The 2025 marathon season delivered historic numbers. London first set a world record in April with 56,640 finishers and received 840,318 ballot applications. Just months later New York reclaimed the crown, as 59,226 runners completed the 42.195 km course, beating London’s mark by more than 2,500 participants.
Participation in New York was almost balanced: 31,927 men (53.91 %), 27,156 women (45.85 %) and 143 non‑binary finishers. Demand was also tremendous, with about 200,000 applicants for a coveted race number.
The elite races were memorable. In New York, Benson Kipruto triumphed in 2:08:09 after outleaning Alex Mutiso by just 0.16 seconds. Kenya’s Hellen Obiri made history in the women’s contest, clocking 2:19:51 to become the first woman to break 2:20 in NYC and smash the course record.
London also produced notable performances: Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe won the men’s race while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa obliterated the women’s-only marathon world record (see official reports for exact times). Yet the key takeaway is the surge in global interest. With record numbers applying to race, the competition for the title of world’s largest marathon is heating up.
These numbers confirm that the battle for the most populated marathon is between London and New York. It remains to be seen whether Berlin or Tokyo will join the fight soon.