On our world records -page you will find complete lists of current outdoor and indoor world records.
Athletics outdoor world records
A bunch of distance running world records have been broken during the last couple of years. The huge development of running shoes has had a clear impact on this.
Sifan Hassan had four world records for two days. She still holds the records for one mile, one hour and 5 km road race (Wo). (Sifan Hassan. Photo:
Filip Bossuyt, flickr,
CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
The oldest of the current world records is Czechoslovakia's
Jarmila Kratochvílová's women's 800 meters WR 1.53,28 from July 1983.
The 1980's is still strongly present in the women's WR list as ten of current women's world records have been achieved in the 1980's.
Latest edit 26th of August 2024
Men
| Discipline | Athlete | Results | Date |
| 100 m | Usain Bolt 🇯🇲 | 9,58 | 16.8.2009 |
| 200 m | Usain Bolt 🇯🇲 | 19,19 | 20.8.2009 |
| 400 m | Wayde van Niekerk 🇿🇦 | 43,03 | 14.8.2016 |
| 800 m | David Rudisha 🇰🇪 | 1.40,91 | 9.8.2012 |
| 1500 m | Hicham El Guerrouj 🇲🇦 | 3.26,00 | 14.7.1998 |
| One mile | Hicham El Guerrouj 🇲🇦 | 3.43,13 | 7.9.1999 |
| 2000 m | Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴 | 4.43,13 | 8.9.2023 |
| 3000 m | Jakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴 | 7.17,55 | 25.8.2024 |
| 5000 m | Joshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬 | 12.35,36 | 14.8.2020 |
| 10000 m | Joshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬 | 26.11,00 | 7.10.2020 |
| 20000 m | Haile Gebreselassie 🇪🇹 | 56.26,0h | 27.6.2007 |
| One hour | Mo Farah 🇬🇧 | 21330 m | 4.9.2020 |
| 25000 m | Moses Mosop 🇰🇪 | 1:12.25,4h | 3.6.2011 |
| 30000 m | Moses Mosop 🇰🇪 | 1:26.47,4h | 3.6.2011 |
| 5 km road race | Joshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬 | 12.35,36 | 16.2.2020 |
| 10 km road race | Rhonex Kipruto 🇰🇪 | 26.24 | 12.1.2020 |
| Half marathon | Kibiwott Kandie 🇰🇪 | 57.32 | 6.12.2020 |
| Marathon | Eliud Kipchoge 🇰🇪 | 2:01.09 | 25.9.2022 |
| 100 km | Aleksandr Sorokin 🇱🇹 | 6:05.35 | 14.5.2023 |
| 110 m hurdles | Aries Merritt 🇺🇸 | 12,80 | 7.9.2012 |
| 400 m hurdles | Karsten Warholm 🇳🇴 | 46,70 | 1.7.2021 |
| 3000 m steeple chase | Lamecha Girma 🇪🇹 | 7.52,11 | 6.9.2023 |
| Long jump | Mike Powell 🇺🇸 | 895 | 30.8.1991 |
| High jump | Javier Sotomayor 🇨🇺 | 245 | 27.7.1993 |
| Triple jump | Jonathan Edwards 🇬🇧 | 18,29 | 7.8.1995 |
| Pole vault | Armand Duplantis 🇸🇪 | 626 | 25.8.2024 |
| Javelin throw | Jan Zelezny 🇨🇿 | 98,48 | 25.5.1996 |
| Shot put | Ryan Crouser 🇺🇸 | 23,56 | 27.5.2023 |
| Discus throw | Mykolas Alekna 🇱🇹 | 74,35 | 14.4024 |
| Hammer throw | Juri Sedyh (URS) | 86,74 | 30.8.1986 |
| Decathlon | Kevin Mayer 🇫🇷 | 9126 | 15-16.9.2018 |
| 4 x 100 m | Jamaica | 36,84 | 11.8.2012 |
| 4 x 200 m | Jamaica | 1.18,63 | 24.5.2018 |
| 4 x 400 m | United States | 2.54,29 | 22.8.1993 |
| 4 x 800 m | Kenya | 7.02,43 | 25.8.2006 |
| 4 x 1500 m | Kenya | 14.22,22 | 25.5.2014 |
| Roadrelay 42,195 km | Kenya | 1:57.06 | 23.11.2005 |
| Distance medley relay 4000 m | United States | 9.15,50 | 3.5.2015 |
Jamaicas Usain Bolt holds the world records for 100 and 200 metres dash. (Usain Bolt. Photo:
