# Athletics at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's marathon

The men's marathon at the 2024 Summer Olympics was held in Paris, France, on 10 August 2024. This was the 30th time that the men's marathon was contested at the Summer Olympics.

## Summary

All three medalists in Tokyo returned: 2016 and 2020 gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya, 2020 silver medalist Abdi Nageeye from the Netherlands, and 2020 bronze medalist Bashir Abdi from Belgium. Kipchoge, the champion of the past two Olympic marathons, sought to make history with a victory in Paris becoming the first athlete to win three Olympic gold medals in the marathon. 2022 World Championship gold medalist Tamirat Tola, who also took silver back in 2017 and a track 10,000 bronze medal from 2016, came here as the alternate filling the shoes of injured Sisay Lemma. Abdi was also bronze medalist in 2022. 2023 World Champion Victor Kiplangat and silver medalist Maru Teferi are also entered. One athlete, Yaseen Abdalla, made his marathon debut after gaining entry through a universality spot. The marathon world record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, was killed in a car accident in February 2024.
For most of the first 5K, nearly 43 year old Bat-Ochiryn Ser-Od run in front of the pack. For most of the next 5K, Héctor Garibay migrated to the front barely ahead of a large pack. Around 12K Eyob Faniel made the first significant break, dropping the pace down to 3:00 per kilometre while the field was going closer to 3:07. Faniel had 23 seconds over the field at 15K but the first series of hills had already begun. The hills broke apart the large pack, the lead "chase group" included Tamirat Tola, Bashir Abdi, Conner Mantz, Alphonce Simbu, Akira Akasaki, Elroy Gelant, Suguru Osako, with Deresa Geleta and Clayton Young hanging on the back. Faniel was slowing on the hills, with the chasers only 11 seconds behind at 20K. Tola would decide to accelerate on his own to bridge the gap. Still running uphill, a gap had opened up behind Tola, causing Mantz to take off to regain contact, with the two catching Faniel just over half a kilometer later. The three crossed the half marathon mark in 1:04:51. Geleta was next, 7 seconds back. With the easy downhill section, it took the lead chase group a little over 2K to catch back up to the leaders. By 25K, the lead pack had again congealed into 15 runners, Akasaki slightly in the lead. Faniel was no longer with the leaders, the next straggler behind. Just before 28K, the hills began again. Akasaki continued to lead for the first hill, but then Tola went by him and continued to open up a gap. Behind him, the lead pack was disintegrating. By the 29K marker, it was a 7 second gap back to Emile Cairess, the next chaser. After a water station near the top of the hill, Tola started the downhill, passing 30K 11 seconds ahead of Cairess. Geleta, Abdi and Akasaki were the next over the top. With the steep descent, the order shifted again. Geleta passed Cairess. Akasaki passed Abdi. Then Simbu, roaring down the hill, passed all of them. Geleta then responded and moved back ahead of Simbu. By the time they reached the bottom of the hill near 33K, Tola was maintaining a 13 second gap. The group behind him were tightening up. Tebello Ramakongoana and Benson Kipruto ran fastest of all down the hill to latch onto the chase group. With 5K remaining, Geleta, Abdi and Kipruto broke into a chase group separating from the next chaser, Akasaki. Tola's lead was out to 27 seconds. Seconds later, Kipruto looked around at the situation and suddenly was losing contact. With a kilometre to go, Abdi brought the gap down to 17 seconds. Tola finished with the time 2:06:26 and setting a new Olympic record. 21 seconds later, Abdi finished for silver 13 seconds ahead of Kipruto. Japan was the first country to get three across the finish line, ahead of Ethiopia and Italy.

## Background

The men's marathon has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since the inaugural edition in 1896, making this the 30th appearance of the event.

## Course

The marathon course began at the Hôtel de Ville and traversed many of the host city's most iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre before concluding at Les Invalides. Paris officials have stated the route has taken inspiration from the Women's March on Versailles. Due to the elevation profile, the course has been discussed as one of the more challenging Olympic marathons. Notably, for the first time in Olympic history, the public had the opportunity to run the marathon course. Following the Olympic marathon, up to 40,000 runners will be able to participate in a public marathon or a 10k race.

