Peres Jepchirchir at the Sydney Marathon/HANDOUT
World marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir admitted she was not sure she would win the Sydney Marathon before producing a commanding performance to claim the title and pocket Sh12.9 million on Sunday.
The Olympic champion clocked 2:18:31 on her debut over the Sydney course, leading a Kenyan one-two finish with fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai taking second in 2:22:11.
“All the ladies were prepared. I was prepared. But I was not sure when I came here if I would win, so I’m so glad and I’m so happy,” Jepchirchir said after the race.
Read Also
The 32-year-old Kenyan had to dig deep on a demanding course before pulling away from Cheptai to secure victory.
“It was so hilly. The first half was so tough, but the second was better at least. But it was not easy,” she added.
Jepchirchir’s winning time was only nine seconds outside the Sydney course record of 2:18:22 set by Dutch star Sifan Hassan last year.
The victory was particularly significant for Jepchirchir, who was returning to marathon racing for the first time since December 2025.
She also had to overcome an early challenge from compatriot Priscah Cherono, who launched an audacious solo break from the gun.
Cherono passed 5km in 15:34 and maintained the lead through 15km in 48:20 before reaching halfway in 1:07:58.
Her breakaway finally unravelled shortly before 28km when Jepchirchir and Cheptai caught her.
The three Kenyans passed 30km together in 1:37:48, already 1:46 ahead of Uganda’s Stella Chesang in fourth.
Jepchirchir then made her decisive move to pull clear and secure the victory.
Cheptai held on for second, while Ethiopia’s Shure Demise finished third in 2:22:33.
Cherono, despite fading from the podium, produced a strong performance to finish sixth in 2:23:49.
Jepchirchir earned Sh12.9 million (AUD139,000) for the victory.
The Sydney triumph also capped a remarkable return to marathon competition for the reigning world champion.
She won the World Marathon title in Tokyo last September in 2:24:43 before clocking a personal best 2:14:43 to finish second at the Valencia Marathon in December.
Jepchirchir’s victory was her fourth major marathon title after previous wins in New York in 2021, Boston in 2022 and London in 2024.
In the men’s race, Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena smashed the course record in 2:04:42.
Kenya’s Vincent Ngetich was seventh in 2:05:28, with Kennedy Kimutai ninth in 2:06:50 and Gilbert Kibet 10th in 2:07:13.
It proved a difficult morning for the Kenyan men, with Vincent Ngetich placing seventh in 2:05:28, Kennedy Kimutai finishing ninth in 2:06:50, and Gilbert Kibet rounding out the top 10 in 2:07:13.
