London Marathon: Records, stats and past winners

The story of the London marathon cannot be told without mentioning Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest marathoner of alltime.

The Kenyan legend and Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway still hold the event’s record with four marathon wins each.

Although Kipchoge opened his season in Boston, he will join millions in watching the 2023 London Marathon, which follows its traditional course from Greenwich Park to The Mall near Buckingham Palace.

Here's some interesting facts about one of the world’s six major marathons, including its past winners since the first edition in 1981 and notable stars like Kipchoge

• The history of the London Marathon
• Who are the marathon GOATs?

London marathon: Records

Kipchoge, who set a world record by lowering it by 30 seconds to 2:01:09 at the 2002 Berlin Marathon, is still the most successful man in London with four titles.

The greatest marathoner of all time also holds the course record of 2:02:37 from the 2019 race.

However, the double Olympic champion suffered his first loss at the 2020 London Marathon, won by Ethiopian Shura Kitata, which was held on a looped course due to the pandemic.

The first London Marathon in 1981 ended in a tie between American Dick Beardsley and Norway’s Inge Simonsen, who crossed the finish line holding hands in a time of 2 hours 11 minutes 48 seconds. This is the only time two runners have been declared winners of the London marathon.

In 1982, Joyce Smith won her second London Marathon while Hugh Jones became the first male British winner. That was the only time when two Britons won both the men's and women's races.

World record at the London Marathon

The London Marathon is famous for its fast course, with course records set by some of the greatest runners of all time. Kipchoge's course record from 2019 (2:02:37), Mary Keitany's 2017 women’s course record (2:17:01), and Paula Radcliffe's mixed marathon world record from 2003 (2:15:25) all still stand.

World records have been broken six times at the London Marathon. Norway’s Grete Waitz became the first London Marathon world record holder in 1983 with a time of 2:25:29.

Khalid Khannouchi of the USA holds the distinction of being the only man to ever set a world record at the London Marathon, with a time of 2:05:38 in 2002.

London Marathon: Consecutive victories

Women’s wheelchair winners Francesca Porcellato (2003-06) of Italy and USA’s Tatyana McFadden (2013-2016) are the only two athletes who have won the London Marathon four times in a row.

Three athletes have won three consecutive London Marathon titles.

They are men’s winner Mexico’s Dionicio Ceron (1994-96), Germany’s Katrin Dorre-Heinig (1992-94) in the women’s race and David Weir who won the men’s wheelchair race between 2006-08.

• Amos Kipruto and Yalemzerf Yehualaw crowned 2022 London Marathon winners

London marathon: Former winners - Men

• 1981 Dick Beardsley (USA) and Inge Simonsen (NOR) both 2:11:48
• 1982 Hugh Jones (GBR) 2:09:24
• 1983 Mike Gratton (GBR) 2:09:43
• 1984 Charlie Spedding (GBR) 2:09:57
• 1985 Steve Jones (GBR) 2:08:16
• 1986 Toshihiko Seko (JPN) 2:10:02
• 1987 Hironi Taniuchi (JPN) 2:09:50
• 1988 Henrik Jorgensen (DEN) 2:10:20
• 1989 Douglas Wakiihuri (KEN) 2:09:03
• 1990 Alister Hutton (GBR) 2:10:10
• 1991 Yakov Tolstikov (USSR) 2:09:17
• 1992 Antonio Pinto (POR) 2:10:02
• 1993 Eamonn Martin (GBR) 2:10:50
• 1994 Dionicio Ceron (MEX) 2:08:53
• 1995 Dionicio Ceron (MEX) 2:08:30
• 1996 Dionicio Ceron (MEX) 2:10:00
• 1997 Antonio Pinto (POR) 2:07:55
• 1998 Abel Anton (ESP) 2:07:57
• 1999 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MAR) 2:07:57
• 2000 Antonio Pinto (POR) 2:06:36
• 2001 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MAR) 2:07:11
• 2002 Khalid Khannouchi (USA)2:05:38
• 2003 Gezahegne Abera (ETH) 2:07:56
• 2004 Evans Rutto (KEN) 2:06:18
• 2005 Martin Lel (KEN) 2:07:26
• 2006 Felix Limo (KEN) 2:06:39
• 2007 Martin Lel (KEN) 2:07:41
• 2008 Martin Lel (KEN) 2:05:15
• 2009 Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 2:05:10
• 2010 Tsegaye Kebede (ETH) 2:05:19
• 2011 Emmanuel Mutai (KEN) 2:04:40
• 2012 Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:04:44
• 2013 Tsegaye Kebede (ETH)2:06:04
• 2014 Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:04:29
• 2015 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:04:42
• 2016 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:03:05
• 2017 Daniel Wanjiru (KEN) 2:05:48
• 2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:04:17
• 2019 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:37
• 2020 Shura Kitata (ETH) 2:05:41***
• 2021 Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:04:01
• 2022 Amos Kipruto (KEN) 2:04:39

***Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the official marathon was limited to elite runners.

London marathon: Former winners – Women

• 1981 Joyce Smith (GBR) 2:29:57
• 1982 Joyce Smith (GBR) 2:29:43
• 1983 Grete Waitz (NOR) 2:25:29
• 1984 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:24:26
• 1985 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:21:06
• 1986 Grete Waitz (NOR) 2:24:54
• 1987 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:22:48
• 1988 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR 2:25:41
• 1989 Veronique Marot (GBR) 2:26:56
• 1990 Wanda Panfil (POL) 2:26:31
• 1991 Rosa Mota (POR) 2:26:14
• 1992 Katrin Dorre (GER) 2:27:39
• 1993 Katrin Dorre (GER) 2:27:09
• 1994 Katrin Dorre (GER) 2:32:34
• 1995 Malgorzata Sobanska (POL) 2:27:43
• 1996 Liz McColgan (GBR) 2:27:54
• 1997 Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) 2:26:51
• 1998 Catherina McKiernan (IRL) 2:26:26
• 1999 Joyce Chepchumba (KEN) 2:23:22
• 2000 Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:24:33
• 2001 Derartu Tulu (ETH) 2:23:57
• 2002 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:18:56
• 2003 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:15:25
• 2004 Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2:22:35
• 2005 Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2:17:42
• 2006 Deena Kastor (USA) 2:19:36
• 2007 Zhou Chunxiu (CHN) 2:20:38
• 2008 Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:24:14
• 2009 Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:22:11
• 2010 Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 2:22:38 **
• 2011 Mary Keitany (KEN) 2:19:19
• 2012 Mary Keitany (KEN) 2:18:37
• 2013 Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) 2:20:15
• 2014 Edna Kiplagat (KEN) 2:20:21
• 2015 Tigist Tufa (ETH) 2:23:22
• 2016 Jemima Sumgong (KEN/) 2:22:58
• 2017 Mary Keitany (KEN) 2:17:01
• 2018 Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:18:31
• 2019 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:18:20
• 2020 Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 2:18:58 ***
• 2021 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:17:43
• 2022 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) 2:17:25

***Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the official marathon was limited to elite runners.

**Original winner was stripped of the title after testing positive for banned substance.