More than 32,000 runners completed the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, with 13 participants earning Guinness World Records in a debut event for the World Marathon Majors series. The 42km course from North Sydney to the Opera House attracted competitors from around the globe, ranging in age from 18 to 87.
Among the record-breakers was Sydneysider Daniel Byrnes, who completed the race in 4 hours 33 minutes and 20 seconds while wearing 53 pairs of underpants, weighing an extra 5kg. The 37-year-old, who raised money for Bowel Cancer Australia, said the Guinness adjudicator had to verify each pair. "At the end, the poor guy from the Guinness World Records was still there, having to pull down my sweaty undies to verify it … he doesn’t get paid enough," he said. Byrnes added that his hips were "really bruised" afterwards and that he would not attempt the feat again.
Other notable records included Masakazu Konno, a 41-year-old Japanese pharmaceutical employee, who ran the fastest marathon dressed as a Star Wars character in 3:03:20. Melissa Huston set a record in a traditional Chinese cheongsam with a time of 3:51:27, while Bondi Rescue star Andrew Reid ran as a surfer in thongs and carrying a surfboard in 3:17:37. Twin sisters Emily and Isabella Chen, both 21, completed the marathon in a combined time of 7:37:02, setting a record for the fastest marathon by a set of female twins.
New South Wales GP Myint Mo Oo broke the record for the fastest marathon in traditional Burmese dress, finishing in 4:12:19 and drawing attention to Myanmar's plight. The oldest finisher, 87-year-old Nelson Rafael Lara Garcia, crossed the line in 6:46:56. NSW Ambulance treated 22 participants on the day, with 20 requiring hospital care for conditions including hyperthermia and leg injuries.
As the final runners approached the finish line after roughly nine hours, they were greeted by the Sam & Dave hit "Hold On, I'm Comin'" over the loudspeakers, capping a day of personal achievement and eccentric endeavour.
