Six World Marathon Majors becomes seven…
Alongside our very own Seven Continents Club, the Abbott World Marathon Majors is one of the most famous collections of marathons in the running world. Consisting of six of the world’s most popular marathons, runners from across the globe take part to earn the Six Star Finisher Certificate and Six Star Finisher Medal – an incredible achievement!
However, things are about to get even more exciting. Having started as a five-part series upon its creation in 2006, the Abbott World Marathon Majors soon added Tokyo Marathon in 2012 and is now welcoming a seventh race in to the fold…
What is the history of the 7WMM?
Although less than 20 years old, the Abbott World Marathon Majors is amongst the most famous collections of marathon races in the world and features some of the most historic individual races on the planet. The Boston Marathon is widely renowned to be the oldest annual marathon in the world, with its first edition in 1897 – taking inspiration from the Olympics in Athens in 1896! The BMW-BERLIN MARATHON celebrated its 50th year in 2024 with a record-breaking 54,280 finishers taking to the German capital’s streets! The TCS London Marathon is officially recognised as the largest fundraising event in the world globally, with the event raising over £1 billion since its first edition way back in 1981! That race took inspiration from the TCS New York City Marathon, which passes through all five of New York’s boroughs – a far cry from its first race in 1970, which was simply as many laps as it took of Central Park until runners hit 26.2 miles! The Bank of America Chicago Marathon makes up the third and final world marathon major based in the U.S. and is the location of the current men’s marathon world record time – 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, and the women’s marathon world record time – 2:09:56, set by Ruth Chepngetich in the 2024 edition. The Tokyo Marathon makes up the sixth and final current world marathon major and is arguably the most popular of the lot, owing to its location on the continent of Asia, with applications to run outweighing places in the race by as much as tenfold!
What is the new entry to the Abbott World Marathon Majors?
Welcome, the Sydney Marathon! The Australian marathon is the first new entry in to the Abbott World Marathon Majors series in 12 years, with the New South Wales marathon making it ‘7WMM’ in 2025. The marathon will be the first marathon on the Oceanic continent to feature in the Abbott World Marathon Majors – the current races include three in North America; Boston Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the TCS New York City Marathon; two in Europe; the BMW Berlin Marathon and TCS London Marathon and one in Asia; the Tokyo Marathon.
Why has Sydney been selected?
Sydney Marathon has been selected after going through a rigorous application process which involved the race being scrutinised and analysed on its processes for three years. Following the 2024 edition of the Sydney Marathon, the event has passed Abbott’s strict protocol and become the first new entrant to the marathon majors in over 12 years! Even more exciting is the introduction of a new continent to the Abbott World Marathon Majors, with Oceania included for the first time – leaving just Africa left to be represented in the elite marathons list…
What are candidate events?
Candidate events are marathon events that are up for selection to become an Abbott World Marathon Major event. Following Sydney Marathon’s acceptance in to the AWMM stable, there are still two marathon events under candidacy consideration – the Cape Town Marathon and the Shanghai Marathon.
Keep an eye on Marathon Tours & Travel’s social channels and website for all the latest updates on news and places in the current marathon majors, the newest edition, Sydney, and the candidate races as well…