Korea’s 7 World Marathon Majors National Age Record Holder Ashton Choi Sets New Record in the 8-Major Era

South Korean marathon history has reached a new milestone. Ashton Choi, a global finance executive who recently set a new historic South Korean national age record in the 7 World Marathon Majors this past April, has broken his own record by conquering the newly elevated eighth major.
 

[Ashton Choi (최상현)]

On June 10, the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was officially promoted as the 8th Abbott World Marathon Major. The event carries a dramatic backstory: last year, the race was abruptly canceled just hours before the start due to gale-force winds, leaving countless runners devastated. However, the event made a triumphant return this May, successfully executing the race and officially joining the world’s most prestigious marathon series.
 
Having completed the Cape Town Marathon this May, Choi’s achievement aligned perfectly with the recent major elevation announcement, officially making him the youngest South Korean—and the first in the nation—to finish all eight World Marathon Majors.
 
What makes this unprecedented record even more remarkable is that Choi is not a professional athlete, but a prominent financial professional navigating the demanding frontlines of global business.
 
Choi is a finance executive educated at the University of Oxford and is an incoming MBA candidate at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His extensive career includes tenures at leading global financial institutions such as J.P. Morgan, BlackRock, Barclays, and a special situations fund. Currently, he works in deep tech investment while serving as a senior fellow at Asia House, a UK-based international think tank. Balancing his career and grueling marathon training, Choi continues to exhibit global leadership, serving as a prominent media columnist and an advisory committee member for the South Korean government.
  

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