TCS London Marathon 1991 ballot: 11th edition, 23,435 finishers
The 1991 ADT London Marathon doubled as the IAAF World Marathon Cup, where Yakov Tolstikov of the Soviet Union won the men's race in 2:09:17, a Soviet record that stood as the country dissolved months later.
What made 1991 notable
The 1991 ADT London Marathon broke new ground by hosting the IAAF World Marathon Cup, the first time an international championship was folded into an existing mass-participation race. The headline belonged to Yakov Tolstikov of the Soviet Union, who upset Olympic champion Gelindo Bordin to win in 2:09:17, a Soviet national record that was never bettered as the country dissolved at the end of the year. Manuel Matias and Jan Huruk shared the next two places in 2:10:21. Rosa Mota of Portugal took the women's title in 2:26:14, ahead of Francie Larrieu Smith and Valentina Yegorova. Great Britain won the men's team title and the Soviet Union the women's, and 23,435 runners finished.
Applications over time
Good-for-age standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:57:00 | 3:43:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:02:00 | 3:46:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:07:00 | 3:53:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:12:00 | 3:58:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 4:23:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:52:00 | 4:53:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:52:00 | 5:53:00 |
| 75-79 | 5:07:00 | 6:13:00 |
| 80-84 | 5:27:00 | 6:38:00 |
| 85-89 | 6:10:00 | 7:10:00 |
| 90+ | 7:20:00 | 7:45:00 |
Questions about the 1991 ballot
Why is the 1991 London Marathon notable?
It hosted the IAAF World Marathon Cup, the first time an international championship was incorporated into an existing mass-participation race. Yakov Tolstikov of the Soviet Union won the men's race in 2:09:17, a Soviet record never bettered before the USSR dissolved later that year.
Who won the 1991 London Marathon?
Yakov Tolstikov of the Soviet Union won the men's race in 2:09:17, ahead of Manuel Matias in 2:10:21 and Jan Huruk in 2:10:21. Rosa Mota of Portugal won the women's race in 2:26:14, ahead of Francie Larrieu Smith in 2:27:35 and Valentina Yegorova in 2:28:18.
How big was the 1991 London Marathon?
A total of 23,435 runners finished. Around 79,000 people applied and 33,485 were accepted, but applications were reported only as an approximate figure, so no exact applications count is recorded here.
When was the 1991 London Marathon held?
Sunday 21 April 1991. It was the 11th running of the race, held under ADT sponsorship.