Marathon

World and Japan records, men and women — the progressions, the gap between them, and the full timeline.

Men · World

1:59:30

Sabastian Sawe

Kenya · London · 26 Apr 2026

Women · World

2:09:56

Ruth Chepngetich

Kenya · Chicago · 13 Oct 2024

Men · Japan

2:04:55

Suguru Osako

Japan · Valencia · 7 Dec 2025

Women · Japan

2:18:59

Honami Maeda

Japan · Osaka · 28 Jan 2024

World Record

Men · World Record

Current1:59:30Sabastian Sawe· 2026

Date	Time	Athlete	Country	Location
26 Apr 2026	1:59:30	Sabastian Sawe	Kenya	London
8 Oct 2023	2:00:35	Kelvin Kiptum	Kenya	Chicago
25 Sept 2022	2:01:09	Eliud Kipchoge	Kenya	Berlin
16 Sept 2018	2:01:39	Eliud Kipchoge	Kenya	Berlin
28 Sept 2014	2:02:57	Dennis Kimetto	Kenya	Berlin
29 Sept 2013	2:03:23	Wilson Kipsang	Kenya	Berlin
25 Sept 2011	2:03:38	Patrick Makau	Kenya	Berlin
28 Sept 2008	2:03:59	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	Berlin
30 Sept 2007	2:04:26	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	Berlin
28 Sept 2003	2:04:55	Paul Tergat	Kenya	Berlin
14 Apr 2002	2:05:38^WB	Khalid Khannouchi	United States	London
24 Oct 1999	2:05:42^WB	Khalid Khannouchi	Morocco	Chicago
20 Sept 1998	2:06:05^WB	Ronaldo da Costa	Brazil	Berlin
17 Apr 1988	2:06:50^WB	Belayneh Densamo	Ethiopia	Rotterdam
20 Apr 1985	2:07:12^WB	Carlos Lopes	Portugal	Rotterdam
21 Oct 1984	2:08:05^WB	Steve Jones	Great Britain	Chicago
6 Dec 1981	2:08:18^WB	Rob de Castella	Australia	Fukuoka
30 May 1969	2:08:34^WB	Derek Clayton	Australia	Antwerp
3 Dec 1967	2:09:36^WB	Derek Clayton	Australia	Fukuoka
12 Jun 1965	2:12:00^WB	Morio Shigematsu	Japan	Chiswick
21 Oct 1964	2:12:11^WB	Abebe Bikila	Ethiopia	Tokyo
13 Jun 1964	2:13:55^WB	Basil Heatley	Great Britain	Chiswick
15 Jun 1963	2:14:28^WB	Leonard Edelen	United States	Chiswick
17 Feb 1963	2:15:15^WB	Toru Terasawa	Japan	Beppu
10 Sept 1960	2:15:16^WB	Abebe Bikila	Ethiopia	Rome

WB = world best. World Athletics began officially ratifying marathon world records on 1 Jan 2004; earlier marks were world bests (first ratified: Tergat & Radcliffe, 2003).

Japan Record

Men · Japan Record

Current2:04:55Suguru Osako· 2025

Date	Time	Athlete	Location
7 Dec 2025	2:04:55	Suguru Osako	Valencia
28 Feb 2021	2:04:56	Kengo Suzuki	Otsu
1 Mar 2020	2:05:29	Suguru Osako	Tokyo
7 Oct 2018	2:05:50	Suguru Osako	Chicago
25 Feb 2018	2:06:11	Yuta Shitara	Tokyo
13 Oct 2002	2:06:16	Toshinari Takaoka	Chicago
3 Dec 2000	2:06:51	Atsushi Fujita	Fukuoka
2 Feb 1986	2:07:35	Taisuke Kodama	Beppu
14 Apr 1985	2:08:15	Takeyuki Nakayama	Hiroshima
13 Feb 1983	2:08:38	Toshihiko Seko	Tokyo
5 Feb 1978	2:09:05	Shigeru Soh	Beppu
6 Dec 1970	2:10:37	Akio Usami	Fukuoka
12 Jun 1965	2:12:00	Morio Shigematsu	Chiswick
17 Feb 1963	2:15:15	Toru Terasawa	Beppu

World vs Japan

Men · Current Gap

+5:25

World1:59:30Sabastian Sawe

Japan2:04:55Suguru Osako

Record progressions

Current

WR1:59:30Sabastian Sawe· 2026

JPN2:04:55Suguru Osako· 2025

The gap over time

+5:25Current

WR1:59:30Sabastian Sawe· 2026

JPN2:04:55Suguru Osako· 2025

The closer the line gets to zero, the closer Japan is to the world record; when it rises, the world record is pulling away. The gap is plotted at every record change — world or national — so the line always reflects the gap at that moment.

