The Australian men’s marathon record has fallen in spectacular fashion in Spain, with Olympian Andy Buchanan delivering a career-defining performance, while Isobel Batt-Doyle soared to third on the Australian all-time list at the Valencia Marathon.

Hailing from Bendigo, Buchanan made history as the first Australian to dip under the 2:07 barrier. His record-breaking run of 2:06:22 eclipsed Brett Robinson’s 2022 mark by more than one minute (2:07:31), finishing 16th in a high-calibre field.
Averaging 2:59 minutes per kilometre, his performance caps a breakout year in which he earned a late call-up to the Paris Olympic Games.
In achieving his record, Buchanan also ran below the qualification standard of 2:06:30 for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo in September 2025.
Batt-Doyle shaved 28 seconds off her personal best with an impressive 2:22:59 performance to finish 8th overall, moving to third on the Australian all-time list, overtaking fellow Olympians Genevieve Gregson and Lisa Weightman.
The South Australian followed her compatriot, also qualifying for next year’s World Championships.
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