Olympic champion Sifan Hassan smashes course records to win Sydney Marathon

Untouchable Olympic champion Sifan Hassan shattered the course record on Sunday to surge home first in an historic Sydney Marathon, with Hailemaryam Kiros matching her feat in the men's race.

Run for the first time as one of the elite World Marathon Majors, Hassan was utterly dominant, clocking a blistering 2hrs 18min 22sec ahead of Kenya's former world record holder Brigid Kosgei (2:18.56)

Ethiopia's Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa, who came third, won the race last year in a then-record time, but Dutch multi-distance superstar Hassan obliterated it by more than three minutes.

Hassan, who will skip September's World Athletics Championships in Tokyo after opting to prioritise Sydney, admitted she almost misjudged her race.

"I pushed too hard and I learnt a lesson," said the Ethiopian-born 32-year-old who has also won majors at London and Chicago. "I was so done the last 10k.

"It's amazing, I'm really grateful," she added. "I'm so happy to win with a course record. It's history, it's the first major marathon (in Sydney) and I'm the first winner."

The women's race narrowed down to just five leaders early on before Hassan opened a commanding 40-second gap as she came through 35km before holding on to sprint home.

Kiros also produced a new record time, crossing the finish line at the Sydney Opera House in 2:06.06, 10 seconds clear of fellow Ethiopian Addisu Gobena, a star of the future aged just 20.

Lesotho's Tebello Ramakongoana was third.

Asked if he expected to break the course record, Kiros said: "Yes, because I prepared well."

Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge, arguably the greatest men's marathon runner of all time, failed in his bid to clinch a 12th marathon major, finishing ninth.

The 40-year-old was with the large lead group at halfway as they set a sizzling pace, but was dropped as the runners approached the 32km mark.

Kiros and Gobena led a seven-man breakaway before the pair opened up a gap between the chasing pack and couldn't be caught.

Kiros made his move within one kilometre of the finish line to shave more than 10 seconds off the previous record set last year by Kenya's Brimin Misoi.

Despite being off the pace, Kipchoge received the biggest cheer when he crossed the finish line.

Switzerland's Marcel Hug won the men's wheelchair race and American Susannah Scaroni the women's.

Around 35,000 runners, a record, competed over the picturesque 42.19 kilometre course through the city from North Sydney, over the Harbour Bridge to the finish line on the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

The race was elevated this year as the seventh World Marathon Majors, putting it on a par with London, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York in the elite global series. 

Agence France-Presse