A decade after making her debut at the World Athletics Championships, marathoner Sarah Klein is once again bound for the global stage, named to the Australian team for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
The 40-year-old Victorian will join Australia’s marathon squad following the withdrawal of Leanne Pompeani, who has chosen to focus on the Sydney Marathon as the prestigious event makes its debut as a World Marathon Major.
For Klein, the call-up marks a continuation of a long and quietly inspiring career in distance running. Head of Campus at Caulfield Grammar School, she has spent more than a decade balancing elite competition with professional life – a feat that few have managed with such unrelenting commitment.
In 2022, she delivered her strongest international result to date, placing 14th at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon and setting a personal best of 2:30:10. It was a performance that underlined her ability to rise to the occasion when it matters most, and one she’ll look to build on from Tokyo.
“Being selected to run for Australia is the pinnacle of our sport and it’s an absolute honour that fills be with pride. This is my fourth World Championships team and I believe this makes me second only to Mona (Steve Moneghetti) for the most World Championships,” Klein said.
“10 years after my first makes me feel proud of my journey and the hard work that has gone in from myself and all the supporters along the way.”
Pompeani’s decision to focus on the Sydney Marathon has been fully supported by Australian Athletics, which owns the event and recognises its growing global audience and importance in both professional and recreational running.
“Sarah has been a stalwart of Australian distance running for more than a decade and her selection is a reflection of her resilience, performance and professionalism and I look forward to her returning to the world stage after her 14th place in Eugene,” said Australian Athletics General Manager – High Performance, Andrew Faichney.
“At the same time, we understand Leanne’s choice to race the Sydney Marathon as it’s a world-class event that now sits among the prestigious marathons globally.”
Starting at Japan National Stadium before completing two laps of a 13-kilometre circuit, the marathon will take runners through some of the city’s most famous districts. These include Akihabara, Nihonbashi and Ginza, as well as the scenic Imperial Palace and Tokyo Station before athletes loop back to the stadium after a challenging climb at the 38-40km mark that could dictate final placings.
The Women’s Marathon will take place on September 14 on Day 2 of the Championships, with the Men’s race the following day, with both races scheduled to begin at 8am local time.
The full Australian team will be announced following the end of the qualification period in August.
Men:
• Andrew Buchanan (VIC, Scott Westcott)
• Tim Vincent (QLD, Jackson Elliott)
• Liam Boudin (QLD, Collis Birmingham)
Women:
• Isobel Batt-Doyle (SA, Nic Bideau)
• Vanessa Wilson (VIC, Paul Wilson)
• Sarah Klein (VIC, Peter Schuwalow)
By Sascha Ryner, Australian Athletics
Posted 27/6/2025