Fernando Frazão,
CC BY 3.0 BR, via Wikimedia Commons)
Women
| Discipline | Athlete | Results | Date |
| 100 m | Florence Griffith‑Joyner 🇺🇸 | 10,49 | 16.7.1988 |
| 200 m | Florence Griffith‑Joyner 🇺🇸 | 21,34 | 29.9.1988 |
| 400 m | Marita Koch (GDR) | 47,60 | 6.10.1985 |
| 800 m | Jarmila Kratochvílová 🇨🇿 | 1.53,28 | 26.7.1983 |
| 1000 m | Svetlana Masterkova | 2.28,98 | 23.8.1996 |
| 1500 m | Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 | 3.49,04 | 7.7.2024 |
| One mile | Faith Kipyegon 🇰🇪 | 4.07,64 | 21.7.2023 |
| 2000 m | Francine Niyonsaba 🇧🇮 | 5.21,56 | 14.9.2021 |
| 3000 m | Wang Junxia 🇨🇳 | 8.06,11 | 13.9.1993 |
| 5000 m | Gudaf Tsegay 🇪🇹 | 14.00,21 | 17.9.2023 |
| 10000 m | Letesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹 | 29.01,03 | 9.6.2021 |
| 20000 m | Tegla Loroupe 🇰🇪 | 1:05.26,6h | 3.9.2000 |
| One hour | Sifan Hassan 🇳🇱 | 18930 m | 4.9.2020 |
| 25000 m | Tegla Loroupe 🇰🇪 | 1:27.05,9h | 21.9.2002 |
| 30000 m | Tegla Loroupe 🇰🇪 | 1:45.50,0h | 6.6.2003 |
| 5 km road race | Senbere Teferi 🇪🇹 | 14.29 | 12.9.2021 |
| 10 km road race | Agnes Tirop 🇰🇪 (Wo) | 30.01 | 12.9.2021 |
| 10 km road race | Kalkidan Gezahegne 🇧🇭 (Mx) | 29.38 | 3.10.2021 |
| 10 km road race | Joyciline Jepkosgei 🇰🇪 (Mx) | 29.43 | 9.9.2017 |
| Half marathon | Peres Jepchirchir 🇰🇪 (Wo) | 1:05.16 | 17.10.2020 |
| Half marathon | Letesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹 (Mx) | 1:02.52 | 24.10.2021 |
| Marathon | Mary Jepkosgei Keitany 🇰🇪 (Wo) | 2:17.01 | 23.4.2017 |
| Marathon | Tigist Assefa 🇪🇹 | 2:11.53 | 24.9.2023 |
| 100 km | Tomoe Abe 🇯🇵 | 6:33.11 (Mx) | 25.6.2000 |
| 100 m hurdles | Tobi Amusan 🇳🇬 | 12,12 | 25.7.2022 |
| 400 m hurdles | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone 🇺🇸 | 50,37 | 8.8.2024 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | Beatrice Chepkoech 🇰🇪 | 8.44,32 | 20.7.2018 |
| Long jump | Galina Tšistjakova (URS) | 752 | 11.6.1988 |
| High jump | Yaroslava Mahuchikh 🇺🇦 | 210 | 7.7.2024 |
| Triple jump | Yulimar Rojas 🇻🇪 | 15,74i | 2.8.2021 |
| Pole vault | Jelena Isinbajeva | 506 | 28.8.2009 |
| Javelin throw | Barbora Špotákova 🇨🇿 | 72,28 | 13.9.2008 |
| Shot put | Natalja Lisovskaja (URS) | 22,63 | 7.6.1987 |
| Discus throw | Gabriele Reinsch (GDR) | 76,80 | 9.7.1988 |
| Hammer throw | Anita Włodarczyk 🇵🇱 | 82,98 | 28.8.2016 |
| Heptathlon | Jackie Joyner-Kersee 🇺🇸 | 7291 | 23.-24.9.1988 |
| Decathlon | Austra Skujyte 🇱🇹 | 8358 | 15.4.2005 |
| 10000 m race walk | Nadezhda Ryashkina (URS) | 41.56,23 | 24.7.1990 |
| 20000 m race walk | Olimpiada Ivanova | 1:26.52,3h | 6.9.2001 |
| 20 km race walk | Jiayu Yang 🇨🇳 | 1:23.49 | 20.3.2021 |
| 35 km race walk | Maria Pérez 🇪🇸 | 2:37.15 | 21.5.2023 |
| 50 km race walk | Hong Liu 🇨🇳 | 3:59.15 | 9.3.2019 |
| 4 x 100 m | United States | 40,82 | 10.8.2012 |
| 4 x 200 m | United States | 1.27,46 | 29.4.2000 |
| 4 x 400 m | Soviet Union | 3.15,17 | 1.10.1988 |
| 4 x 800 m | Soviet Union | 7.50,17 | 5.8.1984 |
| 4 x 1500 m | Nike/Bowerman Track Club | 16.27,02 | 31.7.2020 |
| Road relay 42,195 km | Republic of China | 2:11.41 | 28.2.2011 |
| Distance medley relay 4000 m | USA | 10.36,50 | 2.5.2015 |
Mx: mixed gender race. Wo: women only race.
