Tom Zawalnyski, 25, from Perth, Australia, has taken out the top title at the 2025 Sāmoa International Marathon, finishing in 3 hours, 47 minutes, and 34 seconds.
“It’s a bit slower than I was aiming for,” Tom said after the race, “but I’m still really happy with the result. The humidity was a big factor — very different from what I’m used to coming out of Perth and the Australian winter.”
Despite the challenging tropical conditions, Tom described the experience as memorable. “The first 30 km felt great, really comfortable. It got a bit tough after that, but overall I really liked the race.”
This was his first official marathon. “You always remember your first marathon — and it’s nice that mine was here in Sāmoa.”
One standout feature of the event was the support provided to runners. “Each marathon runner had their own support vehicle — that’s something quite unique. At one point, I even got some ice from someone in the truck, which really helped.”
Tom spent the week prior preparing in Apia. “The Vaea Hotel was a very nice place to stay — they looked after me well and were really pleased to be hosting a champion, I think,” he said.
Tom’s running community in Australia followed his journey and is expected to feature his win in an upcoming podcast episode.
