Kenya’s Paul Eyanae has cruised to a stunning victory in the Perth Running Festival marathon on Sunday, crossing the line almost seven minutes ahead of his nearest rival.

Eyanae led for the entire race, holding his position and creating more of a gap as the race went on. He ran into the Optus Stadium finish in a time of 2hrs 16min 43sec. Last year’s winner Samuel Ekutan (2:23:37) was next up, followed by WA’s Tim Hewitt (2:28:05).

Fridah Too took out the women’s marathon in 2hrs 42min 13sec.

WA running power couple Matt Ramsden and Lauren Hyde-Cooling fell narrowly short of their goal of winning both the men’s and women’s half-marathon categories.

Ramsden defended his crown in a time of 1hr 5min 25sec, while Hyde-Cooling finished fourth in the women’s, behind winner Kate Barker (01:18:32).

Dan Canala (32:10) took out the Streamer 10km in a thrilling finish against Luke Bate (32:15), while Max Shervington was first past the post in the Burswood Park 4km dash.

The Perth Running Festival is a major fundraiser for Telethon with $200,000 raised and was broadcast on Australia’s fastest-growing community sports streaming platform, Streamer.

Paul Nash of events partner Corporate Sports Australia said it was the fastest-growing mass participation run in Australia.

“This year we closed off registrations at 14,000 participants with a further 4416 participants on the marathon wait list and another 2586 participants on the half marathon wait list,” Nash said

“We have 2297 registered intrastate, interstate, and international participants from 26 different countries.

“Next year with the opening of the new Causeway pedestrian and cycling bridge we will be able to grow the event even more.”

Power couple go for gold

Half marathon favourites Matt Ramsden and Lauren Hyde-Cooling hope to launch the best month of their lives with victories in Sunday’s Perth Running Festival.

The middle-distance couple and Olympic hopefuls will be married on October 26, just under three weeks after the event.

“It has been a really busy period. It would be awesome to both win. The prize money will certainly help with the wedding,” Ramsden said.

Ramsden, 27, is coming off a frustrating year in which his Olympic dream was again put on hold, while former pole vaulter Hyde-Cooling, 24, who has been running seriously for only three years, is aiming for a WA double following her victory in this year’s HBF Run For a Reason.

Ramsden is defending his PRF 21.1km title which he won three days after returning from the 2023 European track season.

He fell 15 seconds short of eclipsing Nic Harman’s State record of 63min 46sec set in 2018 - but this year believes he is better equipped for a tilt at the title.

“I probably didn’t do enough of the right training to be honest,” he said. “It was like doing an exam without the study. I had just come off track season where I had run pretty well off 1500m … but I just lacked the long runs.

“Typically when you get to the end of the track season you neglect your long runs, you focus more on your (shorter) sessions to get you through.

“That is one thing I have changed this year. I’ve focused on long runs. Hopefully it will make it easier on me in the latter stages of the race.”

Ramsden’s biggest challenge will come from Kenyan Bruce Bett, who has a run a 61 flat half marathon.

“This year it will be a race whereas last year it was more like a time-trial. That should work in my favour running a bit quicker. To win the race I will have to work a bit harder,” Ramsden said.

“I am aiming for the win and if the time comes then that is just the cherry on top. I would hate to lose in my home city.”

Ramsden’s training partner Luke Burrows and Irish-born Perth-based Eoin Smuth are also expected to push for a spot on the podium.

“This year is pretty stacked,” said Ramsden, who is hoping for a change in fortune as he enters the next Olympic cycle.

He was unlucky to miss the Tokyo Olympics due to Australia’s depth in 1500m running, his 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign was derailed by COVID and he was on track to make the team for Paris this year before he strained his achilles.

He tried everything - extensive physiotherapy and hyperbaric sessions - but was told he risked tearing the tendon if he pushed it too hard.

The Olympic dream, however, lives on for Ramsden, who is coached by Melbourne Track Club founder and Cathy Freeman’s former mentor and partner Nic Bideau.

“I am still young enough. I have just turned 27. I will be 31 when the next one rolls around and then if I want to move to the road, I guess we will see how this weekend goes and potentially when I am 35 I could go to Brisbane for the marathon,” Ramsden said.

Kenyans Paul Eyanae, Isaac Kimutai and Samuel Ekutan head the international contingent in a deep marathon field.

Eyanae has a PB of 2:09, while his training partner Kimutai has run 2:12 and Ekutan won last year’s Perth Marathon in 2:20.

Other podium chances are Perth pair Hugh Williams, who will be running his first marathon since posting a 2:16 personal in Chicago in 2018 and Matt Smith.

Kenyans Fridah Too and Sarah Jerop are tipped to fight out the women’s marathon.

Dan Canala, Declan Somers, James Chansbury and Isaak Brew will be in the mix for the men’s 10km, while Brielle Erbacher, Bernadette Williams, Cara Woolnought and Lara Rossouw are expected to challenge the podium in the women’s.

Max Shervington and Thomas Cross are the 4km favourites.

The marathon course will take runners along the Swan River, over the Matagarup Bridge, through Burswood Park and finish inside Optus Stadium - a quick, flat run with only 187m elevation.

Organisers are hoping the men can go under 2:10 and the women 2.25 to 2.30.

The 42km run will be the 45th Perth Marathon and form part of the prestigious AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group world rankings and is the official State championship.

The Perth Running Festival is a major fundraiser for Telethon with $200,000 raised, which Nash said was double the original target.