The 2025 London Marathon achieved a Guinness World Record on Sunday, April 27, with 56,640 runners completing the 26.2-mile course, surpassing the previous record of 55,646 set by the New York Marathon.
Despite challenging hot weather, the event showcased remarkable participation, cementing its status as the world’s most popular marathon. There were 840,318 ballot applications for 2025, following 578,304 for 2024.
Yesterday's @LondonMarathon was the largest marathon EVER with 56,640 confirmed finishers along The Mall in London.
👏👏👏👏👏https://t.co/vegg3XtRCL pic.twitter.com/zO0N7lzKqN
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) April 28, 2025Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, hailed the milestone, hoping it inspires greater participation. “The London Marathon is the largest annual one-day fundraising event, raising over £1.3 billion for charity since 1981,” he said. Notably, 49% of UK applicants were women, and applications from 20–29-year-olds surged by 105%, reflecting the event’s growing appeal.
London Marathon breaks world record for most finishers https://t.co/usX642ovEy
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 28, 2025Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won the women’s title in the elite races, setting a world record for a women-only field, while Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe claimed the men’s crown. Swiss athletes dominated the wheelchair races, with Catherine Debrunner breaking her course record and Marcel Hug securing his seventh men’s victory.
The weekend also saw 15,000 young runners in the Mini London Marathon, the largest youth event since 1986.
