Maryann Penn - First Marathon marks full-circle moment

A finisher at the 2026 Wellington Half-marathon only six days before her first full marathon

​APIA, Samoa – For Faumuinā Maryann Penn, lining up for her first full marathon at the 8th Sāmoa International Marathon on 4 July brings together the culmination of a journey that began on the athletics track at St Mary's College, Vaimoso.

And on Saturday 4 July, Maryann will run her first marathon alongside twin sister, Faumuinā Eleanor Penn. They are the only Sāmoan women in this year's marathon. They are the first set of twins to run a marathon in the country, a record that will probably last a long time. 

Another staggering record - Maryann will run the marathon on Saturday only six days after completing her second half-marathon on Sunday 28 June. That was the Wellington Half-marathon.  

Maryann and Eleanor first discovered their love of running during their school years, competing in the 400m and 800m events. While neither considered themselves elite athletes, both developed a passion for endurance running and the discipline that sport brings.

As she entered her senior years at college, Maryann made the difficult decision to step away from sport and focus on her academic ambitions. The sacrifice paid off. In 2017, she was awarded Dux of St Mary's College and received a scholarship to New Zealand to study Building Science at Victoria University of Wellington.

Since then, Maryann has built an impressive professional career. She has worked as an engineer with the Land Transport Authority and later as an Assistant Project Manager with RPS. She is currently completing a Master of Architectural Science (Project Management) at Victoria University of Wellington under a prestigious Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship.

For a time, she thought her academic commitments might prevent her from participating in the Samoa International Marathon. However, with her degree concluding at the end of June and a return home to Samoa approaching, the timing aligned perfectly.

Although she had considered pursuing sports such in Powerlifting or CrossFit, Maryann chose to return to running as a way to stay active. That decision reignited a passion that had been dormant for years.

Maryann at the 2025 Wellington Half-marathon

In June 2025, she completed her first half marathon in Wellington, an experience that rekindled her love for the sport and motivated her to pursue even greater challenges. She soon encouraged both her partner and her twin sister to join her in the Auckland Half Marathon later that year.

Since then, she has steadily built towards her first marathon by competing in events throughout New Zealand, including the Wellington Round the Bays 8.8km, the WHAC Honest 10 Run, and the Wellington Half Marathon.

Sharing the marathon journey with her twin sister makes the experience even more meaningful. 

"Being a twin has always been both a challenge and a blessing," she says. "We naturally push each other in many aspects of life, from our career paths to our fitness journeys, and that shared drive has brought us to this point."

As the only Sāmoan women entered in this year's marathon, the Penn sisters are helping to break new ground and inspire others to embrace endurance sport.

For Maryann, the race is about much more than completing 42.2 kilometres.

"Running this marathon feels like a full-circle moment for me. It is not only a personal milestone but also an opportunity to represent where we come from and to inspire others, especially young people and fellow twins, to challenge themselves and pursue goals that once felt out of reach."

On 4 July, when the Penn sisters stand together on the marathon start line, they will carry with them a track record of of preparation, dedication and perseverance.

More than that, they also carry the pride of family, community and country.


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