From Heartbreak Hill to hometown hero: Can a local star win the Sydney Marathon?

Without a hint of heartbreak, Andy Buchanan recently won the City2Surf in a canter – and the experience provided two insights about his chances in the upcoming Sydney Marathon.

Buchanan, who was the Australian marathon record holder until last month, is the leading local contender in the 42.195km slog on Sunday morning, which begins in North Sydney before winding through the city and out to Kingsford, then back to the Opera House.

It is a notoriously rolling course with plenty of elevation, but Buchanan is comfortable with climbing, given his training base in Bendigo. Furthermore, the 35-year-old recently finished his preparation for the Sydney Marathon by cruising to a win over the shorter, but similarly hilly, 14km City2Surf course.

“I’m really confident, the City to Surf felt quite easy and comfortable, which was a great sign,” Buchanan said. “I ran the Gold Coast Half [in July] poorly and knew I could do better, so I wanted another race to build confidence.

“I spoke to my coach about doing another race and he floated City to Surf. We were nervous about the hills beating my legs up three weeks out from a marathon, but the week before, I decided I really wanted to do it. So I entered that week.

“I grew up in Bendigo and run hills every single day, so I’m used to it. I’m confident with hills; they don’t scare me.”

Buchanan crossed the line at Bondi Beach in a time of 40 minutes, 27 seconds. It was still 23s adrift of the record set by Steve Moneghetti in 1991, who was then at the peak of his powers.

The distance legend had won his first marathon in Berlin a year earlier, and remains one of only three Australians to win a Major, along with Robert DeCastella (Boston, 1986) and Lisa Ondieki, who won in New York in 1992.

Buchanan would love to join those Aussie icons on an elite list, but his time at the finishing gate in Bondi was a good reminder of the form required.

“Moneghetti was an absolute phenomenon. I tried to beat his record a few weeks ago at City to Surf and didn’t get near it,” Buchanan said. “[Winning a major] definitely motivates me, but the running world has changed a lot from when ‘Monner’ was running.

“What I love about running is that it’s so accessible—literally every country in the world runs and has access to it. Think about how many countries have a 50-metreswimming pool; probably half the world.

“Whereas with running, everyone runs. The game has changed over the last five or six years. It would be an absolute fairytale to win a major, especially here in my home country, but you have to be realistic when you’re up against guys running 2:01, 2:02, or 2:03. It’s a bit different.”

Much has changed indeed. The marathon world record stood at 2:06:50 until 1998, but in the decades since, 448 men have officially run under that time, and the world record has been slashed by almost seven minutes.

African runners now dominate distance running, with almost 90 per cent of those 448 born in Africa. Buchanan is one of two Australians in the remaining 10 per cent, with a PB of 2:06.22 set in Valencia in 2024. His time broke the national record, but it was lowered last month – just – by Haftu Strintzos, who ran a 2:06.20 on the Gold Coast.

DeCastella (2:08.18 in 1981) and Moneghetti (2:08.16 in 1990) sit slightly behind in eligible PBs, but there were no supershoes in that era. Over the last decade, high-tech, energy-saving footwear has helped slash average times of elite runners by several minutes.

Buchanan, a chilled-out former teacher and shoe-shop owner, has said losing his record to Strintzos felt like getting hit by “1000 cement trucks” but he is motivated to regain it. That probably won’t happen in Sydney, where fast times are tough to achieve. Wins, too, given there are 18 athletes in the Sydney field with PBs under 2:06.

But the race within a race in Sydney is to be the first Australian male and female finisher. The Sydney Marathon provides $30,000 prizemoney for the two Australian winners, and $20,000 and $10,000 for minor placings. It is a huge sum for cash-strapped Australian runners.

“Running is a tough sport, and we don’t get the financial support that a lot of other sports get,” Buchanan said.

“It’s great that the Sydney Marathon is investing back into the Australian field. For $30,000, I’m already getting into Tim [Vincent] and Liam’s [Boudin] heads, reminding them how hilly it is compared to flat Brisbane. It’s definitely a race within a race.”

In the women’s field, the leading Australian contenders are Olympians Ellie Pashley, Caitlin Scott and Milly Clark.

Pashley, a mum of two, is hitting good form after winning the Ballarat Marathon in April, and Scott showed her huge potential by winning the Melbourne marathon on debut in 2025. Clark is also a past winner of the Melbourne marathon.

“I’m really excited, to be honest. I think time off from the sport really grows your hunger to get back into it,” Pashley said.

“Watching last year, seeing the course, seeing the race among the Australian women, I was really pumped to try and get a spot in the race this year.”

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