Kelvin Kiptum during his world record run at the 2023 Chicago marathon with 2:00:35Mary Keitany during her women-only world record run at the 2017 London Marathon with 2:17:01
Ethiopian athlete Tigst Assefa broke the women's world record for a mixed-gender race with a time of 2:11:53 on September 24, 2023 at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.[3]
In addition to the standard women's marathon world record, World Athletics also recognizes a second world record for women in the "Women Only" category, meaning that the marathon was run on a course without any male athletes in the competition. The current "Women Only" record of 2:16:16 was set by Peres Jepchirchir on April 21, 2024 at the London Marathon in the elite women's race.[4][5]
Later, Shizo Kanakuri of Japan was reported to have set a world record of 2:32:45 in a November 1911 domestic qualification race for the 1912 Summer Olympics, but this performance was also run over a distance of approximately 40 km.[16][nb 3]
It is possible that Stamata Revithi, who ran the 1896 Olympic course a day after Louis, is the first woman to run the modern marathon; she is said to have finished in 5+1⁄2 hours.[19] World Athletics credits Violet Piercy's 1926 performance as the first woman to race the standard marathon distance; however, other sources report that the 1918 performance of Marie-Louise Ledru in the Tour de Paris set the initial mark for women.[20][21][22][23] Other "unofficial" performances have also been reported to be world bests or world records over time: although her performance is not recognized by World Athletics, Adrienne Beames from Australia is frequently credited as the first woman to break the three-hour barrier in the marathon.[24][nb 4]
In the 1953 Boston Marathon, the top three male finishers were thought to have broken the standing world record,[26] but Keizo Yamada's mark of 2:18:51 is considered to have been set on a short course of 25.54 miles (41.1 km).[27] The Boston Athletic Association also does not report Yamada's performance as a world best for this reason.[28]
On October 25, 1981, American Alberto Salazar and New Zealander Allison Roe set apparent world bests at the New York City Marathon (2:08:13 and 2:25:29), however, these marks were invalidated when the course was later found to have been 151 meters short.[29][30] Although World Athletics' progression notes three performances set on the same course in 1978, 1979, and 1980 by Norwegian Grete Waitz, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians considers the New York City course suspect for those performances, too.[31]
On April 18, 2011, the Boston Marathon produced what were at that time the two fastest marathon performances of all time. Winner Geoffrey Mutai of Kenya recorded a time of 2:03:02,[32] followed by countryman Moses Mosop in 2:03:06. However, since the Boston course does not meet the criteria for record attempts, these times were not ratified by the IAAF.
Eight IAAF world records were set at the Polytechnic Marathon (1909, 1913, 1952–54, 1963–65).[33] WA-recognized world records have been broken at all of the original five World Marathon Majors on numerous occasions (updated 09/2022); twelve times at the Berlin Marathon, three times at the Boston Marathon, five times at the Chicago Marathon, six times at the London Marathon, and five times at the New York City Marathon. However, the records established in the Boston event have been disputed on grounds of a downhill point-to-point course, while four of the five New York records have been disputed on grounds of a short course.
For a performance to be ratified as a world record by World Athletics, the marathon course on which the performance occurred must be 42.195 km (26.219 mi) long,[34] measured in a defined manner using the calibrated bicycle method[35] (the distance in kilometers being the official distance; the distance in miles is an approximation) and meet other criteria that rule out artificially fast times produced on courses aided by downhill slope or tailwind.[36] The criteria include:
"The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical straight line between them, shall not be further apart than 50% of the race distance."[34]
"The decrease in elevation between the start and finish shall not exceed an average of one in a thousand (i.e., 1m per km)."[34]
In recognizing Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai's mark of 2:03:02 at the 2011 Boston Marathon as (at the time) "the fastest Marathon ever run", the IAAF said: "Due to the elevation drop and point-to-point measurements of the Boston course, performances [on that course] are not eligible for World record consideration."[37][34]
The Association of Road Racing Statisticians, an independent organization that compiles data from road running events, also maintains an alternate marathon world best progression but with standards they consider to be more stringent.[38]
Women's world record changes
[edit]Tigst Assefa during her women's world record run at the 2023 Berlin Marathon with 2:11:53
The IAAF Congress at 2011 World Championships, passed a motion changing the record eligibility criteria effective October 6, 2007, so that women's world records must be set in all-women competitions.[39] The result of the change was that Radcliffe's 2:17:42 performance at the 2005 London Marathon would supplant her own existing women's mark as the "world record"; the earlier performance was to be referred to as a "world best".[39]
Per the 2021 IAAF Competition Rules, "a World Record for performance achieved in mixed gender ("Mixed") races and a World Record for performance achieved in single gender ("Women only") races" are tracked separately.[40]
The Breaking2 event took place in the early morning of May 6, 2017; Kipchoge crossed the finish line with a time of 2:00:25.[45] This time was more than two minutes faster than the world record. [46]
Kipchoge took part in a similar attempt to break the two-hour barrier in Vienna on October 12, 2019, as part of the Ineos 1:59 Challenge. He successfully ran the first sub two-hour marathon distance, with a time of 1:59:40.2.[47] The effort did not count as a new world record under IAAF rules due to the setup of the challenge. Specifically, it was not an open event, Kipchoge was handed fluids by his support team throughout, the run featured a pace car, and included rotating teams of other runners pacing Kipchoge in a formation designed to reduce wind resistance and maximize efficiency.[48][49] The achievement was recognized by Guinness World Records with the titles 'Fastest marathon distance (male)' and 'First marathon distance run under two hours' instead of an official world record.[50][51]
Table key: Listed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance[52] Ratified by World Athletics as a world best (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004)[52] Recognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS)[20]
The edition of the marathon is linked on some of the dates.
