# List of marathoners

This is a list of marathoners who are athletes notable for their achievements in the marathon. For a list of people notable in other fields who have also run marathons, see List of marathoners who are non-running specialists.

## Legend

| Symbol/Column | Description |
| | Gold medal in the Olympics, IAAF World Championships or World Marathon Majors |
| | Silver medal in the Olympics, IAAF World Championships or World Marathon Majors |
| | Bronze medal in the Olympics, IAAF World Championships or World Marathon Majors |
| (#) | Placement in any major marathon competition ranked 4th or below |
| Name | Athlete's name |
| Name | Names in bold are current or former world record holders. |
| Country | Athlete's citizenship during competition |
| Olympics | Placement in the Olympics |
| IAAF WC | Medal years in the IAAF World Championships |
| WMM | Placement in the World Marathon Majors |
| 1st | Marathon Victories. Number of times athlete placed first in a marathon (excludes Olympics and World Championships) |
| Career Best | Fastest marathon time during career |
| Other | Other notable information |

## Men

| Name | Country | Olympics | IAAF WC | WMM | 1s | Career Best | Other |
| Gezahegne Abera | Ethiopia | 2000 | 2001 | | 5 | 2:07:54 | First to win gold at Olympics and World Championships |
| Abel Antón | Spain | | 1997 1999 | | 2 | 2:07:54 | First to win two golds at World Championships |
| Stefano Baldini | Italy | 2004 (12) 2008 | 2001 2003 | | 3 | | Two time European champion |
| Dick Beardsley | United States | | | | 3 | | The "Duel in the Sun" with Alberto Salazar at the 1982 Boston Marathon. |
| Abebe Bikila | Ethiopia | 1960 1964 | | | | | First black African gold medalist by winning in Rome barefoot, previous world record holder |
| Gelindo Bordin | Italy | 1988 | 1987 | | 6 | | Two time European champion |
| Amby Burfoot | United States | | | | 1 | 2:14:28 | Boston Marathon winner |
| Dionicio Cerón | Mexico | | | | 7 | 2:12:13 | |
| Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot | Kenya | | | 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 | 7 | 2:07:14 | |
| Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot | Kenya | | | | 2 | 2:05:52 | |
| Waldemar Cierpinski | East Germany | 1976 1980 | 1983 | | | | |
| Andrea Cionna | Italy | | | | | 2:31:59 | World record holder for the fastest marathon run by a totally blind man |
| Derek Clayton | Australia | | | | | 2:08:34 | The first to run a world record under 02:10:00 |
| Robert de Castella | Australia | | 1983 | | 4 | 2:07:51 | Former marathon world record holder; holds Australian national record |
| Belayneh Densamo | Ethiopia | | | | 7 | 2:06:50 | Held the world record for the span of 10 years. |
| Leonard Edelen | United States | 1964 | | | | 2:14:28 | In 1963, he became the first American to hold the world record since 1925. |
| Steve Edwards | | | | | | | First person to complete 500 sub 3:30:00 marathons |
| Stefaan Engels | Belgium | | | | | | First person to complete 365 marathons in 365 days |
