Women · World record

Marathon

The current record and its documented progression: 10 ratified records from 2002 to 2026, with 29 listed as world bests before ratification, 8 otherwise annotated shown in place.

Current record

2:09:56

Ruth Chepng'etichKENChicago · 13 Oct 2024

1 year standing354 s improvementAll-time top 50 →

Record progression

Each step is a documented record; hollow marks were rescinded, not ratified or are pending

1918 · 5:40:00 Marie-Louise Ledru (Annotated)1926 · 3:40:22 Violet Piercy (World best)1963 · 3:37:07 Merry Lepper (World best)1964 · 3:27:45 Dale Greig (World best)1964 · 3:19:33 Mildred Sampson (World best)1967 · 3:14:23 Maureen Wilton (World best)1967 · 3:07:27.2 Anni Pede-Erdkamp (World best)1970 · 3:02:53 Caroline Walker (World best)1971 · 3:01:42 Elizabeth Bonner (World best)1971 · 2:55:22 Elizabeth Bonner (World best)1971 · 2:49:40 Cheryl Bridges (World best)1973 · 2:46:36 Michiko Gorman (World best)1974 · 2:46:24 Chantal Langlacé (World best)1974 · 2:43:54.5 Jacqueline Hansen (World best)1975 · 2:42:24 Liane Winter (World best)1975 · 2:40:15.8 Christa Vahlensieck (World best)1975 · 2:38:19 Jacqueline Hansen (World best)1977 · 2:35:15.4 Chantal Langlacé (World best)1977 · 2:34:47.5 Christa Vahlensieck (World best)1978 · 2:32:29.8 Grete Waitz (World best)1979 · 2:27:32.6 Grete Waitz (World best)1980 · 2:31:23 Joan Benoit (Annotated)1980 · 2:30:57.1 Patti Catalano (Annotated)1980 · 2:25:41.3 Grete Waitz (World best)1980 · 2:30:27 Joyce Smith (Annotated)1981 · 2:29:57 Joyce Smith (Annotated)1981 · 2:25:28 Allison Roe (World best)1982 · 2:29:01.6 Charlotte Teske (Annotated)1982 · 2:26:12 Joan Benoit (Annotated)1983 · 2:25:28.7 Grete Waitz (World best)1983 · 2:22:43 Joan Benoit (World best)1984 · 2:24:26 Ingrid Kristiansen (Annotated)1985 · 2:21:06 Ingrid Kristiansen (World best)1998 · 2:20:47 Tegla Loroupe (World best)1999 · 2:20:43 Tegla Loroupe (World best)2001 · 2:19:46 Naoko Takahashi (World best)2001 · 2:18:47 Catherine Ndereba (World best)2002 · 2:17:18 Paula Radcliffe2003 · 2:15:25 Paula Radcliffe2005 · 2:17:42 Paula Radcliffe2017 · 2:17:01 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany2019 · 2:14:04 Brigid Kosgei2023 · 2:11:53 Tigst Assefa2024 · 2:16:16 Peres Jepchirchir2024 · 2:09:56 Ruth Chepng'etich2025 · 2:15:50 Tigst Assefa2026 · 2:15:41 Tigst Assefa 2:09:56.05:40:00.0

19181973 · Gorman 2:46:361980 · Waitz 2:25:41.32001 · Takahashi 2:19:462026 · Assefa 2:15:41

Documented records

10 ratified · 29 world bests · 8 annotated · most recent first · Wikipedia (EN) revision 1372025651, imported 2 Sep 2026

