From Eliud Kipchoge to Kelvin Kiptum and more, men's marathon world record progression
The World Major Marathons have always been fascinating events featuring elite runners, including Eliud Kipchoge, who has broken several records over time.
With more than 800 marathons organized in a single year, six marathons have earned the title of World Marathon Majors: the Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and London Marathon.
The athletes run on some of the most famous city streets, covering a distance of 42.195 km. Securing victories in all six marathons awards an athlete the Six Star Medal. The marathons have witnessed numerous records broken by elite athletes over the years.
Eliud Kipchoge broke the world record in the men's marathon twice
Eliud Kipchoge, the most celebrated Kenyan runner, has bagged 11 World Major Marathons medals, including 10 gold and one silver from 2014 to 2023. During his remarkable journey, Kipchoge has broken the world record twice.
In September 2018, at the Berlin Marathon, Kipchoge recorded an astonishing time of 2:01.39, breaking fellow Kenyan, Denis Kimetto's record of 2:02.57, set in 2014. Kipchoge finished 4:43 minutes ahead of Kenya's Amos Kipruto, who secured second place.
Four years later, at the 2022 Berlin Marathon, Kipchoge broke his previous record by 30 seconds, clocking an impressive 2:01.09. In 2019, he achieved a historical feat by finishing a marathon in under 2 hours with a notable time of 1:59:40. However, this historic time was not considered a world record by the World Athletics because he ran in the Ineos159 Challenge in Vienna, which is not a competitive marathon.
Kipchoge recently won his 10th World Major Marathon title at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, where he clocked 2:02.42. With this victory, he became the first man in history to win the Berlin Marathon five times, including in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023.
Kelvin Kiptum becomes the first man to break the 2:01.00 mark in marathon
Kelvin Kiptum made history at the 2023 Chicago Marathon by breaking the 2:01.00 mark in the marathon. He recorded a remarkable time of 2:00.35 on October 8, 2023, at Grant Park in Chicago.
The 23-year-old broke a fellow Kenyan's record by 34 seconds. The 2023 Chicago Marathon was only his third marathon. He secured the title at the 2023 London Marathon and became the first man to record sub 2:02 within 12 months. Kiptum aims to compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside Eliud Kipchoge.