| Martín Fiz | Spain | (4) 1996 | 1995 1997 | | 3 | | |
| Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | | | 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 | 9 | 2:03:59 | Winner of many distance racing championships and holder of 27 world records |
| Jaouad Gharib | Morocco | 2008 | 2003 2005 | | | 2:05:27 | |
| Rodolfo Gómez | Mexico | (19) 1976 (6) 1980 | | | 3 | 2:09:33 | |
| Ryan Hall | United States | (10) 2008 (DNF) 2012 | | | | 2:04:58 | |
| Hal Higdon | United States | | | | | | Freelance writer for Runner's World; a founder of Road Runners Club of America |
| Ron Hill | United Kingdom | 1964 1972 | | | | 2:09:28 | |
| Hwang Young-Cho | South Korea | 1992 | | | 3 | 2:08:09 | |
| Juma Ikangaa | Tanzania | (6) 1984 (7) 1988 (34) 1992 | | | | | |
| Steve Jones | United Kingdom | | | | 4 | 2:07:13 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Veikko Karvonen | Finland | (5) 1952 | | | | | |
| Yuki Kawauchi | Japan | | (18) 2011, 2013 | | 10 | 2:07:27 | More than 100 sub 2:20 marathons |
| Tsegaye Kebede | Ethiopia | 2008 | 2009 | (5) 2008/2009 2009/2010 | 4 | 2:05:18 | |
| Meb Keflezighi | United States | 2004 | | | 1 | 2:08:37 | |
| Khalid Khannouchi | Morocco United States | | | | 5 | 2:05:42 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Dennis Kipruto Kimetto | Kenya | | | | | 2:02:57 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Eliud Kipchoge | Kenya | 2016 | | | | 2:01:39 | Current marathon world record holder (2018) |
| Stephen Kiprotich | Uganda | 2012 | 2013 | | | 2:07:20 | |
| Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich | Kenya | 2012 | | | | 2:03:42 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Abel Kirui | Kenya | 2012 | 2009 2011 | | | 2:06:51 | |
| Hannes Kolehmainen | Finland | 1920 | | | | | |
| Lee Bong-Ju | South Korea | 1996 | | | | 2:07:20 | Winner of the Boston Marathon in 2001 |
| Martin Lel | Kenya | | | 2007/2008 2006/2007 | 5 | 2:05:15 | |
| Vanderlei de Lima | Brazil | 2004 | | | | | |
| Tom Longboat | Canada | | | | | | |
| Carlos Lopes | Portugal | 1984 | | | | 2:07:12 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Frederick Lorz | United States | | | | 1 | | Disqualified from 1904 Olympics after crossing first, but legitimately won the Boston Marathon a year later |
| Spyridon Louis | Greece | 1896 | | | | | First Olympic gold medalist for the marathon |
| Patrick Makau | Kenya | | | 2011 | 1 | 2:03:38 | Former marathon world record holder |
| Deriba Merga | Ethiopia | | | | 2 | 2:06:39 | |
| Greg Meyer | United States | | | | 2 | 2:09:00 | Won 1983 Boston Marathon |
| Franjo Mihalić | Independent State of Croatia Yugoslavia | 1956 | | | 1 | 2:21:24 | |
| Alain Mimoun | France | 1956 | | | | | |
| Steve Moneghetti | Australia | (5) 1988 1992 1996 (10) 2000 | 1997 | | | | |
| Koichi Morishita | Japan | 1992 | | | 2 | 2:08:53 | |
| Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai | Kenya | 2009 | | | 1 | | |
