How long is a marathon, in kilometres?
Sports easy Data from 1921
Guess before you scroll — the answer is below
The answer
42 kilometres
Roughly 42.2.
A marathon is exactly 42.195 km. The oddly precise distance comes from the 1908 London Olympics, where the course was extended so it could finish in front of the royal box. It was fixed as the official distance in 1921 and has not moved since.
Where this number comes from
| Source | World Athletics competition rules |
|---|---|
| Figure refers to | 1921 |
| Last checked | |
| Unit | kilometres |
Numbers move. If this one has drifted from its source, let us know.
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