 | |
| Sport | Marathon running |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| No. of teams | individual sport |
| Official website | www |
TheWorld Marathon Majors (WMM) is a championship-style competition formarathon runners that started in 2006. A points-based competition founded on seven major marathon races recognised as the most high-profile on the calendar, the series comprises annual races for the cities ofTokyo,Boston,London,Sydney,Berlin,Chicago andNew York.
In addition, theWorld Marathon Majors includes the results of any major global championship marathon held in that year. These races are the biennialWorld Athletics Championships Marathon, and the quadrennialOlympic Games Marathon.[1]
Each World Marathon Majors series originally spanned two full calendar years; the second year of a series overlapped with the first year of the next. Starting in 2015, each series began with a defined city race and ended with the following race in the same city. So, series IX started in February 2015 at the2015 Tokyo Marathon and ended there in February 2016 at the2016 Tokyo Marathon. Series X started at the2016 Boston Marathon and finished at the2017 Boston Marathon. Series XI started at the2017 London Marathon and finished at the2018 London Marathon.
Initial major sponsorAbbott Laboratories added its name in 2015.[2] On April 26, 2017, Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd., one of the leading Chinese private conglomerates, announced a ten-year strategic partnership aimed at the continued growth and development of marathon events worldwide.
Beginning with Series X at the 2016 Boston Marathon, wheelchair competitions were added for men and women.
At the end of each of the first 10 WMM series the leading man and woman each won $500,000, making a total prize of one million U.S. dollars. Beginning with Series XI, the prize structure was revised so that for men and women first place became $250,000, second place $50,000 and third place $25,000. In the wheelchair division the prize money for men and women is $50,000 (first), $25,000 (second) and $10,000 (third).
In November 2024, it was announced that theSydney Marathon would be added as the seventh race in the World Marathon Majors. The inaugural Sydney event in the series was on August 31, 2025.[3] Also in November 2024, theCape Town Marathon passed stage 1, with stage 2 evaluation set for October 2025 and possible inclusion as a major in 2026.[4] Earlier in 2024, theShanghai Marathon was announced as a major candidate and began the three year evaluation process.[5][6]
Athletes who competed in the marathons originally received points for finishing in any of the top five places (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 15 points; 3rd place: 10 points; 4th place: 5 points; 5th place: 1 point). Their four highest ranks over the two-year period were counted; if an athlete scored points in more than this number, the athlete's four best races were scored. To be eligible for the jackpot, an athlete had to compete in at least one qualifying race in each calendar year of the series.
In 2015, the scoring was revised (1st place: 25 points; 2nd place: 16 points; 3rd place: 9 points; 4th place: 4 points; 5th place: 1 point). The two highest ranks during the scoring period would be counted, with only the best two if more than that number.
For the first three series if there were equal top scores at the end of the competition the tiebreakers were head-to-head competition and, if necessary, a majority vote of the five WMM race directors. This happened in the 2007–08 women's competition.
Beginning in the 2009–10 season, following best head-to-head record, the following tie-breakers were implemented, in descending order: the person who achieved his or her points in the fewest races, the person who won the most qualifying races during the period, the person with the fastest average time in their scoring races, and a majority vote of the six-race directors. If the final circumstance is necessary, the race directors could award the title jointly.
