- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2002–active
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 92.0
- Statistics
- 93.0
- Honours
- 91.0
- Longevity
- 90.0
GOAT Rank · 24
Greatest Athletics Marathon of all time
This ranking uses verified career records and GOAT Rank's published model. Every listed athlete clears the data eligibility threshold.
#AthleteGOAT Score
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1975–1992
- Country
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 90.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1971–1990
- Country
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 86.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1979–active
- Country
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2015–active
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1992–2015
- Country
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 90.0
- Honours
- 84.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1956–1969
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 90.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 88.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1985–2002
- Country
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 86.0
- Honours
- 86.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1999–2012
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 84.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1993–2009
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1988–2008
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 88.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 84.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1989–2004
- Country
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 78.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2012–active
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 96.0
- Dominance
- 86.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2018–2024
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 98.0
- Dominance
- 88.0
- Statistics
- 92.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 60.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2010–2019
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 82.0
- Longevity
- 76.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1997–2008
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2005–2010
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 94.0
- Dominance
- 82.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 62.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2011–2017
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 92.0
- Dominance
- 80.0
- Statistics
- 84.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2008–2016
- Country
- 🇰🇪 Kenya
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 78.0
- Statistics
- 82.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 70.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2005–2014
- Country
- 🇨🇳 China
- Peak
- 90.0
- Dominance
- 74.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 80.0
- Longevity
- 66.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1976–1990
- Country
- 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
- Peak
- 84.0
- Dominance
- 70.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 80.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 1990–1998
- Country
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- Peak
- 88.0
- Dominance
- 72.0
- Statistics
- 76.0
- Honours
- 78.0
- Longevity
- 64.0
- Sport
- Athletics
- Career
- 2016–active
- Country
- 🇮🇹 Italy
- Peak
- 86.0
- Dominance
- 70.0
- Statistics
- 78.0
- Honours
- 74.0
- Longevity
- 68.0
| # | Athlete | Sport | Country | Career | GOAT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Eliud Kipchoge | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2002–— | 92 |
| 45 | Rosa Mota | Athletics | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 1975–1992 | 88.4 |
| 49 | Grete Waitz | Athletics | 🇳🇴 Norway | 1971–1990 | 88.3 |
| 62 | Joan Benoit Samuelson | Athletics | 🇺🇸 United States | 1979–— | 87.5 |
| 63 | Brigid Kosgei | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2015–— | 87.5 |
| 95 | Paula Radcliffe | Athletics | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 1992–2015 | 86.2 |
| 96 | Ruth Chepngetich | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2016–— | 86.2 |
| 103 | Abebe Bikila | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 1956–1969 | 85.8 |
| 118 | Abel Antón | Athletics | 🇪🇸 Spain | 1985–2002 | 85.4 |
| 125 | Mizuki Noguchi | Athletics | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1999–2012 | 85 |
| 140 | Stefano Baldini | Athletics | 🇮🇹 Italy | 1993–2009 | 84.3 |
| 144 | Tegla Loroupe | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 1988–2008 | 84.1 |
| 162 | Josia Thugwane | Athletics | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 1989–2004 | 83.5 |
| 166 | Tigst Assefa | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 2012–— | 83.3 |
| 176 | Kelvin Kiptum | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2018–2024 | 83 |
| 185 | Wilson Kipsang | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2010–2019 | 82.7 |
| 232 | Naoko Takahashi | Athletics | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1997–2008 | 80.7 |
| 237 | Sammy Wanjiru | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2005–2010 | 80.3 |
| 242 | Dennis Kimetto | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2011–2017 | 79.8 |
| 260 | Patrick Makau | Athletics | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 2008–2016 | 78.6 |
| 270 | Bai Xue | Athletics | 🇨🇳 China | 2005–2014 | 77.4 |
| 277 | Kebede Balcha | Athletics | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 1976–1990 | 76.5 |
| 281 | Junko Asari | Athletics | 🇯🇵 Japan | 1990–1998 | 75.4 |
| 285 | Iliass Aouani | Athletics | 🇮🇹 Italy | 2016–— | 74.8 |
Compare the leaders
Eliud Kipchoge vs Rosa MotaRead the full methodology
Sport lists use the raw In-Sport GOAT Score. Cross-sport lists use the official competition-depth adjustment. No scores are recalculated for this page.
Read the full methodologyFrequently asked questions
How is this ranking calculated?
Five verified components are weighted consistently: dominance, peak, longevity, honours and statistics.
Who is included?
Only verified athletes with sufficient career history, metrics, honours and independent sources are eligible.
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