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Kenyan duo to take on strong field at Sydney Marathon
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 05.07.26. | 21:43
The headliners for the race will be defending champion Alphonce Simbu, and former Boston Marathon champion Sisay Lemma
Kenyan runners Timothy Kiplagat and Vincent Ngetich will be in for a fight, should either relish their chances of winning this year’s Sydney Marathon scheduled for Sunday, 30 August.
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The duo, who are among the frontrunners in the men’s elite list that was released last week, will come up against formidable opposition in a field termed by organizers as “the strongest elite field ever assembled on Australian soil.”
Standing in their way will be defending champion Alphonce Simbu, who enters Sydney as one of the most compelling figures in global marathon running.
The 33-year-old Tanzanian claimed gold at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, and arrives in Australia in arguably the finest form of his career.
With a personal best of 2:02:47 and consecutive runner-up finishes at the Boston Marathon in 2025 and 2026, Simbu has established himself as one of the most consistent performers on the international circuit.
Another man who will not be easy to shake off for the Kenyans, who are not yet to get a win this year, will be Ethiopia’s Ethiopia's Sisay Lemma.
He enters the race as the fastest man in the field on paper.
The former Boston and London Marathon champion boasts a personal best of 2:01.48, and brings extensive experience of winning on the biggest stages in marathon running.
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Although perhaps less celebrated than some of his rivals, Kiplagat is expected to offer serious competition in what will be his first race of 2026.
The 32-year-old carries a personal best of 2:02.55 achieved at the Tokyo Marathon, which places him among the fastest athletes in Sydney.
Ngetich, on the other hand, comes in for his second marathon this year, having finished ninth at the Tokyo Marathon in March.
To signify his threat, the 27-year-old Kenyan finished second in Berlin on his marathon debut in 2023, before securing podium finishes in consecutive Tokyo Marathons, evidence of remarkable consistency at the highest level.
However, perhaps the most intriguing name in the men's field belongs to Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet.
One of the greatest track athletes of his generation, Gebrhiwet will make his marathon debut in Sydney.
The Ethiopian is the second-fastest 5,000m runner in history, and holds a half-marathon personal best of 57:41, making him the fourth-fastest athlete ever over that distance.
An Olympic medallist on the track, he will be closely watched throughout the athletics world as he transitions to the marathon.
Also on the elite field from a Kenyan perspective, will be the trio of Kennedy Kimutai, Enock Kinyamal, and Gilbert Kibet.