The Men's marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held starting and finishing at Gukchae-bosang Memorial Park on September 4. Abel Kirui was the defending champion.[1]

The men's marathon podium at the 2011 World Championships
Official Video

The story was all Kirui. Running a casual pace to 15 km, first the Moroccan contingent tried to test the field. The pace picked up and the field strung out. After 25 km, it was down to Kirui, Vincent Kipruto, Eliud Kiptanui, Feyisa Lilesa and Abderrahime Bouramdane. Then Kirui put the hammer down, running 14:18 between 25 and 30 km. Nobody could go with him and he ran all alone, extending his lead for the remainder of the race to finish in 2:07:38. The 2:28 gap was the largest winning margin for the men's marathon in World Championship history, and as of 2024 it remains the only time the men's marathon has been won by more than two minutes. After dropping Bouramdane and Kiptanui, Kipruto and Lilesa ran tactically for the remainder of the race, with Kipruto getting silver.

The race was also the World Cup team competition. In that competition, the scoring is based on the cumulative time of the top three finishers for each team. Each country participating in the World Cup was allowed 5 entries into the marathon. The event was clearly won by Kenya, with 1st, 2nd and 5th-place finishers (Kenya also had the 6th-place finisher). Perennial champion Japan finished second, a cumulative minute ahead of Morocco.

Medalists

GoldSilverBronze
Abel Kirui
 Kenya (KEN)
Vincent Kipruto
 Kenya (KEN)
Feyisa Lilesa
 Ethiopia (ETH)

World Marathon Cup

GoldSilverBronze
 Kenya (KEN)
Abel Kirui
Vincent Kipruto
David Barmasai Tumo
 Japan (JPN)
Hiroyuki Horibata
Kentaro Nakamoto
Yuki Kawauchi
 Morocco (MAR)
Abderrahime Bouramdane
Rachid Kisri
Ahmed Baday
  • Note: Marathon Cup medals are not listed in the championships medal table

Records

Prior to the competition, the records were as follows:

World record  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:03:59 Berlin, Germany 28 September 2008
Championship record  Abel Kirui (KEN) 2:06:54 Berlin, Germany 22 August 2009
World Leading  Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai (KEN) 2:03:40 London, Great Britain 17 April 2011
African record  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:03:59 Berlin, Germany 28 September 2008
Asian record  Toshinari Takaoka (JPN) 2:06:16 Chicago, United States 13 October 2002
North, Central American and Caribbean record  Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 2:05:38 London, Great Britain 24 April 2002
South American record  Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 2:06:05 Berlin, Germany 20 September 1998
European record  António Pinto (POR) 2:06:36 London, Great Britain 16 April 2000
 Benoît Zwierzchiewski (FRA) Paris, France 6 April 2003
Oceanian record  Robert de Castella (AUS) 2:07:51 Boston, United States 21 April 1986

Qualification standards

More information A time, B time ...
A time B time
2:17:00
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Schedule

More information Date, Time ...
Date Time Round
September 4, 201109:00Final
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Results

KEY: qFastest non-qualifiers QQualified NRNational record PBPersonal best SBSeasonal best

