The marathon is considered one of the most gruelling sports events in the world and considered a blue-ribbon event on the Athletics calendar.

Kelvin Kiptum holds the fastest-time official marathon by a male which he ran in October 2023. While he didn't quite crack the two-hour mark, he is the closest of every marathon ever run.

Below are the top ten fastest men's marathon times.

2:00.35 - Kelvin Kiptum (Kenya) - Chicago - October 8, 2023

2:01:09 - Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) - Berlin - September 25, 2022

2:01:41 - Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) - Berlin - September 29, 2019

2:01:48 - Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) - Valencia - December 3, 2023

2:02:48 - Birhanu Legese (Ethiopia) - Berlin -  September 29, 2019

2:02:55 - Mosinet Geremew (Ethiopia) - London - April 28, 2019

2:02:57 - Dennis Kimetto (Kenya) - Berlin - September 28, 2014

2:02:57 - Titus Ekiru (Kenya) - Milano - May 16, 2021

2:03:00 - Evans Chebet (Kenya) Valencia - December 6, 2020

2:03:00 - Gabriel Gerald Geay (Tanzania) - Valencia - December 4, 2022