On a glorious Sydney morning and on a record setting day at the TCS Sydney Marathon, Victorians Andy Buchanan and Ellie Pashley have been crowned 2026 Australian marathon champions.
Racing a glittering lineup of Olympic and world champions, they placed 16th and 9th, respectively overall.
The men’s field destroyed the Australian allcomers record with the top-7 going under the previous best, led by Ethiopian Addisu Gobea with a time of 2:04.42.
In the women’s Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir, the current world champion and 2020 Olympic champion, clocked 2:18.31, missing the Australian allcomers record by nine seconds.
In great news for the depth of Australian marathoning, Buchanan has bounced back from a wretched series of injuries to win the Australian men’s marathon championship.
Buchanan clocked 2:10.14, over a minute faster than the quickest Australian had clocked in the event, that was achieved by Haftu Strintzos with 2:11:27 in 2025.
“Marathons are hard and it has been a bit of a roller coaster,” said Buchanan referencing to his challenging period of injury.
“When times got hard out there today, I thought of one of the things I have been discussing with my sport psych, that I’m super grateful to be back running.”
The incredible growth of the Sydney Marathon, resulting in enormous spectator numbers, generates a special environment which is a boost to athletes.
“I definitely felt the marathon in my legs more than I have ever felt it before, but the crowd support really got me through it,” Buchanan said.
“To the Australians out there, you have to do it, sign up for the marathon next year.”
From the gun, Buchanan meant business.
By 5km he was already one minute ahead of his competition for the Australian title – a pack including Tim Vincent, Liam Boudin, Michael Roeger, Tom do Canto, James Nipperess and Fraser Darcy.
Although Buchanan was already 15 seconds adrift from the lead pack, he did have company, American Ethan Shuley and pacemaker Brett Robinson.
By halfway, passed in 64:04 minutes, Buchanan had extended his lead to three minutes over his countrymen. Pacemaker, Brett Robinson was done shortly after.
Over the last 20km, Buchanan, maintained his pace with kilometre splits between 3:02 to 3:05 to the finish line.
Buchanan finished in 2:10.14, over a minute faster than the quickest Australian had clocked in the event, Haftu Strintzos, who recently claimed Buchanan’s Australian marathon record.
Brisbane’s Vincent who, despite a bathroom stop, placed second in 2:13.54.
“it was the most adversity I’ve ever faced in the seven marathons I’ve run – the first one I’ve ever had to make a loo stop,” said Vincent.
In third was training partner Boudin in a time of 2:14.58.
Do Canto was fourth in 2:15.25 – just 27 seconds from the medals.
He was chasing his fourth consecutive podium.
In contract, the women’s was a seesawing race.
Over the last 12 months less than one minute separated the best times by the three contenders, Pashley, Milly Clark and Caitlin Scott.
After the three were together early, between 15km and 20km, Scott made a break, building up to a 15 second lead over Pashley and Clark during the next 10km.
But Pashley charged home and at 30km the margin from Scott was back to five seconds. With the finish line insight, at 35km Pashley was now 40 seconds ahead.
“Caitlin broke away from me before halfway, and then I caught her in Centennial Park,” reflected Pashley.
“I knew Milly was just behind me, so I was kind of just running scared from there, but I was too tired to turn around.”
Between 35km and 40km, Clark made a late surge, clocking 17:45 for her 5km split, and passing Scott for the silver medal position.
Pashley ran home in 2:28.28, a time only one Australian, Canberra’s Leanne Pompeani, has bettered in the race.
It was her third fastest time and fastest for seven years. Milly Clark was second in 2:29.47, with Caitlin Scott third with 2:31.11.
“I knew it was going to be a really tough battle between us three, so very happy to come away with that.”
Pashley’s race plan seemed to suit the course.
“Sydney is a very hilly city and that was one of the hardest marathons I’ve ever done,” she said.
My race plan was to kind of go more conservatively and try and save my legs from the 10km. I think, there were a lot of people coming back to us, so I think on a course like this, that’s the way to go.
“It was hard through the middle, but I really loved it. I loved the start, and the last 10km, I just tried to enjoy it as much as I could, because the crowd was insane – even the runners who were running the marathon were yelling, cheering for us.”
Another outstanding performance was by 5-time Paralympian, Michael Roeger.
Roeger clocked 2:18.36, to sliced 17 seconds from his PB which is also under his T46 (arm amputee) world record.
It has been a big week for Roeger how became a dad again this week.
“A lot of people probably wrote me off over the marathon, but I’ve just stayed strong – so I’m pretty proud – proud of the effort and how I stayed strong,” said Roeger.
In the men’s wheelchair, USA’s Daniel Romanchuk broke the Australian allcomers record with a time of 1:26.50.
In the women’s event Manuela Schär (SUI) won in a time of 1:42:04 and became the first athlete in history to win on all eight Abbott World Marathon Majors courses.
The first Aussie was Madison de Rozario with 1:54.45.
By David Tarbotton, Australian Athletics
Posted 30/8/2026
