Izzi Batt-Doyle breaks Australian women's marathon record after finishing sixth in Chicago race: news

Izzi Batt-Doyle Shatters Australian Women’s Marathon Record at the Chicago Marathon

Australian distance runner Izzi Batt-Doyle has written her name into the history books, smashing the Australian women’s marathon national record with an extraordinary performance at the Chicago Marathon.

The two-time Olympian clocked an official time of 2:20:38, shaving 46 seconds off the previous national mark of 2:21:24 set by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jess Stenson. Crossing the finish line in world-class company among the lead pack, Batt-Doyle took more than two minutes off her personal best.

Batt-Doyle delivered a tactical masterclass across the flat, fast Chicago course, reaching the halfway mark in 1:10:29 before executing a negative split to close out the final 21.1 kilometres even faster. The landmark achievement cements Batt-Doyle as the fastest female marathoner in Australian athletics history, continuing a breakthrough season that also includes national road records over 10 km and the half-marathon.