Sullohern wins Melbourne marathon

Australian Celia Sullohern has won the women's Melbourne marathon.

Celia Sullohern crosses the line at the Melbourne marathon.

Celia Sullohern has recorded a personal best to win the women's Melbourne Marathon. (AAP)

After storming to victory in the Melbourne marathon on Sunday, multi-talented Australian Celia Sullohern has a big decision to make.

Is she now a distance runner first and foremost? Or is she a triathlete?

Contesting just her third marathon, the 25-year-old from NSW stripped five minutes off her personal best to claim victory in Melbourne in two hours 29 minutes and 28 seconds.

It lifted her to fourth spot on the 2017 Australian rankings behind big-name duo Lisa Weightman and Jess Trengove, along with Virginia Moloney, with three spots on offer in the women's marathon at next year's Commonwealth Games.

Complicating matters further is that the world age group triathlon championships are also on the Gold Coast next year, an event which has long been on Sullohern's radar.

But on Sunday, the priority was very much on distance running.

Paced by longtime friend and 2016 Rio Olympian Scott Westcott, Sullohern dominated the Melbourne marathon, finishing more than nine minutes clear of Belaynesh Yigezu from Ethiopia.

"I'm really shocked with the time," Sullohern told AAP.

"Doing both sports has kept me fresh but now I'll have to think a bit more seriously about where I head to from here.

"I've tried not to think too much about the Commonwealth Games but if the opportunity did come up in the marathon I'd love that .

"It's just a really exciting time right now in Australian female distance running with that depth of talent and with girls I've looked up to for a long time."

Sullohern paid tribute to the role Westcott played in her win.

"He did the pacing duties and it was just a great experience to be able to run with him," said Sullohern.

"He helped me to relax.

"He said to just let him do the thinking so I could switch off and enjoy the run."

Another thrill for Sullohern was running a marathon with her father Michael.

Isaac Birir won the men's race in 2:14:08 ahead of fellow Kenyan John Langat (2:14:27) and Australian Matthew Cox (2:18:42).

Australian Brett Robinson won the men's half-marathon in 1:04:01 and multiple Olympians Trengove and Eloise Wellings were second and third respectively behind Makda Haji in the women's half-marathon.


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Source: AAP



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