The Sydney Marathon carried a distinct Greek spirit this year, with more than 60 runners from the homeland flying in to mark the event’s historic elevation into the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
An estimated 35,000 participants set off at 6.30am from Miller Street in North Sydney, covering the 42.195 kilometres to the steps of the Opera House.
Among the Greek contingent were around 30 athletes travelling with Golden Marathon Tours, organised by veteran marathon runner Giorgios Karagiannis.
Efi Papadopoulou and Nikos Pentheroudakis, two of the runners in the group, were left in awe of the race.
“The Sydney Marathon left us with the best impressions. The start with flames and thousands of runners, the passage over the Harbour Bridge, with dawn breaking over the city, were magical moments,” they told Neos Kosmos.
“The route combined the grandeur of nature with impressive architecture, while the finish line at the Sydney Opera House was the culmination of excitement and emotion.”
While their focus was mostly on the road during the run, they were able to soak up their surroundings, including the Harbour Bridge and Centennial Park.
“It was a constant reminder that we were in a special city, and we tried to combine our focus on the race and our stopwatches with the beauty of Sydney,” they said.
The 2025 Sydney Marathon marked a momentous occasion in its history as it gained entry into the World Marathon Majors, which the two runners confirmed was a driving force in their decision to come.
“Both Efi and I have already run the six World Marathon Majors (New York, Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin, and Tokyo), and now in Sydney we completed the Majors series by earning our seventh star,” Pentheroudakis said.
“So, as you can imagine, apart from the challenge of the marathon, it was another goal of ours that was successfully achieved.”
Thousands of spectators, including many members of the Greek community, were on hand at the steps of the Opera House to celebrate the runners, which greatly enthused the Greek racers.
“The welcome and support of the Greek community was truly moving. From the very first moment, we felt that we were running with the heart of Greece by our side,” Karagiannis told Neos Kosmos.
“For us, this is the greatest reward: that the marathon is not just a road race, but also a bridge that unites Greeks from all over the world.”
Papadopoulou and Pentheroudakis agreed that support from Sydney’s Hellenes proved invaluable to them.
“Their presence gave us strength and made our experience even more moving,” the duo said.
“Especially in the last few kilometres before the finish line, with the Greek flag in hand, we received so much applause and cheers from the many expatriates watching the race that it gave us the final push to the finish line and filled us with joy.”
For Penthourakidis, the race was a chance to push himself and complete his seventh Marathon Major before turning 70, while Papadopoulou stated she “dedicated the run to my mother who is currently fighting for her life”.
“Feeling the expatriate community by my side with their warm applause along the route and at the finish line encouraged me and gave me the strength to finish this difficult race,” she said.
Karagiannis stated they already have their eyes set on next year’s event.
“We look forward to an even greater participation of Greeks – but also runners from all over the world – next year, as well as an even stronger bond with the Greek community in Australia.”
