Haftu Strintzos claimed a Gold Coast Marathon win in a race-record 2:06:20.
Haftu Strintzos delivered one of the standout performances in ASICS Gold Coast Marathon history on Sunday, crossing the line in 2:06:20 to become the first Australian man to win the race in two decades. The 26-year-old Victorian tore 73 seconds off the previous course record and, in the process, chipped a further two seconds from the national and Oceania record books.
Gold Coast Marathon win: Top 3 – Men’s Marathon
| Place | Runner | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haftu Strintzos | Australia | 2:06:20 |
| 2 | Hidekazu Hijikata | Japan | 2:07:20 |
| 3 | Jinya Ozaki | Japan | 2:07:48 |
The win caps an extraordinary personal journey. Born in northern Ethiopia, Strintzos spent part of his childhood as a shepherd before he was adopted by Australian aid worker Maria Strintzos and brought to Melbourne. He went on to attend Haileybury College before earning a running scholarship to Villanova University in the United States, later representing Australia at Oceania and World Cross Country Championships.
His build-up to Sunday’s race hinted at what was coming: a win at the Southern Cross University 10km on the Gold Coast in 2024, followed this year by an Australian all-comers record of 1:00:41 at the Launceston Half Marathon.
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Japan’s Hidekazu Hijikata pushed Strintzos all the way, tucking in behind the Australian until the field split at the 36.6km mark, when Strintzos surged clear to secure the win. Hijikata held on for second in 2:07:20, also inside the old course record, while debutant marathoner Jinya Ozaki rounded out the podium in 2:07:48 as part of a dominant Japanese showing that filled seven of the top ten places.
“It hasn’t quite registered yet, I’m sure it will soon.”
Haftu Strintzos
Collapsing to the ground after crossing the line, an emotional Strintzos reflected on a race he had discussed and planned carefully with his coach beforehand, saying he always believed he had the fitness to win if the right opportunity presented itself. With Sunday’s run, he ended a 20-year wait for an Australian men’s champion at the race, following in the footsteps of Lee Troop’s famous 2006 victory.
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The ASICS Gold Coast Marathon continues this week’s action, with the men’s open division now firmly part of race folklore alongside Strintzos’s remarkable journey from shepherd to national champion.
Related reading: Gold Coast Marathon 2026 Results: Strintzos Breaks Australian Record.
