Tables updated as of Nov. 1, 2026, rank the fastest marathoners and fastest marathon performances on record-eligible courses. On the men's fastest-performers list, Sabastian Sawe leads at 1:59:30 from London 2026, followed by Yomif Kejelcha at 1:59:41 from London 2026 and Jacob Kiplimo at 2:00:28 from London 2026. Kelvin Kiptum is fourth at 2:00:35 from Chicago 2023, and Eliud Kipchoge is fifth at 2:01:09 from Berlin 2022.
Ruth Chepngetich tops the women's fastest-performers list at 2:09:56 from Chicago 2024. Fotyen Tesfay is second at 2:10:51 from Barcelona 2026, and Tigist Assefa is third at 2:11:04 from Berlin 2026. The rankings count each marathoner once on the fastest-performers tables, but the fastest-performances tables can include multiple results from the same runner. Kelvin Kiptum and Eliud Kipchoge each appear twice on the men's fastest-performances list, while Tigist Assefa appears twice on the women's.
The tables are limited to record-eligible courses. Eliud Kipchoge's 1:59:40 in Vienna in 2019 is not included because standard competition rules for pacing and fluids were not followed. Boston course times are also excluded because of the course's point-to-point layout and too-great net elevation drop.
Among American runners, Conner Mantz leads the men at 2:04:43 from Chicago 2025. Clayton Young at 2:05:23 and Charles Hicks at 2:05:35, both from Chicago 2026, are next. Emily Sisson leads U.S. women at 2:18:29 from Chicago 2022, ahead of Keira D'Amato at 2:19:12 from Houston 2022 and Betsy Saina at 2:19:17 from Tokyo 2024.
According to the progression table, the men's world record since 1988 begins with Belayneh Densamo's 2:06:50 in Rotterdam and ends with Sawe's 1:59:30 in London 2026. Recent entries include Kiptum's 2:00:35 in Chicago 2023 and Kipchoge's 2:01:09 in Berlin 2022. The women's progression begins with Tegla Loroupe's 2:20:47 in Rotterdam 1998 and reaches Chepngetich's 2:09:56 in Chicago 2024, after Assefa's 2:11:53 in Berlin 2023.
Sources: Runner's World.