The following marathons have been part of the series in each year:
| Titles | Winner | Tokyo Marathon | Boston Marathon | London Marathon | Sydney Marathon | Berlin Marathon | Chicago Marathon | New York City Marathon | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |  Eliud Kipchoge | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2014–2023 |
| 5 | Wilson Kipsang | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2012–2017 |
| 4 | Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2006–2008 |
 Haile Gebrselassie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2006–2009 | |
| Geoffrey Mutai | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2011–2013 | |
| Benson Kipruto | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2021–2025 | |
| 3 | Martin Lel | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2007–2008 |
| Samuel Wanjiru | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2009–2010 | |
| Tsegaye Kebede | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2010–2013 | |
| Dennis Kipruto Kimetto | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2013–2014 | |
| Lelisa Desisa | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2013–2018 | |
| Dickson Chumba | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2014–2018 | |
| Evans Chebet | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2022–2023 | |
| 2 |  Marílson Gomes dos Santos | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2006–2008 |
 Meb Keflezighi | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2009–2014 | |
| Patrick Musyoki | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2010–2011 | |
| Kenenisa Bekele | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2016–2019 | |
| Geoffrey Kamworor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2017–2019 | |
| Lawrence Cherono | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2019 | |
| Birhanu Legese | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2019–2020 | |
| Sisay Lemma | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2021–2024 | |
| Kelvin Kiptum | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2023 | |
| John Korir | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2024–2025 | |
| Sabastian Sawe | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2025 |
| Titles | Winner | Tokyo Marathon | Boston Marathon | London Marathon | Sydney Marathon | Berlin Marathon | Chicago Marathon | New York City Marathon | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Mary Keitany | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2011–2018 |
| 5 | Brigid Kosgei | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2018–2021 |
| 4 |  Irina Mikitenko | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2008–2009 |
| Aberu Kebede | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2010–2016 | |
| Edna Kiplagat | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2010–2021 | |
| Florence Kiplagat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2011–2016 | |
| Hellen Obiri | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2023–2025 | |
| 3 | Rita Jeptoo | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2006–2013 |
| Atsede Baysa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2010–2016 | |
| Gladys Cherono | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2015–2018 | |
| Ruth Chepng'etich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2021–2024 | |
| Peres Jepchirchir | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2021–2024 | |
| Tigist Assefa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2022–2025 | |
 Sifan Hassan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2023–2025 | |
| 2 | Gete Wami | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2006–2007 |
| Berhane Adere | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2006–2007 | |
 Lidiya Grigoryeva | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2007–2008 | |
 Paula Radcliffe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2007–2008 | |
| Priscah Jeptoo | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2013 | |
| Tirfi Tsegaye | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2014 | |
| Birhane Dibaba | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2015–2018 | |
| Joyciline Jepkosgei | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2019–2021 | |
| Sharon Lokedi | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2022–2025 | |
| Rosemary Wanjiru | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2023–2025 | |
| Sutume Kebede | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2024–2025 |
The winners by season listed below.[15]
| Season | No. | Start event | Final event | Winner | Country | Points | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | X | 2016 Boston | 2017 Boston | Marcel Hug |  Switzerland | |||
| 2017–18 | XI | 2017 London | 2018 London | Marcel Hug(2) | Switzerland | |||
| 2018–19 | XII | 2018 Berlin | 2019 Berlin | Daniel Romanchuk |  United States | |||
| 2019–21 | XIII | 2019 Chicago | 2021 New York City | Marcel Hug(3) | Switzerland | |||
| 2022 | XIV | 2021 Tokyo[h] | 2022 New York City | Marcel Hug(4) | Switzerland | |||
| 2023 | XV | 2023 Tokyo | 2023 New York City | Marcel Hug(5) | Switzerland | |||
| 2024 | XVI | 2024 Tokyo | 2024 New York City | Marcel Hug(6) | Switzerland | [25] |
| Season | No. | Start event | Final event | Winner | Country | Points | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | X | 2016 Boston | 2017 Boston | Tatyana McFadden | United States | |||
| 2017–18 | XI | 2017 London | 2018 London | Manuela Schär | Switzerland | |||
| 2018–19 | XII | 2018 Berlin | 2019 Berlin | Manuela Schär(2) | Switzerland | |||
| 2019–21 | XIII | 2019 Chicago | 2021 New York City | Manuela Schär(3) | Switzerland | |||
| 2022 | XIV | 2021 Tokyo[h] | 2022 New York City | Susannah Scaroni | United States | |||
| 2023 | XV | 2023 Tokyo | 2023 New York City | Catherine Debrunner | Switzerland | |||
| 2024 | XVI | 2024 Tokyo | 2024 New York City | Catherine Debrunner(2) | Switzerland | [25] |
Six star finishers are marathoners who have completed six of the World Marathon Majors (without including Sydney). In 2016 following theTokyo Marathon a Six Star Finisher Medal was introduced.[30] In July 2018 a "Reach for the Stars" campaign was launched wherein a runner could claim a star for each WMM race completed. The system allows runners to create a profile, search for their ‘stars’ and add them to their page.[31]
Following the TCS London Marathon in April, 2025, the verified total of Six Star Finishers was 22,480 from 139 total nations.
Due to postponement of the 2021 event, the 2022 event will not take place.
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