2025 Running Year in Review: Elite Records, Major Marathons & Scandals
The 2025 running season will be remembered as the year distance running redefined the limits of human physiology. From the streets of Barcelona to the skyscrapers of Chicago, athletes moved beyond marginal gains, delivering decisive breakthroughs that shattered long-standing, supposedly untouchable barriers.
The Speed Revolution: Jacob Kiplimo’s Aerobic Masterpiece
The defining performance of the year came in February at the Barcelona Half Marathon. Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo became the first human to break the 57-minute barrier, setting a sport-altering World Record of 56:42. Averaging roughly 4:20 per mile, the run was widely hailed as the purest expression of human aerobic capacity seen all season.
Crucially, the performance was not an isolated flash of speed. It proved fully transferable, serving as a clear precursor to Kiplimo’s mastery over the marathon distance later in the year. He delivered a controlled, dominant victory at the Chicago Marathon in 2:02:23, the second-fastest time in race history—bridging the long-standing gap between half-marathon specialization and marathon mastery.
The Dominant Force: Sabastian Sawe’s Perfect Season
While Kiplimo delivered the singular record, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe established himself as the world’s most clinical marathoner. Sawe went undefeated in 2025 across his major appearances, combining precision with ruthless efficiency:
London Marathon: A stunning debut victory in 2:02:27, sealed with a devastating surge around the 20-mile mark against a field that included Eliud Kipchoge
Berlin Marathon: Despite temperatures approaching 27°C (80°F), Sawe ran a world-leading 2:02:16, the fastest marathon time of the year.
Global Recognition: He was named World Athletics’ Men's Out-of-Stadium Athlete of the Year, capping a season defined by composure and control.
The “Silver Bullet”: Marcel Hug’s Historic Grand Slam
In wheelchair racing, Marcel Hug produced one of the most dominant seasons ever recorded. Known as the “Silver Bullet” for his chrome helmet and Sauber-inspired racing chair, Hug completed an unprecedented sweep of all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors, securing the Series XVII title with the maximum possible score.
His dominance was no mere formality. Hug’s sweep came against the deepest T54 field ever assembled, with rivals pushing technical and tactical boundaries. That he remained undefeated across climates, courses, and continents underscored a season built on precision as much as power.
Women’s Elite: Shattering Records and Course Limits
The women’s field matched the men stride for stride, delivering a season of historic breakthroughs:
Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia): Set a new women’s-only world record at the London Marathon with 2:15:50.
Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya): Finished the year as the fastest woman in the world, winning Valencia in 2:14:00 and moving to fourth on the all-time list.
Hellen Obiri (Kenya): Became the first woman to break 2:20 in New York City, smashing a 22-year-old course record with 2:19:51.
The year’s breadth was further underscored by Sifan Hassan, who captured the inaugural Sydney Marathon as a World Marathon Major in a course-record 2:18:22, reaffirming her rare ability to dominate across disciplines.
Beyond the Majors: The Speed Monopoly
In 2025, world-class speed extended far beyond the Major circuit:
Valencia: Nine national records fell, including Amanal Petros’ German record (2:04:03), while John Korir dominated in 2:02:24, the third-fastest time of the year.
Amsterdam: Celebrated its 50th anniversary with Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba smashing the course record in 2:03:30.
Seville: Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega delivered the fastest marathon debut of the year in 2:05:15.
Dubai: Opened the season with a sweeping display of Ethiopian depth, led by Bute Gemechu (2:04:51).
Elite Depth Beyond the Podium
The depth of elite racing in 2025 rivaled any season in history. American distance running reached a modern peak as Conner Mantz broke two long-standing national records—59:17 at the Houston Half Marathon and 2:04:43 for fourth place at the Chicago Marathon, eclipsing marks that had stood for 18 and 23 years respectively.
Ageless Icons and Cultural Heroes
Some of the season’s most compelling stories came from the masters’ ranks. Jeannie Rice, at 77, became the first person to sweep all seven World Marathon Majors by winning her age group in every single one. At Berlin, Gene Dykes shattered the M75 world record with 3:15:22, redefining expectations of longevity.
Even pop culture intersected with elite running. Music star Harry Styles, racing under the alias "Sted Sarandos," broke the sub-3 barrier with 2:59:13 in Berlin, adding a uniquely cultural footnote to the season.
Scandals, Setbacks, and the “Crisis of Trust”
Not all of 2025 was celebratory.
The Chepngetich Scandal World record-holder Ruth Chepngetich received a three-year ban after testing positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide at levels roughly 190 times the reporting limit. Forensic phone analysis later revealed messages discussing organized doping “programs,” leading the Athletics Integrity Unit to rule the case as "indirect intent". While her 2:09:56 world record from Chicago 2024 remains valid because it predates the test, the case intensified a growing crisis of trust in elite racing.
Other setbacks punctuated the season:
Financial Collapse: Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, leaving millions in unpaid prize money.
Logistics Failures: The Cape Town Marathon was cancelled due to strong winds, and the World Road Running Championships were scrapped after San Diego withdrew as host.
Course Errors: At the Niagara Falls Marathon, a lead cyclist sent top runners off course, resulting in disqualifications.
Civil Disobedience: In Iran, Kish Marathon directors were arrested after women ran without hijabs in protest.
Wheelchair Racing Instability: American star Daniel Romanchuk’s season ended after a spectator collision in Sydney caused a shoulder injury.
A New Chapter for the “GOAT”
The season also marked the close of a defining chapter for Eliud Kipchoge. After completing the original World Marathon Majors in New York City, the legend announced his transition to a global “World Tour” in 2026, aiming to race across all seven continents and promote the sport beyond records alone.
The Global Pulse: Sydney and the Ballot Boom
The sport’s popularity reached a boiling point in 2025. The Sydney Marathon was officially inducted as the seventh World Marathon Major, the first in the Southern Hemisphere. Demand surged across the board: the London Marathon recorded 840,318 applications, while Boston required runners to be 6 minutes and 51 seconds faster than their qualifying standards just to gain entry.
Amid the boom, the combined fundraising efforts of the London and New York City Marathons alone surpassed $100 million, underscoring a year in which elite performance, mass participation, and global impact converged like never before.