Emotional scenes as Aussie rivals bury Olympic hatchet at Sydney Marathon: ‘A few tears were shed’

Australian runners Jess Stenson and Lisa Weightman have let bygones be bygones with an emotional embrace after finishing the Sydney Marathon.

Dutch multi-distance phenomenon Sifan Hassan etched herself into history by setting a race record to win the first running of the Sydney Marathon as a world majors series event.

Hassan clocked a women’s winning time of two hours 18 minutes and 22 seconds as Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge fell short of the podium in the men’s category on Sunday.

Ethiopia‘s Hailemaryam Kiros produced the fastest marathon ever run in Australia to win the men’s event in 2:06:06.

The 28-year-old prevailed by 10 seconds over young countryman Addisu Gobena, with Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana third.

Stenson, who was the first Aussie woman to cross the line, shared a heartwarming embrace with Lisa Weightman and Leanne Pompeani on the finish line.

Jess Stenson and Lisa Weightman have let bygones be bygones with an emotional embrace after finishing the Sydney Marathon

Lisa Weightman, Leanne Pompeani and Jessica Stenson of Australia pose together

Last year, Stenson and Weightman were involved in a Paris Games selection controversy after Weightman was denied selection to the event. 

‘That shot says it all,’ Bruce McAvaney said in commentary.

‘Look, the two of them together there, those in the Australian athletic community know how important that was.

‘There was some difficult times because of selection and the fact these two great champions are here together today, that makes all of us feel so good. I feel like crying.’

Interviewed by Channel 7 after the race, Stenson explained that she and Weightman have no bad blood.

‘Credit to Lisa; she said to me on the start line, “Everything, we’re putting it behind us, today we go an soak up this moment”, and we both did,’ she said.

‘(A) few tears were shed at the finish for sure. It was a beautiful moment with all three of us.’

Kipchoge, 40, finished ninth in 2:08:31 after dropping out of the leading pack around the 31km mark.

Sifan Hassan etched herself into history by setting a race record to win the first running of the Sydney Marathon as a world majors series event

‘I’m happy to go across the finish line. I have nothing to prove,’ Kipchoge said.

‘My mission is to bring all the people together. Let us surpass 55,000 (from 35,000 this year), actually, next year to run here.

‘It’s a beautiful course. It’s a course whereby there is no other in this world.’