Sydney Half Marathon Preview: Record entries to run the iconic roads of Sydney Olympic Park

10 September 2026

Sydney Half Marathon Preview: Record entries to run the iconic roads of Sydney Olympic Park

A record 2855 athletes will this Sunday morning compete in the Sydney Half Marathon across three events, the half marathon, 10km, and 2.5km family fun run.

Conducted around Sydney Olympic Park, home of the 2000 Olympics, the 36th NSW Half Marathon Championship, run in conjunction with the Sydney Half Marathon, looks to be a thrilling dual between two athletes in the open men and women’s races. Benjamin Ngandu and Tom Do Canto will start as the favourites in the men’s races, while in the women’s it looks like a race between Run Crew training partners Abi Nordberg and Danette Sheehan.

Since the first NSW Half Marathon Championships in 1992, where 102 athletes raced, the event has grown enormously. In 2019, the year before COVID, there were 1475 participants, by 2024 the numbers had passed 2000 and last year they were 2424.

MEN

In the men’s Half Marathon both Benjamin Ngandu (Kembla Joggers) and Tom Do Canto (Run Crew) have strong credentials. Do Canto, the two-time Australian marathon champion, was fourth Aussie across the line two weeks ago in the Sydney Marathon and is preparing for the Melbourne Marathon on 11 October. His half marathon PB is 62:13 and just 10 months ago ran his marathon PB of 2:11.14. While Benjamin Ngandu has a stunning Half Marathon PB of 60:20 minutes, set in 2015. This year he has run a 2:13.21 marathon, 64:53 minutes in the half and 30:05 in the Sydney 10. He also leads the NSW Distance runner of the Year award.

Both Ngandu and Do Canto will put the race record under threat. Ed Goddard’s mark of 63:26 minutes, set in 2022 could definitely go down.

Depending on how the race unfolds, expect Lachie Townsend to be in the mix, based on his terrific 65:34 Gold Coast half in July. Another to watch is Luke Shaw who ran 46:24 at the Victorian 15km Championships last weekend. Outside of this group, we have another good line up of athletes in the range of 67-69 minutes include: Tipo Packman, Zac Rosser, Ryan Gilmour, James Penny, Ran-Shyan Balnave, Matthew Ho, Boris Blanc and Miller Rivett.

Unfortunately, Ciaran Rushton and Leo Peterson won’t start on Sunday.

Legendary NSW Half Marathon Championship five-time winner, Paul Arthur will line up in the 10km.

WOMEN

Two-time NSW Distance Runner of the Year Danette Sheehan and her Run Crew training partner Abi Nordberg look to be in a chase for line honours.

Sheehan, who has had a good season, primarily on the roads, has run two marathons (2:33 PB and 2:37), two half marathons both 74 minutes and was second in the Sydney 10. While Abi Nordberg has run a 2:30 marathon PB, 76-minute half marathon and was 5th in the Sydney 10. She also has a half marathon PB of 71:53 from 2022. They are probably unlikely to approach Kerryn McCann’s race record of 71:06, set in 2002.

Outside of the of the big guns, we have a trio of Run Crew ladies who could be battling for the podium. Jennifer Clancy has clocked 76:03 this year, Sophie Chudley 76:29 and Lucy Wakeham, who represented Australia on three occasions as a junior, has this year run a 2:43 marathon. Her half-marathon PB of 79:49, which dates back to 2017, is due for revision and she is aiming for around 76 minutes.

Athletes who have top-10 potential include Grace Liebelt, Mingjie Pang, Bronwyn Hager, Lauren Mitchell, Georgina Wiley, Laura Morath and Amy Jackson.

Kate Spencer, leader in the NSW Distance Runner of the Year, has been medically cleared after her DNF in the City to Surf, but won’t start on Sunday.

HISTORY – NSW Half Marathon Championship

First held in 1989, the first two years the race was held with the Anzac Day Marathon. From 1992 to 2008 it was combined with the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon. The 2026 race will be the 36th edition of the event.

A number of great athletes have dominated the 35-year history.

Most wins:

Men – 6 - Scott Westcott, 5 - Paul Arthur, 4 - Russell Dessaix-Chin, 3 - Matt Cox

Women – 5 - Kerryn McCann, 3 - Belinda Martin, Eliza Stewart and Heather Turland.

Past winners competing in 2026 race:

Danette Sheehan (2024), Tom Do Canto (2024), Matthew Ho (2019), Paul Arthur (5 times in the 90s) racing 10km

The race records:

Ed Goddard in 2022 (63.26) and Kerryn McCann in 2002 (71:06).

Race Schedule:

6:10am: Wheelchair - Sydney Half Marathon
6:25am: Elite & Wave A - Sydney Half Marathon

6:55am: Wave B, C, D - Sydney Half Marathon

8:45am: 10km
9:30am: 2.5km Family Fun Run

Race Fact File:

Date: Sunday 13 September

Venue: Sydney Olympic Park, Homebush

Start line: Dawn Fraser Avenue, in front of the NRL building

Finish line: On the blue track inside the Sydney Athletics Centre

Entry: all three events are sold out

More information: results, entries, FAQs, course maps, prizemoney etc https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events/342891

Race records: Ed Goddard in 2022 (63.26) and Kerryn McCann in 2002 (71:06).

2025 Champions:

Sydney Half Marathon: MALE Drew Fryer RBH 67:14, FEMALE Jenny Blundell SYU 74:37

Sydney Half Marathon Wheelchair: MALE Robert Hooton CAM 1:29.53, FEMALE Sarah Clifton-Bligh SYU 1:37.47

10km: MALE Jared Hurley 34:33, FEMALE Annabelle Vella 35:55

2.5km Family Fun Run: MALE Archie Herb 9:12, FEMALE Matilda-Holly Marks 11:39

David Tarbotton for NSW Athletics

Image: Abi Nordberg (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)