Race record falls in spectacular Spring Day at Blackmores Sydney Running Festival(Sydney, 18 September 2022) Over 36,000 runners and walkers took over the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge today, marking the 20th anniversary of Australia’s largest running festival, Blackmores Sydney Running Festival. Today’s event marked the first year of a three-year candidacy period for the Blackmores Sydney Marathon to join the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors and the opportunity to become a major annual tourism event.
The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
The event took place on a spectacular Spring Day in Sydney where the men’s marathon and women’s half marathon records fell.
In a spectacular finish in the Blackmores Sydney Marathon, Moses Kibet (Kenya) sped home in a time of 02:07:03, marking the fastest marathon time ever run in Australia. The previous record was set by Yuta Shitara (Japan) in 02:07:50 on the Gold Coast in 2019.
Running closely in second place was Cosmas Matolo Muteti (Kenya) in a time of 02:07:05, with Chalu Deso Gelmisa (Ethiopia) rounding out the top three in 02:07:08. The top three men all finished under Shitara’s previous record on Australian soil.
In the women’s event, it was Tigist Girma Getachew (Ethiopia) who flew across the finish line in an impressive time of 02:25:10. Blackmores Sydney Marathon Ambassador, Naoko Takahashi (Japan) stood proudly at the finish line, cheering on the winners, having last been in Sydney during the Sydney Olympic Games, where she won gold in the marathon.
Letebrhan Haylay Gebreslasea (Ethiopia) was close behind with a time of 02:25:45 as Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet (Eritrea) completed the podium, finishing third in a time of 02:26:14.
Jun Hiromichi (Japan) took the title of the Blackmores Sydney Wheelchair Marathon male champion, completing the course in 01:52:47. Hot on his wheels was Richard Colman Geelong, VIC from with a time of 01:53:28. Jacqueline Godfrey was the winner of the women’s wheelchair marathon (2:28:21) with Sara-Ashlee Tair second.
“It’s wonderful to be back on the road today after two years break, and to have come back strong with 36,000 participants,” said Wayne Larden, Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, Race Director.
“Blackmores Sydney Marathon took an exciting first step reigniting Sydney as a world-class marathon running destination today, in its first year as a candidate for the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
“Blackmores Sydney Marathon has the opportunity to become a major annual tourism event and we’d like to encourage athletes from all over the world to put Sydney on their bucket list. We hope that seeing athletes achieve record times, in the world’s most spectacular backdrop, will inspire runners domestically and internationally to start training for next year’s Blackmores Sydney Marathon,” Larden said.
Another race record fell in Blackmores Half Marathon, with Sinead Diver (Albert Park, VIC) crossing over the finish line in a course record time of 01:13:07. Kageyama Tomoka (Japan) followed in second in a time of 01:16:48, with Fiona Yates (Longeuville, NSW) in third in 01:22:45.
Nishizawa Yuma (Japan) took out the top spot for men in Blackmores Half Marathon in a time of 1:06:15, followed closely by Sam Hopper (Lindfield, NSW) in a time of 01:10:58 and Ben Tacey (Buderim, QLD) in 01:11:48.
The Blackmores Sydney Marathon also played host to the Australian Marathon Championships and saw Australia’s best runners vying for the National Title. Reece Edwards (Richmond, VIC) took out the men’s in 02:17:24 and Regina Wright (Dudley, NSW) took out the women’s in 02:47:40.
Full results are available here.
Runners and spectators flocked to the Blackmores Post Race Recovery Village where they enjoyed live entertainment, food, and drinks against a stunning harbour backdrop.
The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival is owned by Athletics Australia and is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Blackmores Sydney Marathon (Male):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Moses Kibet | Kenya | 2:07:03 |
| 2 | Cosmas Matolo Muteti | Kenya | 2:07:05 |
| 3 | Chalu Deso Gelmisa | Ethiopia | 2:07:08 |
Blackmores Sydney Marathon (Female):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Tigist Girma Getachew | Ethiopia | 2:25:10 |
| 2 | Letebrhan Haylay Gebreslasea | Ethiopia | 2:25:45 |
| 3 | Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet | Eritrea | 2:26:14 |
Blackmores Wheelchair Marathon:
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Jun Hiromichi | Japan | 1:52:47 |
| 2 | Richard Colman | Geelong, VIC | 1:53:28 |
| 3 | Jacqueline Godfrey | Melbourne, VIC | 2:28:21 |
Blackmores Half Marathon (Male):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Nishizawa Yuma | Japan | 1:06:15 |
| 2 | Sam Hopper | Lindfield, NSW | 1:10:58 |
| 3 | Ben Tacey | Buderim, QLD | 1:11:48 |
Blackmores Half Marathon (Female):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Sinead Diver | Albert Park, VIC | 1:13:07 |
| 2 | Kageyama Tomoka | Japan | 1:16:48 |
| 3 | Fiona Yates | Longeuville, NSW | 1:22:45 |
Blackmores Bridge Run (Male):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Ed Goddard | Mosman, NSW | 0:29:22 |
| 2 | Ryan Gregson | Morningside, QLD | 0:30:22 |
| 3 | Luke Schofield | Sydney, NSW | 0:30:53 |
Blackmores Bridge Run (Female):
| PLACE | NAME | FROM | TIME |
| 1 | Aynslee Van Graan | Manly Vale, NSW | 0:33:51 |
| 2 | Jenny Blundell | Wallsend, NSW | 0:34:38 |
| 3 | Lydia O’Donnell | New Zealand | 0:34:49 |
ABOUT BLACKMORES SYDNEY MARATHON
Australia’s largest running festival, Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, is returning to its spectacular courses on Sunday, 18 September 2022. Marking an incredible 20th anniversary milestone this year, thousands of participants of all fitness levels will take the opportunity to walk, skip and run across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, traffic-free.
2022 will mark the 20th celebration of the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival, with the event making its anticipated return to the iconic Sydney Harbour course for the first time since 2019. The 20th anniversary celebration was postponed for the past two years due to COVID-19.
All runners are invited to celebrate their success at the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival Post Race Recovery Village located in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Participants can enjoy food outlets, live entertainment, brand activations all set against stunning harbour views.
The Blackmores Sydney Running Festival is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
For more information on the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival on Sunday 18 September 2022 head to sydneyrunningfestival.com.au.
ABOUT ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS
The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) is a series of six of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world – Tokyo Marathon, B.A.A. Boston Marathon, TCS London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon.
Encompassing an annual series for elite runners and elite wheelchair athletes, AbbottWMM also applauds the achievements and passion of everyday champions from around the world. The AbbottWMM Six Star System is an online results hub that celebrates every runner who has completed from one to six of the races in the series and encourages them to ‘Reach for the Stars’.
The AbbottWMM launched the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings in 2018 and the second AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship race will take place on 02 October 2022 as part of the TCS London Marathon.
The AbbottWMM Global Run Club launched in August 2020 and aims to bring together the global community of marathon runners on a virtual platform.
For more information, visit www.Abbottwmm.com and www.Abbottwmmglobalrunclub.com
 Over 36,000 runners and walkers took over the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge today, marking the 20th anniversary of Australia’s largest running festival, Blackmores Sydney Running Festival.){kind=link}