Tom Zawalzynski wins International Marathon

Sāmoa Events-Apia​

Tom Zawalnyski, 25, from Perth, Australia, has won the 2025 Sāmoa International Marathon with a time of 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 conditions, Tom said he enjoyed the experience. “The first 30 km felt great, really comfortable. It got a bit tough after that, but overall I really liked the race.”

This was Tom’s first full marathon, marking the beginning of his marathon journey. “You always remember your first marathon — and it’s nice that mine was here in Sāmoa.”

One highlight for Tom was the dedicated support vehicle provided to each marathon runner. “That’s something quite unique — it worked really well for me. At one point, I even got some ice from someone in the truck, which really helped.”

Tom spent the week leading up to the race 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 has been following his journey closely. He’s expecting the race — and his victory — to be mentioned in an upcoming podcast they produce.

Congratulations, Tom!