London Marathon 2022: who holds record for finishing the race in the fastest time - what is the course record?

One runner holds both the London Marathon course record and marathon world record in the men’s race

The Kenyan marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge recently broke his own record at the Berlin Marathon by 30 seconds when he completed the 26.2 mile course in 2:01:09.

The 37-year-old will now return to the streets of London where he will hope to continue shedding time on his PB whilst also breaking the London Marathon course record.

Sir Mo Farah was due to be another of the elite runners competing at this year’s London Marathon, however the 39-year-old has since pulled out of the event with a hip injury.

“I’ve been training really hard over the past few months and I’d got myself back into good shape and was feeling pretty optimistic about being able to put in a good performance,” said Farah.

“However, over the past 10 days I’ve been feeling pain and tightness in my right hip. I’ve had extensive physio and treatment and done everything I can to be on the start line but it hasn’t improved enough to compete on Sunday.”

Following Kipchoge’s phenomenal success in Berlin, the London Marathon chief Executive Hugh Brasher said: “ I think Eliud is proving aged 37 and running a PB that the age barriers that we used to think existed do not neccessarily now exist.

“I think that what we should be doing is allowing Mo time to decide what he wants.

“I hope he runs fantastically well but you can never tell because Marathon running is the hardest thing. If you’re 99%, not 100% you won’t get away with it - it’s really, really hard.”

So what is the course record for the London Marathon?

Paula Radcliffe still holds the women’s record for London Marathon - a record she set in 2003
Paula Radcliffe still holds the women’s record for London Marathon - a record she set in 2003
Paula Radcliffe still holds the women’s record for London Marathon - a record she set in 2003

What is the Men’s record for the London Marathon?

In the Elite men’s race, unsurprisingly, it is Eliud Kipchoge who holds the course record. In 2019, he completed the course in 2:02:37.

The Kenyan also holds the world record for fastest marathon and he beat his own world record last weekend in Berlin by shaving 30 seconds off his previous record.

He will now return to the London Marathon and hope to break the record once again.

In 2019, Farah completed the London Marathon in 2:05:39. His personal best and British record was set in 2018 when he won the Chicago Marathon in a time of 2:05:11.

In the men’s wheelchair race, it is Marcel Hug who holds the course record after he completed the marathon in 1:26:27 in 2021.

What is the women’s record for the London Marathon?

Paula Radcliffe still holds the course record for the women’s elite race having raced the 26.2 miles in 2:15:25 back in 2003.

It was thought the current world record holder Brigid Kosgei would be competing in the event this year and potentially break Radcliffe’s nearly two decade record.

However, Kosgei (who completed the 2019 Chicago Marathon in 2:14:02) has a right hamstring injury which has been affecting her ability to train over the past few months.

Last year’s London Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei, 29, will be competing along with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehaulaw who set the fastest debut time for a marathon.

The 23-year-old Ethiopian also holds the world record in the 10km road race.

In 2021, the women’s wheelchair record was also broken by Manuela Schar after she completed the course in 1:39:52.

When is the London Marathon 2022?

Fans will be able to see those records potentially broken on Sunday 2 October.

The elite wheelchair races will begin at 8.50am BST, the elite women’s race will begin at 9am while the elite men’s and main race commences at 9.40am.

BBC 1, BB2 and BBC iPlayer will be showing all of the action from London with coverage set to start at 8.30am.