The major marathons of 2022

After a pandemic disrupted the last two athletics seasons and forced the postponement or cancellation of many major sporting events, all the six World Marathon Majors are being raced in 2022.

Most of the races revert to their regular periods in the road running calendar, in the Northern Hemisphere spring and Autumn periods.

The Tokyo Marathon won by Eliud Kipchoge (men's elite race), and Brigid Kosgei (women's elite) in March was the first of the six major races over the 42.2 km distance. The others are Boston, Berlin, Chicago, London and New York City marathons.

Here's how you can watch those remaining World Marathon Majors races in 2022.

Boston Marathon – Monday 18 April 2022

This year’s Boston Marathon has attracted some of the fastest men and women. Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist Peres Jepchirchir is the star headliner in the women’s race.

Besides Jepchirchir, the fifth-fastest marathoner of all time, her Kenyan compatriots Joyciline Jepkosgei and Edna Kiplagat, Olympic silver medallist Molly Seidel offer depth to the women’s field.

Lining up for the start of the men’s race in the US on April 18 will be seven of the last eight men winners led by the 2021 champion Benson Kipruto of Kenya**.**

The 2022 Boston Marathon is live on Olympic Channel and available via Olympics.com in some regions. Click here for more.

Berlin Marathon - Sunday 25 September 2022

Could we see a new world record this year?

Since Eliud Kipchoge’s world record run in 2018, the 2:01.39 men's mark has remained intact for nearly four years, after a period where the mark was been lowered eight times by seven men in the previous two decades.

After withdrawing from the 2022 Boston Marathon it will be interesting to see if Kenenisa Bekele, who in 2019 missed the double Olympic champion’s mark by two seconds returns to the German capital.

London Marathon - Sunday 2nd October 2022

The London Marathon is always known to attract some of the top elite runners including the reigning world record holders Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei.

Last year Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma and Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei won and are expected to return to defend their titles.

Chicago Marathon - Sunday 9 October 2022

The fast and flat Chicago course is a favourite stop for elite runners. In 1999 Moroccan born American Khalid Khannouchi broke the men’s world record while Brigid Kosgei’s women's world record of 2:14:04 was set at the 2019 edition.

In 2021, Seifu Tura Abdiwak of Ethiopia and reigning world champion, Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya won in the return of the Chicago Marathon, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

Chepngetich is aiming to defend her title at the World Championships in Oregon on July 18 and is therefore doubtful to return to Chicago in autumn.

New York Marathon - Sunday 6 November 2022

There are no elite runners confirmed yet for the New York City Marathon that will return at full capacity with 50,000 runners. But plenty of top names are expected to line up in the last major event of the year.

In 2021, Jepchirchir became the first reigning Olympic champion to also win the New York Marathon in the same year. Her compatriot Albert Korir won the men’s event.

Full race timing scheduled and athlete entry lists will be revealed nearer the time.