Record Timeline

Date	Time	Athlete	Country	Location	Type
26 Apr 2026	1:59:30	Sabastian Sawe	Kenya	London	World Record
7 Dec 2025	2:04:55	Suguru Osako	Japan	Valencia	Japan Record
13 Oct 2024	2:09:56	Ruth Chepngetich	Kenya	Chicago	World Record
28 Jan 2024	2:18:59	Honami Maeda	Japan	Osaka	Japan Record
8 Oct 2023	2:00:35	Kelvin Kiptum	Kenya	Chicago	World Record
24 Sept 2023	2:11:53	Tigst Assefa	Ethiopia	Berlin	World Record
25 Sept 2022	2:01:09	Eliud Kipchoge	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
28 Feb 2021	2:04:56	Kengo Suzuki	Japan	Otsu	Japan Record
1 Mar 2020	2:05:29	Suguru Osako	Japan	Tokyo	Japan Record
13 Oct 2019	2:14:04	Brigid Kosgei	Kenya	Chicago	World Record
7 Oct 2018	2:05:50	Suguru Osako	Japan	Chicago	Japan Record
16 Sept 2018	2:01:39	Eliud Kipchoge	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
25 Feb 2018	2:06:11	Yuta Shitara	Japan	Tokyo	Japan Record
28 Sept 2014	2:02:57	Dennis Kimetto	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
29 Sept 2013	2:03:23	Wilson Kipsang	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
25 Sept 2011	2:03:38	Patrick Makau	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
28 Sept 2008	2:03:59	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	Berlin	World Record
30 Sept 2007	2:04:26	Haile Gebrselassie	Ethiopia	Berlin	World Record
25 Sept 2005	2:19:12	Mizuki Noguchi	Japan	Berlin	Japan Record
26 Sept 2004	2:19:41	Yoko Shibui	Japan	Berlin	Japan Record
28 Sept 2003	2:04:55	Paul Tergat	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
13 Apr 2003	2:15:25	Paula Radcliffe	Great Britain	London	World Record
13 Oct 2002	2:17:18^WB	Paula Radcliffe	Great Britain	Chicago	World Record
13 Oct 2002	2:06:16	Toshinari Takaoka	Japan	Chicago	Japan Record
14 Apr 2002	2:05:38^WB	Khalid Khannouchi	United States	London	World Record
7 Oct 2001	2:18:47^WB	Catherine Ndereba	Kenya	Chicago	World Record
30 Sept 2001	2:19:46^WB	Naoko Takahashi	Japan	Berlin	World Record
30 Sept 2001	2:19:46	Naoko Takahashi	Japan	Berlin	Japan Record
3 Dec 2000	2:06:51	Atsushi Fujita	Japan	Fukuoka	Japan Record
24 Oct 1999	2:05:42^WB	Khalid Khannouchi	Morocco	Chicago	World Record
26 Sept 1999	2:20:43^WB	Tegla Loroupe	Kenya	Berlin	World Record
6 Dec 1998	2:21:47	Naoko Takahashi	Japan	Bangkok	Japan Record
20 Sept 1998	2:06:05^WB	Ronaldo da Costa	Brazil	Berlin	World Record
19 Apr 1998	2:20:47^WB	Tegla Loroupe	Kenya	Rotterdam	World Record
8 Mar 1998	2:25:48	Naoko Takahashi	Japan	Nagoya	Japan Record
17 Apr 1994	2:25:52	Miyoko Asahina	Japan	Rotterdam	Japan Record
30 Jan 1994	2:26:09	Tomoe Abe	Japan	Osaka	Japan Record
26 Jan 1992	2:26:26	Yumi Kokamo	Japan	Osaka	Japan Record
27 Jan 1991	2:28:01	Yuko Arimori	Japan	Osaka	Japan Record
30 Apr 1989	2:29:23	Kazue Kojima	Japan	Paris	Japan Record
17 Apr 1988	2:06:50^WB	Belayneh Densamo	Ethiopia	Rotterdam	World Record
31 Jan 1988	2:29:37	Misako Miyahara	Japan	Osaka	Japan Record
2 Feb 1986	2:07:35	Taisuke Kodama	Japan	Beppu	Japan Record
21 Apr 1985	2:21:06^WB	Ingrid Kristiansen	Norway	London	World Record
20 Apr 1985	2:07:12^WB	Carlos Lopes	Portugal	Rotterdam	World Record
14 Apr 1985	2:08:15	Takeyuki Nakayama	Japan	Hiroshima	Japan Record
21 Oct 1984	2:08:05^WB	Steve Jones	Great Britain	Chicago	World Record
11 Sept 1983	2:30:30	Akemi Masuda	Japan	Eugene	Japan Record
18 Apr 1983	2:22:43^WB	Joan Benoit	United States	Boston	World Record
17 Apr 1983	2:25:29^WB	Grete Waitz	Norway	London	World Record
13 Feb 1983	2:08:38	Toshihiko Seko	Japan	Tokyo	Japan Record
13 Jun 1982	2:35:00	Nanae Sasaki	Japan	New Zealand	Japan Record
21 Feb 1982	2:36:34	Akemi Masuda	Japan	Hikari, Chiba	Japan Record
6 Dec 1981	2:08:18^WB	Rob de Castella	Australia	Fukuoka	World Record
20 Apr 1981	2:40:56	Nanae Sasaki	Japan	Boston	Japan Record
26 Oct 1980	2:25:42^WB	Grete Waitz	Norway	New York	World Record
21 Oct 1979	2:27:33^WB	Grete Waitz	Norway	New York	World Record
5 Feb 1978	2:09:05	Shigeru Soh	Japan	Beppu	Japan Record
10 Sept 1977	2:34:48^WB	Christa Vahlensieck	West Germany	Berlin	World Record
3 May 1975	2:40:15^WB	Christa Vahlensieck	West Germany	Dülmen	World Record
21 Apr 1975	2:42:24^WB	Liane Winter	West Germany	Boston	World Record
6 Dec 1970	2:10:37	Akio Usami	Japan	Fukuoka	Japan Record
30 May 1969	2:08:34^WB	Derek Clayton	Australia	Antwerp	World Record
3 Dec 1967	2:09:36^WB	Derek Clayton	Australia	Fukuoka	World Record
6 May 1967	3:14:23^WB	Maureen Wilton	Canada	Toronto	World Record
12 Jun 1965	2:12:00^WB	Morio Shigematsu	Japan	Chiswick	World Record
12 Jun 1965	2:12:00	Morio Shigematsu	Japan	Chiswick	Japan Record
21 Oct 1964	2:12:11^WB	Abebe Bikila	Ethiopia	Tokyo	World Record
21 Jul 1964	3:19:33^WB	Mildred Sampson	New Zealand	Auckland	World Record
13 Jun 1964	2:13:55^WB	Basil Heatley	Great Britain	Chiswick	World Record
23 May 1964	3:27:45^WB	Dale Greig	Great Britain	Isle of Wight	World Record
15 Jun 1963	2:14:28^WB	Leonard Edelen	United States	Chiswick	World Record
17 Feb 1963	2:15:15^WB	Toru Terasawa	Japan	Beppu	World Record
17 Feb 1963	2:15:15	Toru Terasawa	Japan	Beppu	Japan Record
10 Sept 1960	2:15:16^WB	Abebe Bikila	Ethiopia	Rome	World Record