Time was officially recorded as 2:55:18 2/5.[53] Italian Dorando Pietri finished in 2:54:46.4, but was disqualified for receiving assistance from race officials near the finish.[54] Note.[55]
The course distance was officially reported to be 42,750 meters/26.56 miles,[62] however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians estimated the course to be 40 km.[11]
According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Suzuki's 2:27:49 performance occurred in Tokyo on March 21, 1935, during a race in which he finished secondtoSohn Kee-chung (sometimes referred to as Kee-Jung Sohn or Son Kitei) who ran a 2:26:14.[65]
Table key: Listed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance[52] Ratified by World Athletics as a world best (since January 1, 2003) or world record (since January 1, 2004)[52] Recognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS)[20]
^The Association of Road Racing Statisticians has estimated the course distance to be 37–38 km.[11]
^According to the "Sporting Records" section of The Canadian Year Book for 1905: "Len Hurst won the Marathon race, 40 kilometres (24 miles, 1505 yards), over roads, Conflans to Paris, Fr., in the record time of 2.26:27 3–5, July 8, 1900."[13] Other sources confirm that the direction of the 1900 race was reversed, but note Hurst's finishing time as 2:26:47.4.[14] or 2:26:48.[15]
^Road running historian Andy Milroy writing for the Association of Road Racing Statisticians has indicated that 25 miles (40.234 km) was the distance of the first Japanese marathon held in 1911.
Predating Kanakuri's performance, Milroy also indicated that a "professional world record" at the 25-mile distance of 2:32:42 was set by British runner Len Hurst on August 27, 1903.[17]
^According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, Beames' performance of 2:46:30 on August 31, 1971, in Werribee, Australia is regarded as a time trial.[25]
^Many references incorrectly refer to this race as the Yonkers Marathon. The Yonkers Marathon, which during the early 1900s was traditionally run during late November, was won over a month earlier by Jim Crowley.[56][57]
^According to the progression of world bests listed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), James Clark set a world best of 2:46:52.8 in New York on February 12, 1909, Albert Raines broke Clark's mark with a 2:46:04.6 in New York on May 8, 1909, and Henry Barrett broke Raines' mark with a 2:42:31.0 in London on May 26, 1909.[58] Ian Ridpath, a former director of the Polytechnic marathon, has indicated on his website that some sources have wrongly listed the date of Barrett performance as May 26, 1909, and has confirmed the true date as May 8, 1909.[33] An article in The Times dated May 10, 1909, provides strong evidence that Ridpath is correct.[59] Given that Barrett's marathon in London most likely concluded before Raines' marathon held on the same date in New York, it is also likely that Barrett rather than Raines broke the world best set by Clark three months earlier.
^Piercy's mark was set on the Polytechnic Marathon course between Windsor and London.[91] A number of sources, including Kathrine Switzer, have reported that the venue for Piercy's mark was the actual Polytechnic Marathon,[92] however, records from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians confirm that the 1926 Polytechnic Marathon was held on May 18.[93]
^The Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of the race as December 14, 1963.[94][95]
^ abPeter Heidenstrom, a statistician for Athletics New Zealand, has been reported as providing a date of December 1964,[96] however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of Sampson's performance was August 16, 1964.[97] Other sources from August to October 1964 support the August date.[98][99] The ARRS also notes that Sampson's mark was set during a time trial and does not recognize it in their progression of marathon world bests.[20][94]
^ ab"untitled". Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
^Milroy, Andy. "The origins of the marathon". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2010.
^"Sporting Records". The Canadian Year Book for 1905. 8. Toronto Canada: Alfred Hewitt: 147. 1905.
^Tarasouleas, Athanasios (October–November 1997). "Stamata Revithi, "Alias Melpomeni""(PDF). Olympic Review. 26 (17): 53–55. Archived(PDF) from the original on April 14, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
^ abcde"New York City Marathon". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Archived from the original on November 12, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2009. The course used for the 1981 race was remeasured at 42.044 km or 151 meters short of the full marathon distance. Since a major part of the shortness was within the Central Park portion of the course, all "five borough" races prior to 1981 must also be considered suspect (1976–1980) and are not considered acceptable for statistical purposes.
^ abcThe Association of Road Racing Statisticians does not consider performances on the Boston Marathon course to qualify for world record status due to the possibility that they could be aided by slope and/or tailwinds. (See [1]Archived January 9, 2019, at the Wayback Machine.) This mirrors the IAAF's current criteria regarding record eligible courses.
^Rogin, Gilbert (October 5, 1964). "The Fastest Is Faster". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010. One Saturday last August, a Mrs. Millie Sampson, a 31-year-old mother of two who lives in the Auckland suburb of Manurewa, went dancing until 1 am The next day she cooked dinner for 11 visitors. In between, she ran the marathon in 3:19.33, presumably a record.