## Records

Prior to this competition, the existing world, Olympic, and area records were as follows.
Global records before the 2024 Summer Olympics :
| Record | Athlete (Nation) | Time | Location | Date |
| World record | Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) | 2:00:35 | Chicago, United States | 8 October 2023 |
| Olympic record | Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) | 2:06:32 | Beijing, China | 24 August 2008 |
| World leading | Benson Kipruto (KEN) | 2:02:16 | Tokyo, Japan | 3 March 2024 |
Area records before the 2024 Summer Olympics :
| Africa (records) | Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) | 2:00:35 WR |
| Asia (records) | El Hassan El Abbassi (BHR) | 2:04:43 |
| Europe (records) | Bashir Abdi (BEL) | 2:03:36 |
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) | Cameron Levins (CAN) | 2:05:36 |
| Oceania (records) | Brett Robinson (AUS) | 2:07:31 |
| South America (records) | Daniel do Nascimento (BRA) | 2:04:51 |

## Qualification

In order to comply with the 80-athlete capacity imposed by the IOC, World Athletics debuted a new qualification system ahead of the Paris games. Each country is eligible to send three athletes to compete in the marathon; however, each spot must be "unlocked" in one of three ways between 6 November 2022 to 30 April 2024. To unlock guaranteed spots for their country, athletes must run under a 2:08:10 in an eligible race within the time period. Athletes may also unlock a spot for their country by placing top five at a World Athletics platinum-level race or by reaching a high-enough World Athletics rankings. The world rankings were used to fill any entries not allocated to time-unlocked spots. Once spots have been unlocked for a country, the National Olympic Federation can select athletes to fill their spots as they see fit. While any athlete can be assigned to an unlocked spot, they must have run at least the Quota Reallocation Time of 2:11:30.
National Olympic Federations could also use a universality spot in the marathon. Any country with no qualified athlete was be allowed to enter their best-ranked runner in the marathon regardless of qualification standards.
The qualification period for the 2024 Olympic Marathon ended on 30 April 2024 and exceeded the 80-athlete target by one entry.
| Qualification standard | No. of athletes | NOC | Nominated athletes |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Belgium | Bashir Abdi Koen Naert Michael Somers |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | China | He Jie Wu Xiangdong [zh] Yang Shaohui |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Eritrea | Samsom Amare Berhane Tesfay Kibrom Weldemicael |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Ethiopia | Kenenisa Bekele Deresa Geleta Sisay Lemma |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | France | Morhad Amdouni Felix Bour Nicolas Navarro |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Germany | Samuel Fitwi Amanal Petros Richard Ringer |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Great Britain | Emile Cairess Mahamed Mahamed Philip Sesemann |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Israel | Maru Teferi Gashau Ayale Girmaw Amare |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Italy | Yemaneberhan Crippa Eyob Faniel Daniele Meucci |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Kenya | Eliud Kipchoge Benson Kipruto Alexander Mutiso |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Morocco | Othmane El Goumri Mohcin Outalha Zouhair Talbi |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Spain | Ibrahim Chakir Tariku Novales Yago Rojo |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 3 | Uganda | Victor Kiplangat Stephen Kissa Andrew Rotich Kwemoi |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Australia | Brett Robinson Patrick Tiernan |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Canada | Cameron Levins Rory Linkletter |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Japan | Naoki Koyama Suguru Osako |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Netherlands | Khalid Choukoud Abdi Nageeye |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Norway | Zerei Kbrom Mezngi Sondre Nordstad Moen |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Switzerland | Tadesse Abraham Matthias Kyburz |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | Tanzania | Gabriel Geay Alphonce Simbu |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 2 | United States | Conner Mantz Clayton Young |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 0 | Bahrain | Marius Kimutai |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Bolivia | Héctor Garibay |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 0 | Brazil | Daniel Ferreira do Nascimento |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Chile | Carlos Díaz |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Djibouti | Bouh Ibrahim |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Guatemala | Alberto González Mindez |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Lesotho | Tebello Ramakongoana |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Peru | Cristhian Pacheco |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Portugal | Samuel Barata |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | South Africa | Stephen Mokoka |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Sweden | Suldan Hassan |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Turkey | Kaan Kigen Özbilen |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Uzbekistan | Shokhrukh Davlatov |
| Entry standard – 2:08:10 | 1 | Zimbabwe | Isaac Mpofu |
| World Athletics Rankings | 1 | Australia | Liam Adams |
| World Athletics Rankings | 1 | Chile | Hugo Catrileo |
| World Athletics Rankings | 1 | Japan | Akira Akasaki |
| World Athletics Rankings | 1 | South Africa | Elroy Gelant |
| World Athletics Rankings | 1 | United States | Leonard Korir |
| Universality Places | 1 | Cape Verde | Samuel Freire |
| Universality Places | 1 | Chad | Valentin Betoudji |
| Universality Places | 1 | Jordan | Mo'ath Alkhawaldeh |
| Universality Places | 1 | Mongolia | Bat-Ochiryn Ser-Od |
| Universality Places | 1 | North Korea | Han Il-ryong |
| Universality Places | 1 | North Macedonia | Dario Ivanovski |
| Universality Places | 1 | Sudan | Yaseen Abdalla |
| Universality Places | 1 | Virgin Islands | Eduardo Garcia |
| Invitational places | 1 | Refugee Olympic Team | Tachlowini Gabriyesos |
| Total | 81 | | |

