Breaking News: Sydney Marathon joins Abbott World Marathon Majors!
It’s official! As of November 3rd, 2024, Abbott World Marathon Majors confirmed that the TCS Sydney Marathon is the seventh World Marathon Major, joining Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.
After successfully passing two candidacy assessments, the TCS Sydney Marathon has now met all of the criteria to become a Major and will become the newest addition to the World Marathon Major family in 2025, making history as the first Major in the southern hemisphere.
Here’s everything you need to know about the TCS Sydney Marathon, what the news means for runners who are currently on their Six Star Journey or have already completed it, and how you can guarantee your place on the start line.
What does this mean for runners who are currently on their Six Star Journey?
The addition of the TCS Sydney Marathon to the Abbott World Marathon Major series will not affect runners who are working towards completing their Six Stars. The original Six Star programme will remain the same and runners who are aiming to complete the six original Majors (Tokyo, London, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York) will continue to work toward a highly coveted Six Star Medal.
Will I receive a seventh star for completing the TCS Sydney Marathon?
Yes, runners who complete the TCS Sydney Marathon from 2025 will earn a star but there won’t be a Seven Star Medal. Runners who have taken part in any previous editions of the TCS Sydney Marathon before 2025 will not receive a star retrospectively as Sydney’s World Marathon Major status only came into effect in November 2024.
What does this mean for the future Abbott World Marathon Major race series?
Abbott World Marathon Major officials have announced that alongside the Six Star Medal, their ambition is to extend the Abbott World Marathon Major series, and eventually bring out a Nine Star Medal.
The TCS Sydney Marathon will form part of the next major milestone of the nine star journey and could be joined in future by the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon and Shanghai Marathon. Both events are currently undergoing the candidacy process to become a major, and if successful, will join the series by 2027. TCS Sydney Marathon finishers can however start counting the star earned from Sydney toward their ninth star from 2025.
What is the TCS Sydney Marathon course like?
The route starts in North Sydney, taking runners over the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge and past many notable sights such as Circular Quay and Centennial Park, before finishing in front of the world-famous Sydney Opera House. Less flat than Berlin or Chicago and similar to New York (246m) and Boston (248m), the course includes an elevation gain of 315m.
What is the field size of the TCS Sydney Marathon?
Participation in the TCS Sydney Marathon has increased by 400% since 2022, from 5,000 to 25,000 runners in 2024. The number of runners taking part in the TCS Sydney Marathon is set to grow after being announced as the seventh World Marathon Major, with more than 33,000 runners expected to take part in August 2025.
How can I get a place at the next TCS Sydney Marathon?
You can secure your entry to the TCS Sydney Marathon with Sports Tours International if you pre-register! The pre-registration fee is fully refundable if you choose not to book when our packages go on sale. If you do book, the fee will be deducted from your package balance.
Our packages will include guaranteed race entry into the Sydney Marathon, four nights’ accommodation with daily breakfast, as well as additional extras to elevate your marathon experience such as meet-and-greet drinks, a sightseeing tour, harbour cruise, guided 5k shakeout run, race day dinner, post-race celebration and on-site support from our Sports Tours International reps.
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