The times of the world’s fastest marathoners
Below you’ll find tables detailing several marathon superlatives:
the 10 fastest marathoners in history on record-eligible courses;
the 10 fastest performances on record-eligible courses;
the progression of the world records since 1988.
Note that we said “on record-eligible courses.” That’s why Eliud Kipchoge’s 1:59:40 in Vienna isn’t on the list from 2019. That time doesn’t count for record purposes because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids weren’t followed. Similarly, times from the Boston course can’t be on the list, because of its point-to-point layout and too-great net elevation drop.
Each marathoner appears on the first list, for the fastest performers in history, only once. The third set of tables, for fastest performances in history, allows for a runner to appear more than once. For example, Eliud Kipchoge appears five (!) times in the fastest-performances list for men.
All tables are current as of October 16, 2023.
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10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Men
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:00:35
4:36.0
Chicago, 2023
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:01:09
4:37.2
Berlin, 2022
Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)
2:01:41
4:38.5
Berlin, 2019
Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia)
2:02:48
4:41.0
Berlin, 2019
Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia)
2:02:55
4:41.3
London, 2019
Dennis Kimetto (Kenya)
2:02:57
4:41.4
Berlin, 2014
Evans Chebet (Kenya)
2:03:00
4:41.5
Valencia, 2020
Gabriel Geay (Tanzania)
2:03:00
4:41.5
Valencia, 2022
Lawrence Cherono (Kenya)
2:03:04
4:41.6
Valencia, 2022
Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya)
2:03:13
4:41.9
Berlin, 2014
10 Fastest Marathoners on Record-Eligible Course: Women
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia)
2:11:53
5:01.8
Berlin, 2023
Sifan Hassan (Netherlands)
2:13:44
5:06.0
Chicago, 2023
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:14:04
5:06.8
Chicago, 2019
Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya)
2:14:18
5:07.3
Chicago, 2022
Amane Beriso (Ethiopia)
2:14:58
5:08.9
Valencia, 2022
Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain)
2:15:25
5:09.9
London, 2003
Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya)
2:16:28
5:12.3
Tokyo, 2023
Letesenbet Gidey (Ethiopia)
2:16:49
5:13.1
Valencia, 2022
Tsehay Gemechu (Ethiopia)
2:16:56
5:13.4
Tokyo, 2023
Mary Keitany (Kenya)
2:17:01
5:13.6
London, 2017
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Men
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:00:35
4:36.0
Chicago, 2023
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:01:09
4:37.2
Berlin, 2022
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:01:25
4:37.8
London, 2023
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:01:39
4:38.4
Berlin, 2018
Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)
2:01:41
4:38.5
Berlin, 2019
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:01:53
4:38.9
Valencia, 2022
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:02:37
4:40.6
London, 2019
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:02:40
4:40.7
Tokyo, 2022
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:02:42
4:41.8
Berlin, 2023
Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia)
2:02:48
4:41.0
Berlin, 2019
10 Fastest Marathons on Record-Eligible Course: Women
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia)
2:11:53
5:01.8
Berlin, 2023
Sifan Hassan (Netherlands)
2:13:44
5:06.0
Chicago, 2023
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:14:04
5:06.8
Chicago, 2019
Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya)
2:14:18
5:07.3
Chicago, 2022
Amane Beriso (Ethiopia)
2:14:58
5:08.9
Valencia, 2022
Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain)
2:15:25
5:09.9
London, 2003
Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia)
2:15:37
5:10.3
Berlin, 2022
Ruth Chepngetich (Kenya)
2:15:37
5:10.3
Chicago, 2023
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:16:02
5:11.3
Tokyo, 2022
Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya)
2:16:28
5:12.3
Tokyo, 2023
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Men
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Belayneh Densamo (Ethiopia)
2:06:50
4:50.3
Rotterdam, 1988
Ronaldo da Costa (Brazil)
2:06:06
4:48.6
Berlin, 1998
Khalid Khannouchi (Morocco)
2:05:42
4:47.7
Chicago, 1999
Khalid Khannouchi (United States)
2:05:38
4:47.5
London, 2002
Paul Tergat (Kenya)
2:04:55
4:45.9
Berlin, 2003
Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia)
2:04:26
4:44.8
Berlin, 2007
Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia)
2:03:59
4:43.8
Berlin, 2008
Patrick Makau (Kenya)
2:03:38
4:43.0
Berlin, 2011
Wilson Kipsang (Kenya)
2:03:23
4:42.4
Berlin, 2013
Dennis Kimetto (Kenya)
2:02:57
4:41.4
Berlin, 2014
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:01:39
4:38.4
Berlin, 2018
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:01:09
4:37.2
Berlin, 2022
Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya)
2:00:35
4:36.0
Chicago, 2023
Progression of World Record Since 1988: Women
Runner
Finish Time
Pace/Mile
Marathon
Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
2:20:47
5:22.2
Rotterdam, 1998
Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
2:20:43
5:22.0
Berlin, 1999
Naoko Takahashi (Japan)
2:19:46
5:19.8
Berlin, 2001
Catherine Ndereba (Kenya)
2:18:47
5:17.6
Chicago, 2001
Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain)
2:17:18
5:14.2
Chicago, 2002
Paula Radcliffe (Great Britain)
2:15:25
5:09.9
London, 2003
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:14:04
5:06.8
Chicago, 2019
Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia)
2:11:53
5:01.8
Berlin, 2023
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