Eliud Kipchoge has officially become the fastest athlete ever to complete all six Abbott World Marathon Majors, following his finish at the TCS New York City Marathon on Sunday.
The 40-year-old Kenyan completed his Six Star journey in New York, finishing 17th in 2:14:36. With that result, Kipchoge now holds the record for the quickest cumulative time across the six major marathons, Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York, with an average of 2:05:46, according to the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
He leads the all-time Six Star finisher list ahead of fellow Kenyans Geoffrey Kamworor (2:07:05 average) and Emmanuel Mutai (2:08:02).
Completing the Six Star journey
Kipchoge’s New York debut marked the end of a pursuit that began more than a decade ago. He has now finished all six Majors, adding this final piece to a career that includes two Olympic marathon titles, two world records, and 11 World Marathon Major victories.
His fastest performances in each Major demonstrate his remarkable consistency at the top of the sport: Tokyo 2:02:39, Boston 2:09:23, London 2:02:37, Berlin 2:01:09, Chicago 2:04:11, and New York 2:14:36.
His combined time of 12:34:36 is almost two hours faster than the previous record recognized by the series, 14:16:32, held by Italy’s Hermann Achmüller since 2015.
More than 15,000 runners have now completed all six Majors to earn their Six Star medals, a challenge that typically takes recreational athletes years to achieve. Kipchoge’s completion stands apart for the extraordinary speed and longevity he’s maintained over the course of his marathon career.
A historic race weekend in New York
Kipchoge’s run came on a day of major performances across the board. Kenya’s Benson Kipruto won the men’s race in 2:08:09, edging Alexander Mutiso by just fractions of a second, the closest finish in New York City Marathon history. Albert Korir took third in 2:08:57, rounding out a Kenyan sweep of the podium.
In the women’s race, Hellen Obiri reclaimed her title in a course-record 2:19:51, ahead of compatriots Sharon Lokedi (2:20:07) and Sheila Chepkirui (2:20:24).
Kipchoge ran within the large lead pack through halfway before falling off the pace after 25 km. He maintained his rhythm through the closing miles to secure his Six Star finish on a cool, clear day in New York City.
The end of an era
Kipchoge’s latest achievement adds to one of the most decorated résumés in distance running history. His record across the Majors includes wins in Tokyo, London, Berlin, and Chicago, with his 2:01:09 from the 2022 Berlin Marathon standing as the second-fastest official marathon time ever recorded, behind Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 world record.
Across his marathon career, Kipchoge has run five of the twenty fastest times in history and remains the only athlete to have run a sub-two-hour marathon under controlled conditions, finishing the 2019 INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 1:59:40.
While his 17th-place finish in New York may not match the dominant results that defined much of his career, the performance completes one of the most remarkable journeys in the sport — a full sweep of the world’s six most prestigious marathons, faster than anyone before him.
