London Marathon: Records, stats and past winners
Your comprehensive guide to the 2022 London Marathon. From the first edition in 1981 that finished in a tie in the men’s race, to all the winners, records and other interesting facts about this legendary race.
Athletics
The London marathon story cannot be told without mentioning the name of the greatest marathoner of all-time: Eliud Kipchoge.
The athletics legend will be missing from the 2022 start line his name is still closely connected to the October 2 race.
Kenya’s Kipchoge and Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway still hold the event’s record with four marathon wins each.
The 2022 edition sticks to its traditional course starting at Greenwich Park with the finish at The Mall near Buckingham palace.
Here's some interesting facts on one of the world’s six major marathons, the past winners since the first edition held in 1981, and some of the stars including Kipchoge who won Germany's top road race.
READ MORE: London Marathon 2022: Preview, schedule, how to watch
London marathon: Records
Kipchoge who just lowered his world record by 30 seconds to 2:01:09 at last weekend’s (Sunday 25) Berlin Marathon, still is the most successful man on London's streets winning four titles. The greatest marathoner of all-time also holds the course record of 2:02:37 from the 2019 race.
The double Olympic champion suffered his first loss at the 2020 London Marathon won by Ethiopian Shura Kitata in a race that 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. The two runners 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 in 1982 while Hugh Jones became the first male British winner. That was the only time that two Britons have won both the men's and the women's race.
READ MORE: How fast was Eliud Kipchoge’s world record? 2022 Berlin Marathon breakdown
World record at the London Marathon
The London Marathon is also known for its fast course. Kipchoge's course record from 2019 (2:02:37), the 2017 women’s course record set by Mary Keitany (2:17:01) and Britain’s Paula Radcliffe's mixed marathon world record from 2003 (2:15:25) 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.
USA’s Khalid Khannouchi ran a time of 2:05:38 in 2002 and remains the only man to ever set a world record at the 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.
READ MORE: Who are the marathon GOATs?
Past London marathon winners - Men
1981 Dick Beardsley (USA) and Inge Simonsen (Norway both 2:11:48
1982 Hugh Jones (UK) 2:09:24
1983 Mike Gratton (UK) 2:09:43
1984 Charlie Spedding (UK) 2:09:57
1985 Steve Jones (U.K.) 2:08:16
1986 Toshihiko Seko (JAP) 2:10:02
1987 Hironi Taniuchi (JAP) 2:09:50
1988 Henrik Jorgensen (DEN) 2:10:20
1989 Douglas Wakiihuri (KEN) 2:09:03
1990 Alister Hutton (UK) 2:10:10
1991 Yakov Tolstikov (USSR) 2:09:17
1992 Antonio Pinto (Port.) 2:10:02
1993 Eamonn Martin (UK) 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 (SPA) 2:07:57
1999 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (MOR) 2:07:57
2000 Antonio Pinto (PORT) 2:06:36
2001 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Mor) 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.
Past London marathon winners – Women
1981 Joyce Smith (U.K.) 2:29:57
1982 Joyce Smith (U.K.) 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 (UK) 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 (UK) 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 (UK) 2:18:56
2003 Paula Radcliffe (UK) 2:15:25
2004 Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2:22:35
2005 Paula Radcliffe (UK) 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.