| Takeyuki Nakayama | Japan | (4) 1988 (4) 1992 | | | 5 | 2:08:15 | |
| Gerard Nijboer | Netherlands | 1980 | | | | 2:09:01 | |
| Tsuyoshi Ogata | Japan | | (12) 2003 2005 (5) 2007 | | 1 | 2:08:37 | |
| Benjamín Paredes | Mexico | (8) 1996 (64) 2000 | | | 2 | 2:10:40 | |
| Jim Peters | United Kingdom | | | | | 2:19:22 | Set the World Record four times, the first person to have run a sub-2:20:00 marathon. |
| António Pinto | Portugal | 1988 1992 (14) 1996 (11) 2000 | | | 4 | 2:06:36 | One of two holders of European record |
| Orlando Pizzolato | Italy | (16) 1988 | (7) 1987 | | 3 | 2:10:57 | |
| Hendrick Ramaala | South Africa | (12) 2000 | (9) 2003 (27) 2007 | | 2 | 2:09:28 | |
| Julio Rey | Spain | | (37) 2001 2003 (8) 2005 | | 4 | 2:06:52 | |
| Bill Rodgers | United States | (40) 1976 | | | 22 | 2:09:27 | Posted multiple major victories in the late 1970s. Held the American record multiple times. |
| Alberto Salazar | United States | | | | 4 | 2:08:13 | Won the New York Marathon for 3 consecutive years |
| Marílson Gomes dos Santos | Brazil | | | | 2 | 2:08:43 | First South American to win the New York Marathon |
| Nobuyuki Sato | Japan | | 1999 | | | 2:08:48 | |
| Toshihiko Seko | Japan | (14) 1984 (9) 1988 | | | 10 | 2:08:27 | |
| Morio Shigematsu | Japan | | | | 6 | 2:12:00 | Held world record June 12, 1965 – December 3, 1967 |
| Frank Shorter | United States | 1972 1976 | | | | 2:10:30 | Only American to win multiple medals in the Olympic marathon |
| Silvio Guerra | Ecuador | (14) 2000 | | | 2 | 2:09:49 | Holds Ecuadorian Marathon Record since 1997 |
| Germán Silva | Mexico | (6) 1996 | | | 2 | 2:08:56 | Won the New York Marathon for two consecutive years |
| Fauja Singh | United Kingdom | | | | | | Holder of multiple records in the 90+ age group |
| Shigeru So | Japan | | | | 6 | 2:09:05 | |
| Takeshi So | Japan | (4) 1984 | | | 4 | 2:08:55 | |
| Sohn Kee-chung | Japan | 1936 | | | 9 | 2:25:14 | First Korean Olympic Champion in any discipline, while representing Japan. Held the World Record for the longest span of 11.5 years. |
| Albin Stenroos | France | 1924 | | | | | |
| Toshinari Takaoka | Japan | | (4) 2005 | | 1 | 2:06:16 | |
| Hiromi Taniguchi | Japan | (8) 1992 | 1991 | | 5 | 2:07:40 | |
| Josia Thugwane | South Africa | 1996 (20) 2000 | | | 4 | 2:07:28 | |
| Tesfaye Tola | Ethiopia | 2000 | | | | 2:06:57 | |
| Erick Wainaina | Kenya | 1996 2000 (7) 2004 | (18) 1995 | | 7 | 2:08:43 | One of the few athletes in Olympic history to finish in the top 10 at three separate marathons |
| Samuel Wanjiru | Kenya | 2008 | | (4) 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 | 4 | 2:05:10 | Holds current Olympic record |
| Mamo Wolde | Ethiopia | 1968 1972 | | | | | |
| Dimitrion Yordanidis | Greece | | | | | | Oldest man to complete a marathon, at age 98 |
| Emil Zátopek | Czechoslovakia | 1952 (6) 1956 | | | | | Won Olympic gold in his first marathon in Olympic record time |
| Sondre Nordstad Moen | Norway | | | | | 2:05:48 | First European runner to finish under 2:06:00 (Fukuoka, 2017). |

