Marathon World Records (1908–2025)
Men's and women's marathon world record progressions including time, pace, athlete, nationality, and event from 1908 to 2025.
1–70 of 70
Rows per page:
1 / 1
| # | sex | date | year | time_str | seconds | minutes | pace_min_per_km | name | nationality | event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M | 1908-07-24 | 1,908.5 | 2:55:18.4 | 10,518.4 | 175.307 | 4.155 | Johnny Hayes | United States | London Olympics, England |
| 2 | M | 1909-05-08 | 1,909.3333333333333 | 2:42:31.0 | 9,751.0 | 162.517 | 3.852 | Henry Barrett | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon, London, England |
| 3 | M | 1909-08-31 | 1,909.5833333333333 | 2:40:34.2 | 9,634.2 | 160.57 | 3.805 | Thure Johansson | Sweden | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 4 | M | 1913-05-12 | 1,913.3333333333333 | 2:38:16.2 | 9,496.2 | 158.27 | 3.751 | Harry Green | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 5 | M | 1913-05-31 | 1,913.3333333333333 | 2:36:06.6 | 9,366.6 | 156.11 | 3.7 | Alexis Ahlgren | Sweden | Report in The Times claiming world record. |
| 6 | M | 1914-11-29 | 1,914.8333333333333 | 2:38:00.8 | 9,480.8 | 158.013 | 3.745 | Umberto Blasi | Italy | Legnano, Italy |
| 7 | M | 1920-08-22 | 1,920.5833333333333 | 2:32:35.8 | 9,155.8 | 152.597 | 3.616 | Hannes Kolehmainen | Finland | Antwerp Olympics, Belgium |
| 8 | M | 1925-10-12 | 1,925.75 | 2:29:01.8 | 8,941.8 | 149.03 | 3.532 | Albert Michelsen | United States | Port Chester Marathon, United States |
| 9 | M | 1929-07-05 | 1,929.5 | 2:30:57.6 | 9,057.6 | 150.96 | 3.578 | Harry Payne | United Kingdom | AAA Championships, London, England |
| 10 | M | 1935-03-21 | 1,935.1666666666667 | 2:26:14 | 8,774.0 | 146.233 | 3.466 | Sohn Kee-chung | Japanese Korea | Tokyo, Japan |
| 11 | M | 1935-03-31 | 1,935.1666666666667 | 2:27:49.0 | 8,869.0 | 147.817 | 3.503 | Fusashige Suzuki | Japan | Tokyo, Japan |
| 12 | M | 1935-11-03 | 1,935.8333333333333 | 2:26:42 | 8,802.0 | 146.7 | 3.477 | Sohn Kee-chung | Japanese Korea | Meiji Shrine Games, Tokyo, Japan |
| 13 | M | 1947-04-19 | 1,947.25 | 2:25:39 | 8,739.0 | 145.65 | 3.452 | Suh Yun-bok | Korea | Boston Marathon |
| 14 | M | 1952-06-14 | 1,952.4166666666667 | 2:20:42.2 | 8,442.2 | 140.703 | 3.335 | Jim Peters | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 15 | M | 1956-08-12 | 1,956.5833333333333 | 2:18:04.8 | 8,284.8 | 138.08 | 3.272 | Paavo Kotila | Finland | Finnish Athletics Championships, Pieksämäki, Finland |
| 16 | M | 1958-08-24 | 1,958.5833333333333 | 2:15:17.0 | 8,117.0 | 135.283 | 3.206 | Sergei Popov | Soviet Union | European Athletics Championships, Stockholm, Sweden |
| 17 | M | 1960-09-10 | 1,960.6666666666667 | 2:15:16.2 | 8,116.2 | 135.27 | 3.206 | Abebe Bikila | Ethiopia | Rome Olympics, Italy |
| 18 | M | 1963-02-17 | 1,963.0833333333333 | 2:15:15.8 | 8,115.8 | 135.263 | 3.206 | Toru Terasawa | Japan | Beppu-Ōita Marathon |
| 19 | M | 1963-06-15 | 1,963.4166666666667 | 2:14:28 | 8,068.0 | 134.467 | 3.187 | Leonard Edelen | United States | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 20 | M | 1963-07-06 | 1,963.5 | 2:14:43 | 8,083.0 | 134.717 | 3.193 | Brian Kilby | United Kingdom | Port Talbot, Wales |