## Results

The event was held on 10 August, starting at 08:00 (UTC+2) in the morning.
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Time | Time Behind | Notes |
| | Tamirat Tola | Ethiopia | 2:06:26 | | OR |
| | Bashir Abdi | Belgium | 2:06:47 | +0:21 | SB |
| | Benson Kipruto | Kenya | 2:07:00 | +0:34 | |
| 4 | Emile Cairess | Great Britain | 2:07:29 | +1:03 | |
| 5 | Deresa Geleta | Ethiopia | 2:07:31 | +1:05 | |
| 6 | Akira Akasaki | Japan | 2:07:32 | +1:06 | PB |
| 7 | Tebello Ramakongoana | Lesotho | 2:07:58 | +1:32 | NR |
| 8 | Conner Mantz | United States | 2:08:12 | +1:46 | SB |
| 9 | Clayton Young | United States | 2:08:44 | +2:18 | SB |
| 10 | Samsom Amare | Eritrea | 2:08:56 | +2:30 | SB |
| 11 | Elroy Gelant | South Africa | 2:09:07 | +2:41 | |
| 12 | Richard Ringer | Germany | 2:09:18 | +2:52 | SB |
| 13 | Suguru Osako | Japan | 2:09:25 | +2:59 | SB |
| 14 | Bouh Ibrahim | Djibouti | 2:09:31 | +3:05 | SB |
| 15 | Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu | Germany | 2:09:50 | +3:24 | |
| 16 | Nicolas Navarro | France | 2:09:56 | +3:30 | SB |
| 17 | Alphonce Simbu | Tanzania | 2:10:03 | +3:37 | |
| 18 | Othmane El Goumri | Morocco | 2:10:06 | +3:40 | |
| 19 | Isaac Mpofu | Zimbabwe | 2:10:09 | +3:43 | SB |
| 20 | Hassan Chahdi | France | 2:10:09 | +3:43 | |
| 21 | Alexander Mutiso Munyao | Kenya | 2:10:31 | +4:05 | |
| 22 | Michael Somers | Belgium | 2:10:32 | +4:06 | |
| 23 | Naoki Koyama | Japan | 2:10:33 | +4:07 | |
| 24 | Patrick Tiernan | Australia | 2:10:34 | +4:08 | |
| 25 | Yemaneberhan Crippa | Italy | 2:10:36 | +4:10 | |
| 26 | Maru Teferi | Israel | 2:10:42 | +4:16 | SB |
| 27 | Stephen Mokoka | South Africa | 2:10:59 | +4:33 | |
| 28 | Suldan Hassan | Sweden | 2:11:21 | +4:55 | |
| 29 | Han Il-ryong | North Korea | 2:11:21 | +4:55 | |
| 30 | Matthias Kyburz | Switzerland | 2:11:32 | +5:06 | |
| 31 | Gashau Ayale | Israel | 2:11:36 | +5:10 | |
| 32 | Sondre Nordstad Moen | Norway | 2:11:39 | +5:13 | SB |
| 33 | Yaseen Abdalla | Sudan | 2:11:41 | +5:15 | NR |
| 34 | Ibrahim Chakir | Spain | 2:11:44 | +5:18 | |
| 35 | Zouhair Talbi | Morocco | 2:11:51 | +5:25 | |
| 36 | Cameron Levins | Canada | 2:11:56 | +5:30 | SB |
| 37 | Victor Kiplangat | Uganda | 2:11:59 | +5:33 | |
| 38 | Tadesse Abraham | Switzerland | 2:12:22 | +5:56 | |
| 39 | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia | 2:12:24 | +5:58 | |
