The following table shows the yearly rankings in the marathon since 1921 (men) and 1970 (women), based on the best performance in the classic distance race of 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards).
The data for the women's marathon from 1970 to 1979 is compiled from the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.[1] All other data is compiled from the Association of Road Racing Statisticians.[2]
Key:
| Year | Time | Athlete | Date | Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 2:47:29.8 | 1921-09-20 | Bologna, Italy | ||
| 1922 | 2:46:26 | 1922-09-10 | Helsinki, Finland | ||
| 1923 | 2:40:47 | 1923-06-16 | Windsor, England | ||
| 1924 | 2:36:10 | 1924-04-12 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1925 | 2:35:59 | 1925-05-30 | Windsor, England | ||
| 1926 | 2:34:25 | 1926-09-12 | Helsinki, Finland | ||
| 1927 | 2:35:21.4 | 1927-09-11 | Helsinki, Finland | ||
| 1928 | 2:32:57 | 1928-08-05 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1929 | 2:30:57.6 | 1929-07-05 | Stamford Bridge, England | ||
| 1930 | 2:36:33 | 1930-05-28 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1931 | 2:33:19 | 1931-10-28 | Košice, Slovakia | ||
| 1932 | 2:31:31 | 1932-04-30 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1933 | 2:31:10 | 1933-11-03 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1934 | 2:32:56 | 1934-11-23 | Osaka, Japan | ||
| 1935 | 2:26:14 | 1935-03-21 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1936 | 2:28:32 | 1936-04-18 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1937 | 2:30:38 | 1937-03-28 | Lisbon, Portugal | ||
| 1938 | 2:30:27.6 | 1938-05-30 | Salisbury, Massachusetts, United States | ||
| 1939 | 2:31:26 | 1939-11-03 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1940 | 2:33:42 | 1940-11-01 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1941 | 2:31:27 | 1941-05-30 | Salisbury, Massachusetts, United States | ||
| 1942 | 2:31:38 | 1942-11-02 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1943 | 2:38:35.3 | 1943-11-07 | Yonkers, New York, United States | ||
| 1944 | 2:40:48.6 | 1944-11-12 | Yonkers, New York, United States | ||
| 1945 | 2:36:37.6 | 1945-10-28 | Gothenburg, Sweden | ||
| 1946 | 2:31:37 | 1946-07-11 | Imatra, Finland | ||
| 1947 | 2:30:58 | 1947-08-23 | Loughborough, England | ||
| 1948 | 2:31:02 | 1948-09-07 | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
| 1949 | 2:28:39.4 | 1949-10-02 | Turku, Finland | ||
| 1950 | 2:29:09.4 | 1950-07-12 | Moscow, Russia | ||
| 1951 | 2:28:07.4 | 1951-08-03 | Tampere, Finland | ||
| 1952 | 2:20:42.2 | 1952-06-14 | Windsor, England | ||
| 1953 | 2:18:34.8 | 1953-10-04 | Turku, Finland | ||
| 1954 | 2:17:39.4 | 1954-06-26 | Chiswick, England | ||
| 1955 | 2:21:21.6 | 1955-09-04 | Copenhagen, Denmark | ||
| 1956 | 2:18:04.8 | 1956-08-12 | Pieksämäki, Finland | ||
| 1957 | 2:19:50 | 1957-09-01 | Moscow, Russia | ||
| 1958 | 2:15:17.6 | 1958-08-24 | Stockholm, Sweden | ||
| 1959 | 2:17:45.2 | 1959-11-11 | Košice, Slovakia | ||
| 1960 | 2:15:16.2 | 1960-09-10 | Rome, Italy | ||
| 1961 | 2:18:54 | 1961-03-21 | Nagoya, Japan | ||
| 1962 | 2:16:09.6 | 1962-10-24 | Pyongyang, North Korea | ||
| 1963 | 2:14:28 | 1963-06-15 | Chiswick, England | ||
| 1964 | 2:12:11.2 | 1964-10-21 | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| 1965 | 2:12:00 | 1965-06-12 | Chiswick, England | ||
| 1966 | 2:14:04.8 | 1966-11-27 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1967 | 2:09:36.4 | 1967-12-03 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1968 | 2:10:47.8 | 1968-12-08 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1969 | 2:08:33.6 | 1969-05-30 | Antwerp, Belgium | ||