| 21 | M | 1964-06-13 | 1,964.4166666666667 | 2:13:55 | 8,035.0 | 133.917 | 3.174 | Basil Heatley | United Kingdom | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 22 | M | 1964-10-21 | 1,964.75 | 2:12:11.2 | 7,931.2 | 132.187 | 3.133 | Abebe Bikila | Ethiopia | Tokyo Olympics, Japan |
| 23 | M | 1965-06-12 | 1,965.4166666666667 | 2:12:00 | 7,920.0 | 132.0 | 3.128 | Morio Shigematsu | Japan | Polytechnic Marathon |
| 24 | M | 1967-12-03 | 1,967.9166666666667 | 2:09:36.4 | 7,776.4 | 129.607 | 3.072 | Derek Clayton | Australia | Fukuoka Marathon |
| 25 | M | 1970-07-23 | 1,970.5 | 2:09:28.8 | 7,768.8 | 129.48 | 3.069 | Ron Hill | United Kingdom | Edinburgh Commonwealth Games, Scotland |
| 26 | M | 1978-02-05 | 1,978.0833333333333 | 2:09:05.6 | 7,745.6 | 129.093 | 3.059 | Shigeru So | Japan | Beppu-Ōita Marathon |
| 27 | M | 1980-04-26 | 1,980.25 | 2:09:01 | 7,741.0 | 129.017 | 3.058 | Gerard Nijboer | Netherlands | Amsterdam Marathon |
| 28 | M | 1981-12-06 | 1,981.9166666666667 | 2:08:18 | 7,698.0 | 128.3 | 3.041 | Robert de Castella | Australia | Fukuoka Marathon |
| 29 | M | 1984-10-21 | 1,984.75 | 2:08:05 | 7,685.0 | 128.083 | 3.036 | Steve Jones | United Kingdom | Chicago Marathon |
| 30 | M | 1985-04-20 | 1,985.25 | 2:07:12 | 7,632.0 | 127.2 | 3.015 | Carlos Lopes | Portugal | Rotterdam Marathon |
| 31 | M | 1988-04-17 | 1,988.25 | 2:06:50 | 7,610.0 | 126.833 | 3.006 | Belayneh Dinsamo | Ethiopia | |
| 32 | M | 1998-09-20 | 1,998.6666666666667 | 2:06:05 | 7,565.0 | 126.083 | 2.988 | Ronaldo da Costa | Brazil | Berlin Marathon |
| 33 | M | 1999-10-24 | 1,999.75 | 2:05:42 | 7,542.0 | 125.7 | 2.979 | Khalid Khannouchi | Morocco | Chicago Marathon |
| 34 | M | 2002-04-14 | 2,002.25 | 2:05:38 | 7,538.0 | 125.633 | 2.977 | Khalid Khannouchi | United States | London Marathon |
| 35 | M | 2003-09-28 | 2,003.6666666666667 | 2:04:55 | 7,495.0 | 124.917 | 2.96 | Paul Tergat | Kenya | Berlin Marathon |
| 36 | M | 2007-09-30 | 2,007.6666666666667 | 2:04:26 | 7,466.0 | 124.433 | 2.949 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | |
| 37 | M | 2011-09-25 | 2,011.6666666666667 | 2:03:38 | 7,418.0 | 123.633 | 2.93 | Patrick Makau | Kenya | IAAF, ARRS |
| 38 | W | 1918-09-29 | 1,918.6666666666667 | 5:40 | 20,400 | 340.0 | 8.058 | Marie-Louise Ledru | France | Tour de Paris Marathon |
| 39 | W | 1926-10-03 | 1,926.75 | 3:40:22 | 13,222.0 | 220.367 | 5.223 | Violet Piercy | United Kingdom | London |
| 40 | W | 1963-12-16 | 1,963.9166666666667 | 3:37:07 | 13,027.0 | 217.117 | 5.146 | Merry Lepper | United States | Culver City, United States |
| 41 | W | 1964-05-23 | 1,964.3333333333333 | 3:27:45 | 12,465.0 | 207.75 | 4.924 | Dale Greig | United Kingdom | Ryde |
| 42 | W | 1964-07-21 | 1,964.5 | 3:19:33 | 11,973.0 | 199.55 | 4.729 | Mildred Sampson | New Zealand | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 43 | W | 1967-05-06 | 1,967.3333333333333 | 3:14:23 | 11,663.0 | 194.383 | 4.607 | Maureen Wilton | Canada | Toronto, Canada |
| 44 | W | 1967-09-16 | 1,967.6666666666667 | 3:07:27.2 | 11,247.2 | 187.453 | 4.443 | Anni Pede-Erdkamp | West Germany | Waldniel, West Germany |
| 45 | W | 1970-02-28 | 1,970.0833333333333 | 3:02:53 | 10,973.0 | 182.883 | 4.334 | Caroline Walker | United States | Seaside, OR |
