The Abbott World Marathon Majors have officially announced Sydney to be the seventh city to take part in their esteemed racing series.
Together with the Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo marathons, the Sydney Marathon will be the first major event that will happen in the Southern Hemisphere starting in 2025.
The CEO of Abbott World Marathon Majors, Dawna Stone, said: “The team in Sydney has been working towards this day, every day, for more than three years, and to see the improvement in their operations and event experience to the point where we can now call them a major has been deeply impressive.”
“We cannot wait to see our community embrace this race as a major and start planning their visits to run the streets of one of the finest cities in the world. Runners, your Sydney star awaits,” the CEO added.
The Sydney Marathon has grown significantly since the 2000 Olympic Games. It is well-known for its picturesque route along Sydney Harbour and its renowned sites. In its initial year, 1,200 people completed the race.
Moreover, with a record of 20,272 runners finishing the marathon last September, the event passed its second consecutive evaluation to be named as an Abbott World Marathon Major.
Australia’s athletics president, Jane Flemming, declared: “This is an extraordinary achievement for Sydney and a transformative moment for Australian athletics… We’re incredibly proud of the journey this race has been on and we are beyond excited for what this means for the future of the sport in Australia.”
The 2025 Sydney Marathon will take place on August 31, with more than 33,000 runners expected to participate.
Source: CNN