplished distance runners set to compete.

Jessica Stenson, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist and two-time Olympian, will make her Sydney Marathon debut. Lisa Weightman, a four-time Olympian with top-10 finishes in London, New York, and Chicago, also returns to the starting line. Rising star Leanne Pompeani, who broke the Australian debut marathon record earlier this year with a time of 2:24:53, adds fresh momentum to the local squad.

The full women’s field features 20 athletes from Ethiopia, Kenya, Japan, the Netherlands, and Australia.