WB = world best. World Athletics began officially ratifying marathon world records on 1 Jan 2004; earlier marks were world bests (first ratified: Tergat & Radcliffe, 2003).

Pace your race like the world record — Marathon Pace Calculator→

Exhibit notes

The story of the record

The marathon world record, step by step

The marathon world record begins with Abebe Bikila's 2:15:16 at the 1960 Rome Olympics. It then fell gradually as courses, road surfaces and shoes improved. Derek Clayton was the first man under 2:10 (1967–69), and from the 1980s the flat, fast courses of Berlin, Rotterdam and Chicago became the stage for new records.

Marks set before World Athletics began officially ratifying marathon world records on 1 January 2004 are distinguished as “world bests.” The first ratified record was Paul Tergat's 2:04:55 (Berlin, 2003).

In recent years Kenyan and Ethiopian runners have led the way: Eliud Kipchoge ran 2:01:39 in 2018 and 2:01:09 in 2022, and in 2023 Kelvin Kiptum closed to 2:00:35. In this site's current data, Sabastian Sawe holds the latest world record, the first under two hours (1:59:30, London).

When Japan led the world

It may be surprising, but in the 1960s Japan held the marathon world record. Toru Terasawa's 2:15:15 (Beppu, 1963) and Morio Shigematsu's 2:12:00 (1965) were world bests of their day — the same era in which Bikila won his second straight Olympic title in Tokyo in 1964.

The Japanese record later passed through Shigeru Soh, Toshihiko Seko and Takeyuki Nakayama; in 2021 Kengo Suzuki became the first Japanese man under 2:05 (2:04:56), and Suguru Osako now holds the record at 2:04:55 (Valencia, 2025).

The women's record, since the event opened up

The women's record has a shorter, faster-moving history. Its ratified starting point is Dale Greig's 3:27:45 in 1964. As women's distance running spread in the 1970s the record tumbled, driven by runners such as Grete Waitz and Joan Benoit. In 2001 Naoko Takahashi became the first woman under 2:20 (2:19:46, Berlin), and in 2003 Paula Radcliffe ran 2:15:25 — a mark that stood for sixteen years. The latest world record in our data is Ruth Chepngetich's 2:09:56 (Chicago, 2024), the first under 2:10 for women.

Japan's national record likewise passed from Takahashi to Mizuki Noguchi, whose 2:19:12 (2005) stood for nearly two decades until Honami Maeda ran 2:18:59 in Osaka in 2024.