| 1970 | 2:09:28.8 | 1970-07-23 | Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| 1971 | 2:11:08.8 | 1971-09-25 | Hobart, Australia | ||
| 1972 | 2:10:30 | 1972-12-03 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1973 | 2:11:12.6 | 1973-07-14 | Richmond, South Australia | ||
| 1974 | 2:09:12.0 | 1974-01-31 | Christchurch, New Zealand | ||
| 1975 | 2:09:55 | 1975-04-21 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1976 | 2:09:55.0 | 1976-07-31 | Montreal, Canada | ||
| 1977 | 2:10:55.3 | 1977-12-04 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1978 | 2:09:05.6 | 1978-02-05 | Beppu, Japan | ||
| 1979 | 2:09:27 | 1979-04-16 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1980 | 2:09:01 | 1980-04-26 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1981 | 2:08:18 | 1981-12-06 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1982 | 2:08:52 | 1982-04-19 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1983 | 2:08:37 | 1983-04-09 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1984 | 2:08:05 | 1984-10-21 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 1985 | 2:07:12 | 1985-04-20 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1986 | 2:07:51 | 1986-04-21 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1987 | 2:08:18 | 1987-12-06 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1988 | 2:06:50 | 1988-04-17 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1989 | 2:08:01 | 1989-11-05 | New York City, United States | ||
| 1990 | 2:08:16 | 1990-09-30 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 1991 | 2:08:53 | 1991-02-03 | Beppu, Japan | ||
| 1992 | 2:08:07 | 1992-09-27 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 1993 | 2:08:51 | 1993-12-05 | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| 1994 | 2:07:15 | 1994-04-18 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1995 | 2:07:02 | 1995-09-24 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 1996 | 2:08:25 | 1996-03-24 | Kyong-Ju, South Korea | ||
| 1997 | 2:07:10 | 1997-10-19 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 1998 | 2:06:05 | 1998-09-20 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 1999 | 2:05:42 | 1999-10-24 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 2000 | 2:06:36 | 2000-04-16 | London, UK | ||
| 2001 | 2:06:50 | 2001-04-22 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 2002 | 2:05:37.8 | 2002-04-14 | London, UK | ||
| 2003 | 2:04:55 | 2003-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2004 | 2:06:14 | [3] | 2004-04-04 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | |
| 2005 | 2:06:19.5 | 2005-10-16 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 2006 | 2:05:56 | 2006-09-24 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2007 | 2:04:26 | 2007-09-30 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2008 | 2:03:58.2 | 2008-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2009 | 2:04:26.3 | 2009-04-05 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 2010 | 2:04:48 | 2010-04-11 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 2011 | 2:03:38 | 2011-09-11 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2012 | 2:04:15 | 2012-09-09 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2013 | 2:03:23 | 2013-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2014 | 2:02:57 | 2014-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2015 | 2:04:00 | 2015-09-27 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2016 | 2:03:03 | 2016-09-25 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2017 | 2:03:32 | 2017-09-24 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2018 | 2:01:39 | 2018-09-16 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2019 | 2:01:41 | 2019-09-29 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2020 | 2:03:00 | 2020-12-06 | Valencia, Spain | ||