Final

More information Rank, Athlete ...
RankAthleteNationalityTimeNotes
1st place, gold medalist(s)Abel Kirui Kenya (KEN)2:07:38SB
2nd place, silver medalist(s)Vincent Kipruto Kenya (KEN)2:10:06
3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Feyisa Lilesa Ethiopia (ETH)2:10:32SB
4Abderrahime Bouramdane Morocco (MAR)2:10:55
5David Barmasai Tumo Kenya (KEN)2:11:39
6Eliud Kiptanui Kenya (KEN)2:11:50
7Hiroyuki Horibata Japan (JPN)2:11:52
8Ruggero Pertile Italy (ITA)2:11:57
9Stephen Kiprotich Uganda (UGA)2:12:57
10Kentaro Nakamoto Japan (JPN)2:13:10
11Rachid Kisri Morocco (MAR)2:13:24
12Eshetu Wendimu Ethiopia (ETH)2:13:37
13Marius Ionescu Romania (ROM)2:15:32PB
14Dong Guojian China (CHN)2:15:45SB
15David Webb Great Britain & N.I. (GBR)2:15:48SB
16Cuthbert Nyasango Zimbabwe (ZIM)2:15:56SB
17Beraki Beyene Eritrea (ERI)2:16:03SB
18Yuki Kawauchi Japan (JPN)2:16:11
19Aleksey Sokolov Russia (RUS)2:16:23
20Ser-Od Bat-Ochir Mongolia (MGL)2:16:41
21Aleksey Sokolov Russia (RUS)2:16:48
22Lee Merrien Great Britain & N.I. (GBR)2:16:59
23Jeong Jin-hyeok South Korea (KOR)2:17:04
24Li Zicheng China (CHN)2:17:35
25José Manuel Martínez Spain (ESP)2:17:44
26Rafael Iglesias Spain (ESP)2:17:45SB
27Ahmed Baday Morocco (MAR)2:17:59
28Lee Myong-seung South Korea (KOR)2:18:05
29Yoshinori Oda Japan (JPN)2:18:05
30Pablo Villalobos Spain (ESP)2:18:12
31Mike Morgan United States (USA)2:18:30SB
32Urige Buta Norway (NOR)2:20:16
33Wu Shiwei China (CHN)2:21:12
34Jesper Faurschou Denmark (DEN)2:21:15
35Hwang Jun-Hyeon South Korea (KOR)2:21:54SB
36Mike Tebulo Malawi (MAW)2:22:45SB
37Mike Sayenko United States (USA)2:22:49SB
38Yukihiro Kitaoka Japan (JPN)2:23:11SB
39Jeff Eggleston United States (USA)2:23:33
40Hwang Jun-Suk South Korea (KOR)2:23:47
41Nicholas Arciniaga United States (USA)2:24:06
42Anton Kosmac Slovenia (SLO)2:24:16
43Samuel Goitom Eritrea (ERI)2:25:42SB
44Kim Min South Korea (KOR)2:27:20SB
45Sergio Reyes United States (USA)2:29:15SB
46Coolboy Ngamole South Africa (RSA)2:30:01
47Bekir Karayel Turkey (TUR)2:33:20SB
48Ruben Sança Cape Verde (CPV)2:34:40
49Jhon Lennon Casallo Peru (PER)2:36:43
50Modike Lucky Mohale South Africa (RSA)2:38:22SB
51Sangay Wangchuk Bhutan (BHU)2:38:33NR
Jeff Hunt Australia (AUS)DNF
Khalid Kamal Yaseen Bahrain (BHR)DNF
Yared Asmerom Eritrea (ERI)DNF
Yonas Kifle Eritrea (ERI)DNF
Michael Tesfay Eritrea (ERI)DNF
Chala Dechase Ethiopia (ETH)DNF
Gebregziabher Gebremariam Ethiopia (ETH)DNF
Bazu Worku Ethiopia (ETH)DNF
Zohar Zemiro Israel (ISR)DNF
Benjamin Kiptoo Kenya (KEN)DNF
Ali Mabrouk El Zaidi Libya (LBA)DNF
Adil Ennani Morocco (MAR)DNF
Abderrahim Goumri Morocco (MAR)DNF
David Ngakane South Africa (RSA)DNF
Daniel Kipkorir Chepyegon Uganda (UGA)DNF
Nicholas Kiprono Uganda (UGA)DNF
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World Cup scoring

More information Rank, Country ...
RankCountryAthleteTime
1  Kenya (KEN) 6:29:23
1 Abel Kirui 2:07:38
2 Vincent Kipruto 2:10:06
5 David Barmasai Tumo 2:11:39
6 Eliud Kiptanui (2:11:50)
Benjamin Kolum Kiptoo ()
2  Japan (JPN) 6:41:13
7 Hiroyuki Horibata 2:11:52
10 Kentaro Nakamoto 2:13:10
18 Yuki Kawauchi 2:16:11
29 Yoshinori Oda (2:18:05)
38 Yukihiro Kitaoka (2:23:11)
3  Spain (ESP) 6:53:41
25 José Manuel Martínez 2:17:44
26 Rafael Iglesias 2:17:45
30 Pablo Villalobos 2:18:12
4  China (CHN) 6:54:32
14 Dong Guojian 2:15:45
24 Li Zicheng 2:17:35
33 Wu Shiwei 2:21:12
5  South Korea (KOR) 6:57:03
23 Jeong Jin-hyeok 2:17:04
28 Lee Myong-seung 2:18:05
35 Hwang Jun-hyeon 2:21:54
40 Hwang Jun-suk (2:23:47)
44 Kim Min (2:27:20)
6  United States (USA) 7:04:52
31 Mike Morgan 2:18:30
37 Mike Sayenko 2:22:49
39 Jeff Eggleston 2:23:33
41 Nicholas Arciniaga (2:24:06)
45 Sergio Reyes (2:29:15)
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See also

References

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