The World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a series of six of the world’s most prestigious and renowned marathons. The events take place each year in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City, and are considered some of the most competitive and challenging races in the world.
The WMM series was established in 2006 as a way to recognize and reward the top marathon runners and to encourage global participation and interest in the sport of marathon running.
Each year, the WMM races are held on different dates, starting with the Tokyo Marathon in late February or early March and ending with the New York City Marathon in early November.
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For professional runners and wheelchair racers, the WMM series provides a platform to showcase their skills and compete for a significant amount of prize money. And over the past several years, course records on these famous routes have been smoked by the likes of Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei. For regular runners, the WMM races offer a chance to achieve a personal best time, to experience the excitement of running in a major event, and to connect with other runners from around the world.
Overall, the World Marathon Majors are a celebration of the human spirit, endurance, and determination, and strive to show the power of sport to unite people from all walks of life.
Below you’ll find lists detailing the course records for each World Marathon Major race. All tables are current as of April 23, 2023.
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- Tokyo Marathon:
- Male: Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) - 2:02:40 (2022)
- Female: Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) - 2:16:02 (2022)
- Wheelchair Male: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) - 1:20:57 (2023)
- Wheelchair Female: Manuela Schär (Switzerland) - 1:36:43 (2023)
- London Marathon:
- Male: Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) - 2:01:25 (2023)
- Female: Paula Radcliffe (U.K.) - 2:15:25 (2003)
- Wheelchair Male: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) - 1:23:44 (2023)
- Wheelchair Female: Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) - 1:38:24 (2022)
- Berlin Marathon:
- Male: Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) - 2:01:09 (2022)
- Female: Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) - 2:15:37 (2022)
- Wheelchair Male: Heinz Frei (Switzerland) - 1:21:39 (1997)
- Wheelchair Female: Catherine Debrunner (Switzerland) - 1:36:47 (2018)
- Chicago Marathon:
- Male: Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) - 2:03:45 (2013)
- Female: Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) - 2:14:04 (2019)
- Wheelchair Male: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) - 1:25:20 (2022)
- Wheelchair Female: Tatyana McFadden (United States) - 1:39:15 (2013)
- Boston Marathon:
- Male: Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) - 2:03:02 (2011)
- Female: Buzunesh Deba (Ethiopia) - 2:19:59 (2014)
- Wheelchair Male: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) - 1:17:05 (2023)
- Wheelchair Female: Manuela Schar (Switzerland) - 1:28:17 (2017)
- New York City Marathon:
- Male: Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya) - 2:05:06 (2011)
- Female: Margaret Okayo (Kenya) - 2:22:31 (2003)
- Wheelchair Male: Marcel Hug (Switzerland) - 1:26:26 (2022)
- Wheelchair Female: Susannah Scaroni (United States) - 1:42:43 (2022)
Brian has spent more than a decade focused on creating compelling news, health, and fitness content—with a particular interest on enthusiast activities like running and cycling. He’s coordinated coverage of major events like the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Tour de France, with an eye toward both the professional race and the engaging stories readers love.
Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Running Is My Therapy, Advanced Marathoning, and Meb for Mortals. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
