London Marathon
History, Results, Winners, & Facts
London Marathon, annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through the streets of London that takes place in April. The event was first held in 1981 and is one of the world’s six major marathons, along with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Tokyo races.
The course of the London Marathon has starting points in Greenwich Park and Blackheath and weaves through several inner boroughs south of the Thames before crossing the river at the Tower Bridge. It then moves east and circles the Isle of Dogs before turning west to finish on the Mall near Buckingham Palace. Mexico’s Dionicio Cerón, Portugal’s Antonio Pinto, and Kenya’s Martin Lel share the record for most men’s victories, three, and Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway holds the women’s record with four marathon wins.
Winners of the London Marathon are provided in the table.
year
men
time
women
time
*Tied.
**Original winner had been stripped of the title after testing positive for illegal drug use.
***Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the official marathon was limited to elite runners; a virtual race was held for other competitors.
1981
Dick Beardsley (U.S.)*
2:11:48
Joyce Smith (U.K.)
2:29:57
Inge Simonsen (Nor.)*
1982
Hugh Jones (U.K.)
2:09:24
Joyce Smith (U.K.)
2:29:43
1983
Mike Gratton (U.K.)
2:09:43
Grete Waitz (Nor.)
2:25:29
1984
Charlie Spedding (U.K.)
2:09:57
Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.)
2:24:26
1985
Steve Jones (U.K.)
2:08:16
Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.)
2:21:06
1986
Toshihiko Seko (Japan)
2:10:02
Grete Waitz (Nor.)
2:24:54
1987
Hironi Taniuchi (Japan)
2:09:50
Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.)
2:22:48
1988
Henrik Jorgensen (Den.)
2:10:20
Ingrid Kristiansen (Nor.)
2:25:41
1989
Douglas Wakiihuri (Kenya)
2:09:03
Veronique Marot (U.K.)
2:26:56
1990
Alister Hutton (U.K.)
2:10:10
Wanda Panfil (Pol.)
2:26:31
1991
Yakov Tolstikov (U.S.S.R.)
2:09:17
Rosa Mota (Port.)
2:26:14
1992
Antonio Pinto (Port.)
2:10:02
Katrin Dorre (Ger.)
2:27:39
1993
Eamonn Martin (U.K.)
2:10:50
Katrin Dorre (Ger.)
2:27:09
1994
Dionicio Ceron (Mex.)
2:08:53
Katrin Dorre (Ger.)
2:32:34
1995
Dionicio Ceron (Mex.)
2:08:30
Malgorzata Sobanska (Pol.)
2:27:43
1996
Dionicio Ceron (Mex.)
2:10:00
Liz McColgan (U.K.)
2:27:54
1997
Antonio Pinto (Port.)
2:07:55
Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya)
2:26:51
1998
Abel Anton (Spain)
2:07:57
Catherina McKiernan (Ire.)
2:26:26
1999
Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Mor.)
2:07:57
Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya)
2:23:22
2000
Antonio Pinto (Port.)
2:06:36
Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
2:24:33
2001
Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Mor.)
2:07:11
Derartu Tulu (Eth.)
2:23:57
2002
Khalid Khannouchi (U.S.)
2:05:38
Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)
2:18:56
2003
Gezahegne Abera (Eth.)
2:07:56
Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)
2:15:25
2004
Evans Rutto (Kenya)
2:06:18
Margaret Okayo (Kenya)
2:22:35
2005
Martin Lel (Kenya)
2:07:26
Paula Radcliffe (U.K.)
2:17:42
2006
Felix Limo (Kenya)
2:06:39
Deena Kastor (U.S.)
2:19:36
2007
Martin Lel (Kenya)
2:07:41
Zhou Chunxiu (China)
2:20:38
2008
Martin Lel (Kenya)
2:05:15
Irina Mikitenko (Ger.)
2:24:14
2009
Samuel Wanjiru (Kenya)
2:05:10
Irina Mikitenko (Ger.)
2:22:11
2010
Tsegaye Kebede (Eth.)
2:05:19
Aselefech Mergia (Eth.)**
2:22:38
2011
Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya)
2:04:40
Mary Keitany (Kenya)
2:19:19
2012
Wilson Kipsang (Kenya)
2:04:44
Mary Keitany (Kenya)
2:18:37
2013
Tsegaye Kebede (Eth.)
2:06:04
Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya)
2:20:15
2014
Wilson Kipsang (Kenya)
2:04:29
Edna Kiplagat (Kenya)
2:20:21
2015
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:04:42
Tigist Tufa (Eth.)
2:23:22
2016
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:03:05
Jemima Sumgong (Kenya)
2:22:58
2017
Daniel Wanjiru (Kenya)
2:05:48
Mary Keitany (Kenya)
2:17:01
2018
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:04:17
Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya)
2:18:31
2019
Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)
2:02:37
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:18:20
2020***
Shura Kitata (Eth.)
2:05:41
Brigid Kosgei (Kenya)
2:18:58
2021
Sisay Lemma (Eth.)
2:04:01
Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya)
2:17:43
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