Marcel Hug smashes Sydney Marathon record ahead of World Championships in New Delhi

Swiss wheelchair racing legend Marcel Hug delivered another masterclass in dominance as he obliterated the course record at the 2025 Sydney Marathon on Sunday (31 August) in Australia, finishing in 1:27:15. 

The 39-year-old’s performance not only earned him his seventh Abbott World Marathon Majors star, but also reaffirmed his status as the undisputed leader in men’s T54 racing.

“We made history today,” Hug said after the race. “I really enjoyed it. It was a big challenge for me, but I enjoyed the last 5k when I was passing all the runners [going in the opposite direction]. It was so amazing. I was alone very early and just tried to keep my pace. I need some time to realize what has happened, it’s a great moment for me.”

Hug’s victory in Sydney adds to his 2025 wins in Boston and London, placing him firmly at the top of the men’s leaderboard in the current World Marathon Major series. 

Japan’s Tomoki Suzuki finished second and Geert Schipper of the Netherlands in third.

His next marathon appearance will be at the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 21, but all eyes will be on him as he heads to New Delhi for the World Para Athletics Championships, from 27 September to 5 October, where he will compete in the men’s 1500m T54 and 5000m T54 races.

The New Delhi event, hosted at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, will be the largest Para sport competition ever held in India, featuring over 1,000 athletes from around the world.

🏆 WINNER 🏆@KenyanScaroni 🇺🇸 has blown them all away on Sydney's big day. #AbbottWMM #SydneyMarathon pic.twitter.com/rjTD1ZJfss

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) August 30, 2025

Scaroni dominates

In the women’s wheelchair race in Sydney, Susannah Scaroni of the USA was equally dominant, finishing in 1:44:52, more than eight minutes ahead of Great Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper and Brazil’s Vanessa De Souza.

“I love hills and you guys delivered those for me today,” Scaroni said. “The crowds were amazing. I loved the course and I’m grateful to be here.”

Scaroni now has two wins in the current series, matching Swiss racer Catherine Debrunner’s victories in Tokyo and London.

In the ambulant race, Hailemaryam Kiros of Ethiopia and three-time Olympic gold medallist Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands won the men’s and women’s events, respectively.

Men's wheelchair results

Marcel Hug (SUI) - 1:27:15
Tomoki Suzuki (JPN) - 1:33:29
Geert Schipper (NED) - 1:37:34
Samuel Rizzo (AUS) - 1:38:19
Kota Hokinoue (JPN) - 1:39:14
Josh Cassidy (CAN) - 1:39:28
Ryuichi Kawamuro (JPN) - 1:45:02
Jake Lappin (AUS) - 1:53:07
Rafael Botello (ESP) - 1:53:41
Sho Watanabe (JPN) - 1:57:46

Women's wheelchair results

Susannah Scaroni (USA) - 1:44:52
Eden Rainbow-Cooper (GBR) - 1:53:41
Vanessa Cristina de Souza (BRA) - 1:58:56
Nakamine Tsubasa (JPN) - 2:00:04
Patricia Eachus (SUI) - 2:13:32
Michelle Wheeler (USA) - 2:17:20
Linden Williamson (USA) - 2:20:20
Sharnie Digby (AUS) - 4:17:19