MarkAthleteNationVenueDateStood
2:15:41 Tigst Assefa ETH London Marathon 26 Apr 2026 131 d
2:15:50 Tigst Assefa ETH London Marathon 27 Apr 2025 364 d
2:09:56 Ruth Chepng'etich KEN Chicago Marathon 13 Oct 2024 196 d
2:16:16 Peres Jepchirchir KEN London Marathon 21 Apr 2024 175 d
2:11:53 Tigst Assefa ETH Berlin Marathon 24 Sep 2023 210 d
2:14:04 Brigid Kosgei KEN Chicago Marathon 13 Oct 2019 3 yrs
2:17:01 Mary Keitany KEN London Marathon 23 Apr 2017 2 yrs
2:17:42 Paula Radcliffe GBR London Marathon 17 Apr 2005 12 yrs
2:15:25 Paula Radcliffe GBR London Marathon 13 Apr 2003 2 yrs
2:17:18 Paula Radcliffe GBR Chicago Marathon 13 Oct 2002 182 d
2:18:47 Catherine Ndereba World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance KEN Chicago Marathon 7 Oct 2001
2:19:46 Naoko Takahashi World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance JPN Berlin Marathon 30 Sep 2001
2:20:43 Tegla Loroupe World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance KEN Berlin Marathon 26 Sep 1999
2:20:47 Tegla Loroupe World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance KEN Rotterdam Marathon 19 Apr 1998
2:21:06 Ingrid Kristiansen World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NOR London Marathon 21 Apr 1985
2:24:26 Ingrid Kristiansen AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) NOR London Marathon 13 May 1984
2:22:43 Joan Benoit World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Boston Marathon 18 Apr 1983
2:25:28.7 Grete Waitz World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NOR London Marathon 17 Apr 1983
2:26:12 Joan Benoit AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) USA Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States 12 Sep 1982
2:29:01.6 Charlotte Teske AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) FRG Miami, United States 16 Jan 1982
2:25:28 Allison Roe World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NZL New York City Marathon 25 Oct 1981
2:29:57 Joyce Smith AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) GBR London Marathon 29 Mar 1981
2:30:27 Joyce Smith AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) GBR Tokyo, Japan 16 Nov 1980
2:25:41.3 Grete Waitz World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NOR New York City Marathon 26 Oct 1980
2:30:57.1 Patti Catalano AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) USA Montreal, Canada 6 Sep 1980
2:31:23 Joan Benoit AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) USA Auckland, New Zealand 3 Feb 1980
2:27:32.6 Grete Waitz World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NOR New York City Marathon 21 Oct 1979
2:32:29.8 Grete Waitz World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance NOR New York City Marathon 22 Oct 1978
2:34:47.5 Christa Vahlensieck World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRG Berlin Marathon 10 Sep 1977
2:35:15.4 Chantal Langlacé World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRA Oiartzun, Spain 1 May 1977
2:38:19 Jacqueline Hansen World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Nike OTC Marathon, Eugene, United States 12 Oct 1975
2:40:15.8 Christa Vahlensieck World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRG Dülmen 3 May 1975
2:42:24 Liane Winter World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRG Boston Marathon 21 Apr 1975
2:43:54.5 Jacqueline Hansen World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Culver City, United States 1 Dec 1974
2:46:24 Chantal Langlacé World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRA Neuf-Brisach, France 27 Oct 1974
2:46:36 Michiko Gorman World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Culver City, United States 2 Dec 1973
2:49:40 Cheryl Bridges World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Culver City, United States 5 Dec 1971
2:55:22 Elizabeth Bonner World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA New York City Marathon 19 Sep 1971
3:01:42 Elizabeth Bonner World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Philadelphia, United States 9 May 1971
3:02:53 Caroline Walker World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance USA Seaside, OR 28 Feb 1970
3:07:27.2 Anni Pede-Erdkamp World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance FRG Waldniel, West Germany 16 Sep 1967
3:14:23 Maureen Wilton World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance CAN Toronto, Canada 6 May 1967
3:19:33 Mildred Sampson World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptancePeter Heidenstrom, a statistician for Athletics New Zealand, has been reported as providing a date of December 1964, however, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of Sampson's performance was August 16, 1964. Other sources from August to October 1964 support the August date. The ARRS also notes that Sampson's mark was set during a time trial and does not recognize it in their progression of marathon world bests. NZL Auckland, New Zealand 21 Jul 1964
3:27:45 Dale Greig World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptance GBR Ryde 23 May 1964
3:37:07 Merry Lepper World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptanceThe Association of Road Racing Statisticians notes the date of the race as December 14, 1963. USA Culver City, United States 16 Dec 1963
3:40:22 Violet Piercy World bestListed by World Athletics as a world best prior to official acceptancePiercy's mark was set on the Polytechnic Marathon course between Windsor and London. A number of sources, including Kathrine Switzer, have reported that the venue for Piercy's mark was the actual Polytechnic Marathon, however, records from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians confirm that the 1926 Polytechnic Marathon was held on May 18. GBR London 3 Oct 1926
5:40:00 Marie-Louise Ledru AnnotatedRecognized by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) FRA Tour de Paris Marathon 29 Sep 1918

Rows link to a profile only where the athlete appears on a published list. Struck marks were rescinded or never ratified, and A marks a performance at altitude; both come from the source article's own key and markers, and eras are kept as it lists them. Nothing is inferred.