Athletics world indoor records
The oldest world indoor record is held by Czechoslovakia's
Helena Fibingerova who threw women's shot put WR of 22,50 in February. Men's oldest world indoor record is USA:s
Carl Lewis' long jump WR 879 jumped in January 1984.
Men
| Discipline | Athlete | Results | Date |
| 50 m | Donovan BAILEY 🇨🇦 | 5,56 | 9.2.1996 |
| 60 m | Christian COLEMAN 🇺🇸 | 6,34 | 18.2.2018 |
| 200 m | Frank FREDERICKS 🇳🇦 | 19,92 | 18.2.1996 |
| 400 m | Kerron CLEMENT 🇺🇸 | 44,57 | 12.3.2005 |
| 800 m | Wilson KIPKETER 🇩🇰 | 1.42,67 | 9.3.1997 |
| 1000 m | Ayanleh SOULEIMAN 🇩🇯 | 2.14,20 | 17.2.2016 |
| 1500 m | Samuel TEFERA 🇪🇹 | 3.31,04 | 16.2.2019 |
| One mile | Yomif KEJELCHA 🇪🇹 | 3.47,01 | 3.3.2019 |
| 3000 m | Lamecha Girma 🇪🇹 | 7.23,81 | 15.2.2023 |
| 5000 m | Kenenisa BEKELE 🇪🇹 | 12.49,60 | 20.2.2004 |
| 50 m hurdles | Mark MCKOY 🇨🇦 | 6,25 | 5.3.1986 |
| 60 m hurdles | Grant HOLLOWAY 🇺🇸 | 7,29 | 24.2.2021 |
| High jump | Javier SOTOMAYOR 🇨🇺 | 243 | 4.3.1989 |
| Pole vault | Armand DUPLANTIS 🇸🇪 | 620 | 20.3.2022 |
| Long jump | Carl LEWIS 🇺🇸 | 879 | 27.1.1984 |
| Triple jump | Hugues Fabrice ZANGO 🇧🇫 | 18,07 | 16.1.2021 |
| Shot put | Ryan CROUSER 🇺🇸 | 22,82 | 24.1.2021 |
| Heptathlon | Ashton EATON 🇺🇸 | 6645 | 10.3.2012 |
| 5000 m race walk | Mikhail SHCHENNIKOV | 18.07,08 | 14.2.1995 |
| 4 x 200 m relay | Great Britain & NI 🇬🇧 | 1.22,11 | 3.3.1991 |
| 4 x 400 m relay | Houston 🇺🇸 | 3.01,51 | 9.2.2019 |
| 4 x 800 m relay | HOKA NJ / NY TC 🇺🇸 | 7.11,30 | 25.2.2018 |
Women
| Discipline | Athlete | Results | Date |
| 50 m | Irina PRIVALOVA | 5,96 | 9.2.1995 |
| 60 m | Irina PRIVALOVA | 6,92 | 11.2.1993 |
| 200 m | Merlene OTTEY 🇯🇲 | 21,87 | 13.2.1993 |
| 400 m | Femke Bol 🇳🇱 | 49,26 | 19.2.2023 |
| 800 m | Jolanda ČEPLAK 🇸🇮 | 1.55,82 | 3.3.2002 |
| 1000 m | Maria de Lurdes MUTOLA (MOZ) | 2.30,94 | 25.2.1999 |
| 1500 m | Gudaf TSEGAY 🇪🇹 | 3.53,09 | 9.2.2021 |
| One mile | Genzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹 | 4.13,31 | 17.2.2016 |
| 3000 m | Genzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹 | 8.16,60 | 6.2.2014 |
| 5000 m | Genzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹 | 14.18,86 | 19.2.2015 |
| 50 m hurdles | Cornelia OSCHKENAT (GDR) | 6,58 | 20.2.1988 |
| 60 m hurdles | Susanna KALLUR 🇸🇪 | 7,68 | 10.2.2008 |
| High jump | Kajsa BERGQVIST 🇸🇪 | 208 | 4.2.2006 |
| Pole vault | Jennifer SUHR 🇺🇸 | 502 | 2.3.2013 |
| Long jump | Heike DRECHSLER (GDR) | 737 | 13.2.1988 |
| Triple jump | Yulimar ROJAS 🇻🇪 | 15,74 | 20.3.2022 |
| Shot put | Helena FIBINGEROVÁ (TCH) | 22.50 | 19.2.1977 |
| 5-ottelu | Nataliya DOBRYNSKA 🇺🇦 | 5013 | 9.3.2012 |
| 3000 m race walk | Claudia IOVAN 🇷🇴 | 11.40,33 | 30.1.1999 |
| 4 x 200 m relay | Russia | 1.32,41 | 29.1.2005 |
| 4 x 400 m relay | Russia | 3.23,37 | 28.1.2006 |
| 4 x 800 m relay | United States 🇺🇸 | 8.05,89 | 3.2.2018 |
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