## Women

| Name | Country | Olympics | IAAF WC | WMM | 1st | Career Best | Other | Ref |
| Tomoe Abe | Japan | | 1993 | | 3 | 2:26:09 | | Holder of IAAF 100 km Road Women's World Record |
| Yukiko Akaba | Japan | | (5) 2011 | | | 2:24:08 | | |
| Elfenesh Alemu | Ethiopia | (6) 2000 (4) 2004 | | | 3 | 2:24:29 | | |
| Yuko Arimori | Japan | 1992 1996 | | | 2 | 2:26:39 | | |
| Junko Asari | Japan | | 1993 | | 3 | 2:26:10 | | |
| Joan Benoit | United States | 1984 | | | 3 | 2:21:21 | First female gold medalist in women's marathon | |
| Carla Beurskens | Netherlands | (22) 1984 (34) 1988 | (17) 1987 | | 14 | 2:28:27 | | |
| Joyce Chepchumba | Kenya | 2000 | | | | 2:23:22 | | |
| Masako Chiba | Japan | | 2003 | | 4 | 2:21:45 | | |
| Zhou Chunxiu | China | 2008 | | | | 2:19:51 | | |
| Constantina Diţă-Tomescu | Romania | 2008 | | | 1 | 2:21:30 | | |
| Adriana Fernández | Mexico | | | | 1 | 2:24:06 | First Mexican woman to win the New York City Marathon, in a time of 2:25:06 | |
| Franca Fiacconi | Italy | | (13) 1997 | | 1 | 2:25:17 | | |
| Katrin Dörre-Heinig | East Germany Germany | 1988 (5) 1992 (4) 1996 | 1991 (6) 1993 | | 17 | 2:24:35 | | |
| Kayoko Fukushi | Japan | | 2013 | | | 2:24:21 | | |
| Jacqueline Gareau | Canada | | (5) 1983 | | 3 | 2:30:58 | | |
| Tiki Gelana | Ethiopia | 2012 | | | 1 | 2:18:58 | | |
| Bobbi Gibb | United States | | | | 3 | | First woman to run the entire Boston Marathon | |
| Kara Goucher | United States | | (10) 2009 | | | 2:25:53 | | |
| Lidiya Grigoryeva | Russia | | | | 4 | 2:25:10 | | |
| Ari Ichihashi | Japan | | 1999 | | | 2:27:02 | | |
| Helena Javornik | | | | | 3 | 2:27:33 | | |
| Priscah Jeptoo | Kenya | 2012 | 2011 | | | 2:20:14 | | |
| Olivera Jevtić | Serbia | | | | 4 | 2:25:23 | | |
| Deena Kastor | United States | 2004 | | | | 2:19:36 | | |
| Mary Keitany | Kenya | | | 2010/2011 | | 2:18:37 | | |
| Edna Kiplagat | Kenya | | | 2010/2011 | | 2:19:50 | | |
| Lornah Kiplagat | Kenya | | | | 4 | 2:22:22 | | |
| Renata Kokowska | Poland | | | | 3 | 2:26:20 | | |
| Brigid Kosgei | Kenya} | | | | | 2:14:04 | Current marathon world record holder (2019) | |
| Salina Kosgei | Kenya | | | 2009/2010 | | 2:23:22 | | |
| Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | | 1987 (7) 1991 | | 15 | 2:21:06 | One of the best female distance runners in the 1980s | |
| Véronique Marot | United Kingdom | (16) 1992 | (22) 1987 | | 4 | 2:25:56 | | |
| Lisa Martin | Australia | 1988 | | | 5 | 2:23:51 | | |
| Catherina McKiernan | Ireland | | | | 3 | 2:22:23 | Multiple medalist at the World Cross Country Championships. | |
| Irina Mikitenko | Germany | | | 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 | | 2:19:19 | | |
| Lorraine Moller | New Zealand | (5) 1984 (33) 1988 1992 (46) 1992 | | | 9 | 2:28:17 | | |
| Rosa Mota | Portugal | 1984 1988 | 1987 | | 6 | 2:23:29 | Awarded 1988 Abebe Bikila Award | |
| Catherine Ndereba | Kenya | 2004 2008 | 2003 2005 2007 | | 7 | 2:18:47 | | |
| Mizuki Noguchi | Japan | 2004 | 2003 | | 5 | 2:19:12 | Asia Record holder, Course Record holder of Berlin Marathon | |
| Yoshimi Ozaki | Japan | | 2009 | | 2 | 2:23:130 | | |
| Tatyana Petrova Arkhipova | Russia | 2012 | | | | 2:23:29 | | |
| Uta Pippig | East Germany Germany | | (6) 1991 | | | 2:21:45 | First woman to win the Boston Marathon three consecutive times | |
| Jeļena Prokopčuka | Latvia | | 2 | | 3 | 2:24:41 2:25:05 | | |
| Paula Radcliffe | United Kingdom | | 2005 | | 8 | 2:15:25 | Holder of several long-distance world records | |
| Fatuma Roba | Ethiopia | 1996 (9) 2000 | (19) 1995 (13) 2001 | | 5 | 2:23:21 | | |
| Allison Roe | New Zealand | | | | 2 | 2:25:29 | | |
| Yoko Shibui | Japan | | | | 4 | 2:19:41 | | |
| Liliya Shobukhova | Russia | | | 2009/2010 2010/2011 | | 2:18:20 | | |
| Lidia Șimon | Romania | 2000 | | | | 2:22:54 | | |
| Hiromi Suzuki | Japan | | 1997 | | 2 | 2:26:27 | | |
| Kathrine Switzer | United States | | | | 1 | 2:51:37 | First woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry | |
| Naoko Takahashi | Japan | 2000 | | | 7 | 2:19:46 | | |
| Reiko Tosa | Japan | | 2001 2007 | | 3 | 2:22:46 | | |
| Grete Waitz | Norway | 1984 | 1983 | | 13 | 2:24:54 | | |
| Gete Wami | Ethiopia | | | 2006/2007 2007/2008 | 4 | 2:21:34 | | |
| Sachiko Yamashita | Japan | (4) 1992 | 1991 | | | 2:29:57 | | |
| Valentina Yegorova | Russia | 1992 1996 | | | 1 | 2:23:33 | | |