Kenyan athlete Brimin Misoi produced a superb showing to break the course record during the TCS Sydney Marathon World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday.
Misoi, who is a cattle farmer when not training for marathons, lowered the record of Moses Kibet (2:07:03), run in the men’s Sydney marathon in 2022. “It was very hard conditions today and I’m very proud of today’s victory,” Misoi said as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herard.
“It was very good because it was a hard course. I didn’t expect to win today because it was my first time. It was a fast time. I didn’t expect to win but everything was perfect and it was good.”
A record field of 25,000 runners hit the streets from 6am, and after starting at North Sydney Oval, crossed Sydney Harbour Bridge and then wound through the city and eastern suburbs before finishing at the Opera House.
After making his push away from the leading pack at the 30km mark, Misoi claimed the men’s event in 2:06:17. The men’s race set out at a steady pace with a large lead pack going through 10km in 29:58, inside course record schedule. By the time the half-way point was reached in 1:03:13, just four men remained in the lead group – Misoi, Geoffrey Toroitich, Ezra Tanui and Chalu Deso Gelmisa – while four or five other runners were strung out behind. By 30km, reached in 1:29:49, Leul Gebresilase had joined the leaders to form a quintent, but they only ran together for a few kilometres before Misoi forged on ahead. The Kenyan got to 35km in 1:44:41, still comfortably inside course record pace, with a 53-second lead over Kirwa. Tanui and Toroitich, meanwhile, dropped out.
He continued to extend his lead through the closing stages and reached the finish line in 2:06:17, taking 46 seconds off the course record set two years ago by compatriot Moses Kibet. Gelmisa was a distant runner-up in 2:08:01, just ahead of Kirwa (2:08:17).
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa clocked 2:21:40 to win the women’s race. Edesa took almost three minutes off the previous course record in a race where the top four women finished inside Stella Barsosio’s former mark of 2:24:33, set five years ago.
A group of seven women ran together through the first 10km in 33:44, putting them on course record pace from the outset. Just four women – Edesa, Valary Jemeli Aiyabei, Ruti Aga and 2022 world champion Gotytom Gebreslase – remained in the lead pack as the halfway point was reached in 1:11:11.
The quartet ran together for another six or seven kilometres before Edesa and Aga made a break. The Ethiopian duo reached 30km in 1:41:16 with a 16-second lead over Gebreslase. Aga was next to fade, leaving Edesa as the sole leader.
