Sydney Marathon: On the verge of World Marathon Major status

The Sydney Marathon has recently made significant strides in its journey to join the elite Abbott World Marathon Majors (WMM) after the 2023 edition met the criteria set out. Sydney will now be required to meet the criteria for a second consecutive year when it stages its next marathon on September 15, 2024. If it is successful, the race would join the Majors in 2025, becoming the first new race added to the series since 2013.

This accolade, currently held by the Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, TCS London Marathon, BMW-BERLIN Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and TCS New York City Marathon could soon be a feather in Sydney's cap.

“Our assessment team found that the 2023 Sydney Marathon has made significant improvements in a number of areas where we required it to raise standards following its 2022 event,” said AbbottWMM CEO, Dawna Stone. “The team was impressed with the efforts made to meet the criteria set out in the assessment process, and we now look forward to returning in 2024 for the next stage of their candidacy.”

Infront's strategic role

When announcing Infront’s investment in the Sydney Marathon in 2022, Senior Vice President of Active Lifestlye Hans-Peter Zurbruegg said the organisation would “leverage our expertise, networks and insights to elevate the event to the next level.” Providing financial backing was only part of the role alongside the vast expertise in marketing and media rights provided.

The potential inclusion of the Sydney Marathon in the WMM is more than just a sporting achievement. It reflects a true milestone on the journey to making our vision of the Sydney Marathon becoming part of the AbbottWMM Series a reality. It is also a result of the great cooperation of all stakeholders involved that all share the same vision and want to shape the future of running.

The vision at Infront has always been to partner with events that have the potential to reach the zenith of their respective fields. By providing strategic guidance and leveraging our global networks, we hope to be not just part of the Sydney Marathon’s journey but integral to its success story.