Six People Broke World Records At The Sydney Marathon
Six runners broke or set Guinness World Records at the TCS Sydney Marathon on August 31, 2026, with attempts ranging from the medically extraordinary to the costumed and joyful. The first to cross the finish line among the record holders was Toby Fuller, an Australian runner and former professional cyclist from Five Dock who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma at age 23, an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in the bones. Now 28, Toby has been living with the disease for five years and is currently on a lifelong maintenance chemotherapy program. Training consistently with his condition is difficult in ways most marathon runners never encounter, but he completed the 42.195-kilometre course in 3 hours, 18 minutes, and 1 second to break the record for fastest marathon with multiple myeloma by a male, saying he gave it his best and hoping his result will inspire others living with cancer to keep pursuing their goals. Shortly after, Brisbane athlete Kent Ohori crossed the finish line at the Sydney Opera House wearing an orange-and-white beer can costume in 3:28:27, breaking the record for fastest marathon dressed as a beer can by a male. Ohori is the founder of Rebound Club, a Brisbane-based running community, and a vocal advocate for healthy living whose own journey from chain smoker to endurance athlete has been documented widely.
The remaining four records were equally memorable. Chris Fyvie broke the record for fastest marathon with a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, finishing in 3:36:27. Phil Brent, a digital and communications professional from Sydney, set the record for fastest marathon dressed as a reptile by a male, completing the race in a green turtle costume in 3:45:52 while advocating for the Nature Hates a Tosser campaign, which raises awareness of litter's impact on marine and wildlife habitats. Rebecca Joyner broke the record for fastest marathon in a Scout uniform by a female, finishing in 3:55:37. Nilhari Bhandari set the record for fastest marathon dressed in traditional Bhutanese dress by a male, completing the course in 4:07:06. Guinness World Records adjudicator Brian Sobel, who was on the ground throughout the race, said whether overcoming cancer, raising awareness of environmental issues, or taking on a marathon in an unconventional costume, these runners showed exactly what makes record-breaking so special. Over 40,000 athletes from more than 140 countries started the race at Miller Street, North Sydney, at 6:15 in the morning. Six of them finished with their names in the record books.