| 46 | W | 1974-10-27 | 1,974.75 | 2:46:24 | 9,984.0 | 166.4 | 3.944 | Chantal Langlacé | France | Neuf-Brisach, France |
| 47 | W | 1974-12-01 | 1,974.9166666666667 | 2:43:54.5 | 9,834.5 | 163.908 | 3.885 | Jacqueline Hansen | United States | Culver City, United States |
| 48 | W | 1975-04-21 | 1,975.25 | 2:42:24 | 9,744.0 | 162.4 | 3.849 | Liane Winter | West Germany | Boston Marathon |
| 49 | W | 1975-10-12 | 1,975.75 | 2:38:19 | 9,499.0 | 158.317 | 3.752 | Jacqueline Hansen | United States | Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States |
| 50 | W | 1977-05-01 | 1,977.3333333333333 | 2:35:15.4 | 9,315.4 | 155.257 | 3.68 | Chantal Langlacé | France | Oiartzun, Spain |
| 51 | W | 1977-09-10 | 1,977.6666666666667 | 2:34:47.5 | 9,287.5 | 154.792 | 3.668 | Christa Vahlensieck | West Germany | Berlin Marathon |
| 52 | W | 1978-10-22 | 1,978.75 | 2:32:29.8 | 9,149.8 | 152.497 | 3.614 | Grete Waitz | Norway | New York City Marathon |
| 53 | W | 1980-02-03 | 1,980.0833333333333 | 2:31:23 | 9,083.0 | 151.383 | 3.588 | Joan Benoit | United States | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 54 | W | 1980-10-26 | 1,980.75 | 2:25:41.3 | 8,741.3 | 145.688 | 3.453 | Grete Waitz | Norway | New York City Marathon |
| 55 | W | 1980-11-16 | 1,980.8333333333333 | 2:30:27 | 9,027.0 | 150.45 | 3.566 | Joyce Smith | United Kingdom | Tokyo, Japan |
| 56 | W | 1981-10-25 | 1,981.75 | 2:25:28 | 8,728.0 | 145.467 | 3.447 | Allison Roe | New Zealand | New York City Marathon |
| 57 | W | 1982-01-16 | 1,982.0 | 2:29:01.6 | 8,941.6 | 149.027 | 3.532 | Charlotte Teske | West Germany | Miami, United States |
| 58 | W | 1982-09-12 | 1,982.6666666666667 | 2:26:12 | 8,772.0 | 146.2 | 3.465 | Joan Benoit | United States | Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States |
| 59 | W | 1983-04-17 | 1,983.25 | 2:25:28.7 | 8,728.7 | 145.478 | 3.448 | Grete Waitz | Norway | London Marathon |
| 60 | W | 1983-04-18 | 1,983.25 | 2:22:43 | 8,563.0 | 142.717 | 3.382 | Joan Benoit | United States | Boston Marathon |
| 61 | W | 1984-05-13 | 1,984.3333333333333 | 2:24:26 | 8,666.0 | 144.433 | 3.423 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | London Marathon |
| 62 | W | 1985-04-21 | 1,985.25 | 2:21:06 | 8,466.0 | 141.1 | 3.344 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | London Marathon |
| 63 | W | 1998-04-19 | 1,998.25 | 2:20:47 | 8,447.0 | 140.783 | 3.336 | Tegla Loroupe | Kenya | Rotterdam Marathon |
| 64 | W | 2001-09-30 | 2,001.6666666666667 | 2:19:46 | 8,386.0 | 139.767 | 3.312 | Naoko Takahashi | Japan | |
| 65 | W | 2001-10-07 | 2,001.75 | 2:18:47 | 8,327.0 | 138.783 | 3.289 | Catherine Ndereba | Kenya | Chicago Marathon |
| 66 | W | 2002-10-13 | 2,002.75 | 2:17:18 | 8,238.0 | 137.3 | 3.254 | Paula Radcliffe | United Kingdom | Chicago Marathon |
| 67 | W | 2017-04-23 | 2,017.25 | 2:17:01 Wo | 8,221.0 | 137.017 | 3.247 | Mary Jepkosgei Keitany | Kenya | IAAF |
| 68 | W | 2023-09-24 | 2,023.6666666666667 | 2:11:53 Mx | 7,913.0 | 131.883 | 3.126 | Tigst Assefa | Ethiopia | Berlin Marathon |
| 69 | W | 2024-04-21 | 2,024.25 | 2:16:16 Wo | 8,176.0 | 136.267 | 3.229 | Peres Jepchirchir | Kenya | London Marathon |
| 70 | W | 2025-04-27 | 2,025.25 | 2:15:50 Wo | 8,150.0 | 135.833 | 3.219 | Tigst Assefa | Ethiopia | London Marathon |
Double-click to expand