Marathon Champions and records
World records were not officially recognized by the IAAF until January 1, 2004; previously, the best times for the marathon were referred to as the 'world best'. Courses must conform to IAAF standards for a record to be recognized. However, marathon routes still vary greatly in elevation, course, and surface, making exact comparisons impossible. Typically, the fastest times are set over relatively flat courses near sea level, during good weather conditions and with the assistance of pacesetters.
The world record time for men over the official IAAF distance is 2 hours 3 minutes and 59 seconds, set in the Berlin Marathon by Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia on September 28, 2008, an improvement of 51 minutes and 19 seconds since Johnny Hayes' gold medal performance at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Gebrselassie's world record represents an average pace of under 2:57 per kilometre (4:44 per mile), average speed of over 20.4 km/h (12.6 mph).
The world record for women was set by Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain in the London Marathon on April 13, 2003, in 2 hours 15 minutes and 25 seconds. This time was set using male pacesetters; the fastest time by a woman without using a male pacesetter ("woman-only") was also set by Paula Radcliffe, again during the London Marathon, with a time of 2 hours 17
minutes and 42 seconds, on April 17, 2005.
World all-time top ten lists
|
Men
|
||||
|
Time
|
Athlete
|
Country
|
Date
|
Place
|
|
2h03:59
|
Haile Gebrselassie
|
Ethiopia
|
28 September 2008
|
Berlin
|
|
2h04:27
|
Duncan Kibet
|
Kenya
|
5 April 2009
|
Rotterdam
|
|
2h04:27
|
James Kwambai
|
Kenya
|
5 April 2009
|
Rotterdam
|
|
2h04:48
|
Patrick Makau
|
Kenya
|
11 April 2010
|
Rotterdam
|
|
2h04:55
|
Paul Tergat
|
Kenya
|
28 September 2003
|
Berlin
|
|
2h04:55
|
Geoffrey Mutai
|
Kenya
|
11 April 2010
|
Rotterdam
|
|
2h04:56
|
Sammy Korir
|
Kenya
|
28 September 2003
|
Berlin
|
|
2h05:04
|
Abel Kirui
|
Kenya
|
5 April 2009
|
Rotterdam
|
|
2h05:10
|
Samuel Wanjiru
|
Kenya
|
26 April 2009
|
London
|
|
2h05:13
|
Vincent Kipruto
|
Kenya
|
11 April 2010
|
Rotterdam
|
|
Women
|
||||
|
Time
|
Athlete
|
Country
|
Date
|
Place
|
|
2h15:25
|
Paula Radcliffe
|
Great Britain
|
13 April 2003
|
London
|
|
2h18:47
|
Catherine Ndereba
|
Kenya
|
7 October 2001
|
Chicago
|
|
2h19:12
|
Mizuki Noguchi
|
Japan
|
25 September 2005
|
Berlin
|
|
2h19:19
|
Irina Mikitenko
|
Germany
|
28 September 2008
|
Berlin
|
|
2h19:36
|
Deena Kastor
|
United States
|
23 April 2006
|
London
|
|
2h19:39
|
Sun Yingjie
|
China
|
19 October 2003
|
Beijing
|
|
2h19:41
|
Yoko Shibui
|
Japan
|
26 September 2004
|
Berlin
|
|
2h19:46
|
Naoko Takahashi
|
Japan
|
30 September 2001
|
Berlin
|
|
2h19:51
|
Zhou Chunxiu
|
China
|
12 March 2006
|
Seoul
|
|
2h20:42
|
Berhane Adere
|
Ethiopia
|
22 October 2006
|
Chicago
|