| 2021 | 2:03:36 | 2021-10-24 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 2022 | 2:01:09 | 2022-10-25 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2023 | 2:00:35 | 2023-10-08 | Chicago, United States |
Key:
| Year | Time | Athlete | Date | Place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3:02:53 | 1970-02-28 | Seaside, United States | ||
| 1971 | 2:46:30 | 1971-08-31 | Werribee, Australia | ||
| 1972 | 2:55:45 | 1972-08-12 | Terre Haute, United States | ||
| 1973 | 2:46:36 | 1973-12-02 | Culver City, United States | ||
| 1974 | 2:43:55 | 1974-12-01 | Culver City, United States | ||
| 1975 | 2:38:19 | 1975-10-12 | Eugene, United States | ||
| 1976 | 2:39:11 | 1976-10-24 | New York, United States | ||
| 1977 | 2:34:48 | 1977-09-10 | West Berlin, West Germany | ||
| 1978 | 2:32:30 | 1978-10-22 | New York, United States | ||
| 1979 | 2:27:33 | 1979-10-21 | New York, United States | ||
| 1980 | 2:25:41 | 1980-10-26 | New York, United States | ||
| 1981 | 2:26:47 | 1981-04-20 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1982 | 2:26:12 | 1982-09-12 | Eugene, United States | ||
| 1983 | 2:22:43 | 1983-04-18 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1984 | 2:24:26 | 1984-05-13 | London, UK | ||
| 1985 | 2:21:06 | 1985-04-21 | London, UK | ||
| 1986 | 2:24:54 | 1986-04-20 | London, UK | ||
| 1987 | 2:22:48 | 1987-05-10 | London, UK | ||
| 1988 | 2:23:51 | 1988-01-31 | Osaka, Japan | ||
| 1989 | 2:24:33 | 1989-04-17 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1990 | 2:25:24 | 1990-04-16 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1991 | 2:24:18 | 1991-04-15 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1992 | 2:23:43 | 1992-04-20 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1993 | 2:24:07 | 1993-04-04 | Tianjin, PR China | ||
| 1994 | 2:21:45 | 1994-04-18 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1995 | 2:25:11 | 1995-04-17 | Boston, United States | ||
| 1996 | 2:26:04 | 1996-01-28 | Osaka, Japan | ||
| 1997 | 2:22:07 | 1997-04-20 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1998 | 2:20:47 | 1998-04-19 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | ||
| 1999 | 2:20:43 | 1999-09-26 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2000 | 2:21:33 | 2000-10-22 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 2001 | 2:18:47 | 2001-10-07 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 2002 | 2:17:17.7 | 2002-10-13 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 2003 | 2:15:24.6 | 2003-04-13 | London, UK | ||
| 2004 | 2:19:41 | 2004-09-26 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2005 | 2:17:42 | 2005-04-17 | London, UK | ||
| 2006 | 2:19:36 | 2006-04-23 | London, UK | ||
| 2007 | 2:20:38 | 2007-04-22 | London, UK | ||
| 2008 | 2:19:19 | 2008-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2009 | 2:22:11 | 2009-04-26 | London, UK | ||
| 2010 | 2:22:04 | 2010-04-11 | Paris, France | ||
| 2011 | 2:19:19 | 2011-04-17 | London, UK | ||
| 2012 | 2:18:37 | 2012-04-22 | London, UK | ||
| 2013 | 2:19:57 | 2013-10-15 | Chicago, USA | ||
| 2014 | 2:20:18 | 2014-09-28 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2015 | 2:19:25 | 2015-09-27 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2016 | 2:19:41 | 2016-01-22 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | ||
| 2017 | 2:17:01 | 2017-04-23 | London, UK | ||
| 2018 | 2:18:11 | 2018-09-16 | Berlin, Germany | ||
| 2019 | bgcolor=#A9F5A9 | 2:14:04 | 2019-10-13 | Chicago, USA | |
| 2020 | 2:17:16 | 2020-12-06 | Valencia, Spain | ||
| 2021 | 2:17:43 | 2021-10-03 | London, UK | ||
| 2022 | 2:14:18 | 2022-10-09 | Chicago, United States | ||
| 2023 | 2:11:53 | 2023-09-24 | Berlin, Germany |