| 40 | Wu Xiangdong | China | 2:12:34 | +6:08 | |
| 41 | Yago Rojo | Spain | 2:12:43 | +6:17 | SB |
| 42 | Tachlowini Gabriyesos | Refugee Olympic Team | 2:12:47 | +6:21 | |
| 43 | Eyob Faniel | Italy | 2:12:50 | +6:24 | |
| 44 | Girmaw Amare | Israel | 2:12:51 | +6:25 | SB |
| 45 | Andrew Buchanan | Australia | 2:12:58 | +6:32 | |
| 46 | Philip Sesemann | Great Britain | 2:13:08 | +6:42 | |
| 47 | Rory Linkletter | Canada | 2:13:09 | +6:43 | |
| 48 | Samuel Barata | Portugal | 2:13:23 | +6:57 | SB |
| 49 | Liam Adams | Australia | 2:13:33 | +7:07 | SB |
| 50 | Felix Bour | France | 2:13:46 | +7:20 | SB |
| 51 | Daniele Meucci | Italy | 2:14:02 | +7:36 | |
| 52 | Zerei Kbrom Mezngi | Norway | 2:14:14 | +7:48 | SB |
| 53 | Carlos Díaz | Chile | 2:14:25 | +7:59 | |
| 54 | Henok Tesfay | Eritrea | 2:14:31 | +8:05 | |
| 55 | Yang Shaohui | China | 2:14:48 | +8:22 | |
| 56 | Samuel Freire | Cape Verde | 2:15:05 | +8:39 | |
| 57 | Mahamed Mahamed | Great Britain | 2:15:19 | +8:53 | |
| 58 | Khalid Choukoud | Netherlands | 2:15:25 | +8:59 | SB |
| 59 | Hugo Catrileo | Chile | 2:15:44 | +9:18 | |
| 60 | Héctor Garibay | Bolivia | 2:15:54 | +9:28 | SB |
| 61 | Koen Naert | Belgium | 2:16:33 | +10:07 | SB |
| 62 | Andrew Rotich Kwemoi | Uganda | 2:17:28 | +11:02 | |
| 63 | Leonard Korir | United States | 2:18:45 | +12:19 | |
| 64 | Berhane Tesfay | Eritrea | 2:18:50 | +12:24 | |
| 65 | Mo'ath Alkhawaldeh | Jordan | 2:20:01 | +13:35 | SB |
| 66 | Alberto González Mindez | Guatemala | 2:22:12 | +15:46 | SB |
| 67 | He Jie | China | 2:22:31 | +16:05 | |
| 68 | Tariku Novales | Spain | 2:25:50 | +19:24 | SB |
| 69 | Dario Ivanovski | North Macedonia | 2:28:15 | +21:49 | |
| 70 | Valentin Betoudji | Chad | 2:32:11 | +25:45 | |
| 71 | Bat-Ochiryn Ser-Od | Mongolia | 2:42:33 | +36:07 | |
| — | Abdi Nageeye | Netherlands | – | 40 km | DNF |
| — | Mohcin Outalha | Morocco | – | 35 km | DNF |
| — | Gabriel Gerald Geay | Tanzania | – | 30 km | DNF |
| — | Eliud Kipchoge | Kenya | – | 30 km | DNF |
| — | Shokhrukh Davlatov | Uzbekistan | – | 30 km | DNF |
| — | Amanal Petros | Germany | – | 30 km | DNF |
| — | Stephen Kissa | Uganda | – | 25 km | DNF |
| — | Kaan Kigen Özbilen | Turkey | – | Half | DNF |
| — | Cristhian Pacheco | Peru | – | 15 km | DNF |
| — | Eduardo Garcia | Virgin Islands | – | 5 km | DNF |