Addisu Gobena won his maiden Abbott World Marathon Major after a thrilling win at the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS.
The 21-year-old, who came second last year, went one better to finish in 2:04:42, smashing the course record by more than a minute.
The Ethiopian, who was seventh in London in April, ran the perfect race and celebrated in style against the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House.
In a thrilling race which only opened up at the 37k mark, it was Chimdessa Dembele, who won in Daegu earlier this year, who made the first move heading into the Royal Botanical Gardens.
But the young Ethiopian had company, with World Champion Alphonce Simbu and defending champion Hailemaryam Kiros the leading lights as a group of seven geared up for a thrilling finale.
Seven became five as they headed into final downhill section when Gobena pulled clear, edging ahead of Dembele as it became a two-man race for the title.
Gobena held on, finishing just three seconds ahead of his 22-year-old compatriot.
Peres Jepchirchir further cemented her status as one of the sport’s greats after comfortably winning the women’s race.
The Kenyan has now won four Abbott World Marathon Majors, adding Sydney to victories in New York City, Boston and London.
The reigning World Champion and Olympic gold medallist kept her composure after 46-year-old Priscah Cherono dominated the first half of the race.
In something of a surprise, Cherono burst into a 13 second lead by 5k which she extended to 23 seconds by 10k.
It was quite a statement from the Kenyan who is more than 10 years older than the chasing pack.
But she has recent form, winning the LA Marathon in March, and by halfway was 29 seconds clear of Jepchirchir and Irine Cheptai.
Sifan Hassan’s course record looked in danger but the early pace was to prove too much for Cherono as Jepchirchir and Cheptai took control after the 30k mark.
Jepchirchir showed her class from 35k, dropping Cheptai to finish in 2:18:31, a huge 3:40 ahead of Cheptai who had to battle some demons in the final stages to finish second.
Daniel Romanchuk smashed Marcel Hug’s course record to claim his first Major win since his victory in New York in November 2024.
David Weir was shouldering most of the attention with Marcel Hug not in Sydney and he signalled his intentions by racing into a lead on the Harbour Bridge incline.
But the race turned after the 10k mark when Romanchuk took control through the elevation into Oxford Street to establish an impressive 1:14 lead by halfway over Weir and Luo Xingchuan.
Such was his dominance that at the 25k mark he was comfortably under Hug’s course record which was set last year.
The American held on, crossing the line in 1:26:50, lowering the course record by 30 seconds.
He was almost five minutes ahead of Weir who just held off Xingchuan in an exciting battle for second.
The women’s race was a closer affair with Manuela Schär, chasing history by winning all Abbott World Marathon Majors, and Eden Rainbow-Cooper, who was looking to back up her win in Boston in April, locked in an intriguing dogfight.
The pair were inseparable through 25k when Schär put the hammer down just before heading into the elevated section into Driver Avenue.
The Swiss managed to put 1:16 between herself and Rainbow-Cooper which ultimately ended it as a contest.
All that was left was to see if Schär could break the course record which she duly did – and easily too – finishing in 1:42:04, comfortably under Susannah Scaroni’s time of 1:44:52 last year.
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