Sydney Running Festival dominates headlines with a high-profile marathon win, plus ongoing doping-related scrutiny around Jepchirchir's EPO provisional suspension.
Sydney Marathon organisers confirm a medal features Munich’s Allianz Arena instead of Sydney’s Allianz Stadium. The mistake is acknowledged as an unfortunate error, with the medal described as beautiful and now more unique. Organisers say record participation is expected with over 40,000 runners, and the event proceeds as planned.
Gobena has broken the Sydney Marathon course record with a 2:04:42 win, while Peres Jepchirchir sails to a women’s title in 2:18:31, as Sydney hosts its second World Marathon Major with 40,000 runners on a scenic Harbour Bridge course.
Eliud Kipchoge has crossed Melbourne’s finish line in 2:09:10, breaking the race record by two seconds. The 41-year-old is on a World Tour to raise funds for education, environment and health, aiming to complete a marathon on all seven continents, including Antarctica.
Kenyan Olympic and world-champion marathoner Peres Jepchirchir has been provisionally suspended after an out-of-competition test in Kenya returned an adverse result for EPO. Sydney Marathon winner Jepchirchir is entitled to due process, with organizers stressing their commitment to a level playing field.