The first half-marathon in Parramatta came in full swing with 8,000 participants on Sunday, June 21.
The 21.1km course began on O’Connell Street, weaved through Parramatta Park, Parramatta CBD, Western Sydney University, and the river foreshore with participants finishing the race inside Commbank Stadium.
Runners had three hours and thirty minutes to finish the course, with Sam Clifford finishing in first place with a time of one hour and four minutes.
Race events have become incredibly popular within the Parramatta community.
Parramatta Race Hub was launched in early 2024 and has since attracted at least 1,000 runners per event hosted. There are three races which are hosted annually with each race hosting a 5km, a 10km and a half-marathon run.
However, there has never been a major marathon hosted within the Parramatta CBD… until now.
The half-marathon was organised by Alex Treglown and David Bennie, two community locals who were inspired to host a world-class running event in Western Sydney.
Co-Founder and Event Director of 180 Cadence, Treglown mentions that a large-scale running event in Parramatta was long overdue.
“People are coming to Parramatta for the first time ever or their first time in 5 or 10 years. And so they are seeing a city that has completely changed in the last 10 years in what would become a global city. We believe that every major city needs to have a major running event,” he said.
“And if the City of Parramatta wants to be a second city of Sydney, they need a major running event.”
Parramatta’s booming running scene has even inspired locals to begin their own run clubs.
A female-driven run club was organised in mid-2025 by a former local before it was later shut down. This run club fostered an inclusive environment for female-only participants to exercise collectively.
The population of Parramatta is estimated to have a projected growth of 1.3% per annum which is currently outpacing the Greater Sydney population average. With major high-density accommodation and commercial developments still currently underway within Parramatta CBD, this will inevitably lead to a greater attraction for the community.
Treglown mentions that the Parramatta scene has always been a central hub for all.
“I think people come into Parramatta will be blown away by how beautiful it is, how amazing the parklands are, the foreshore, the city, the food, the atmosphere. I mean Commbank Stadium is the best stadium in the country. I’m happy to go on record and say that.”