The Abbott World Marathon Majors series has officially welcomed a new race — the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by Asics. This inclusion elevates the annual race in Sydney to a world stage, where it joins the elite group of marathons in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York. With this announcement, Sydney becomes the first World Marathon Major on the Australian continent, marking a historic moment for global marathon racing.
🚨 BREAKING..
— Lynne Wachira (@WachiraLynne) November 3, 2024
The Sydney Marathon 🇦🇺 is now a World Marathon Major
It’s now going being to be 7 Marathon major marathons starting in 2025.
The other major candidates were;
✅ Cape Town Marathon 🇿🇦
✅ Chendu Marathon 🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/Yi8rK4kvs6
Starting in 2025, runners from around the world will descend upon Sydney to conquer a course that promises to showcase Australia’s vibrant cityscape and coastline. Specific race details, including the official date, are yet to be confirmed. However, the excitement within the running community is palpable. Dawna Stone, CEO of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM), expressed her enthusiasm: “We cannot wait to see our community embrace this race and start planning their visits to run the streets of one of the finest cities in the world.” Stone also encouraged runners to look forward to the unique “Sydney star,” the latest achievement in the Six Star journey.
The coveted Six Star Medal, awarded to runners who complete all six current Majors, will continue to honor this tradition even as Sydney is added. For marathoners, Sydney’s addition paves the way toward an ambitious Nine Star Medal. Two additional races — Cape Town in South Africa and Shanghai in China — are potential contenders for future inclusion in 2026 and 2027, pending assessment.
Next year’s Sydney Marathon will count as a qualifying race, allowing runners to start the journey to a Nine Star achievement. Abbott has introduced a new collectible range of coins, with frames for display, to commemorate each completed race. Chris Miller, Divisional Vice President of Brand Strategy and Innovation at Abbott, captured the significance of these new milestones: “More milestones to celebrate down the road.”
For marathon enthusiasts, Sydney’s addition means more than just another finish line. It symbolizes a journey toward personal bests, new challenges, and lifelong health pursuits in one of the world’s most iconic cities.