The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of 42.195 km, usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair divisions. More than 800 marathons are held worldwide each year, with the vast majority of competitors being recreational athletes, as larger marathons can have tens of thousands of participants.
World records in the marathon are ratified by World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport of athletics.
The Chicago Marathon is a marathon race held every October in Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the six World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also a World Athletics Label Road Race. The Chicago Marathon is the fourth-largest race by number of finishers worldwide.
A half marathon is a road running event of 21.0975 kilometres —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcuts. If finisher medals are awarded, the medal or ribbon may differ from those for the full marathon. The half marathon is also known as a 21K, 21.1K, or 13.1 miles, although these values are rounded and not formally correct.
Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in the marathon and formerly specialized in the 5000 metres. Kipchoge is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion, and was the world record holder in the marathon from 2018 to 2023, until that record was broken by Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Kipchoge has run four of the 10 fastest marathons in history and is widely regarded as the greatest runner in the distance.
Jack Clarke was a New Zealand long-distance athlete who won a bronze medal representing his country in the marathon at the 1950 British Empire Games.
Arthur Vincent Roth was an American long-distance runner who won the 1916 Boston Marathon and competed in the men's marathon at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics were held during the last ten days of the Games. They were due to be held from 31 July – 9 August 2020, at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the games were postponed to 2021, with the track and field events set for 30 July – 8 August. The sport of athletics at these Games was split into three distinct sets of events: track and field events, remaining in Tokyo, and road running events and racewalking events, moved to Sapporo. A total of 48 events were held, one more than in 2016, with the addition of a mixed relay event.
Sifan Hassan is a Dutch middle- and long-distance runner. She is most recognized for her versatility in running championship and world-leading performances in widely disparate distances. She completed an unprecedented triple at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning gold medals in both the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres and a bronze medal for the 1,500 metres. Hassan is the only athlete in Olympic history to win medals across a middle-distance event and both long-distance races in a single Games. She is only the second of three women to complete an Olympic distance double. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Hassan secured a bronze medal in both the women's 5,000 m and 10,000 m events and gold in the women's marathon, becoming the only woman to win the Olympic gold medal in the 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and Marathon races.
Yoshiko Yamamoto is a Japanese former marathon runner who won the 1990 Paris Marathon, came second at the 1992 Boston Marathon, and third at the 1992 New York City Marathon.
The men's 4 × 110 yards relay event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The women's 110–220–110 yards relay event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. It was the last time this relay was contested at the Games, later being replaced with the 4 × 110 yards relay.
The women's 220–110–220–110 yards relay event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. It was the last time this relay was contested at the Games, later being replaced with the 4 × 440 yards relay.
The men's 4 × 440 yards relay event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The men's 440 yards event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 9 and 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The men's 1 mile event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 9 and 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The men's pole vault event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The women's long jump event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The men's hammer throw event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
The men's javelin throw event at the 1950 British Empire Games was held on 11 February at the Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
