Athletics World Records


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 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.

The oldest men's world record is held by West Germany's Jürgen Schult who threw discus to a mark of 74,08 in June 1986. Soviet Union's Juri Sedyh threw the hammer throw WR 86,74 just two months after after Schult and it stands as the second oldest men's outdoor WR.

Latest edit 24th of September 2023



Men

DisciplineAthleteResultsDate
100 mUsain Bolt 🇯🇲9,5816.8.2009
200 mUsain Bolt 🇯🇲19,1920.8.2009
400 mWayde van Niekerk 🇿🇦43,0314.8.2016
800 mDavid Rudisha 🇰🇪1.40,919.8.2012
1500 mHicham El Guerrouj 🇲🇦3.26,0014.7.1998
One mileHicham El Guerrouj 🇲🇦3.43,137.9.1999
2000 mJakob Ingebrigtsen 🇳🇴4.43,138.9.2023
3000 mDaniel Komen 🇰🇪7.20,671.9.1996
5000 mJoshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬12.35,3614.8.2020
10000 mJoshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬26.11,007.10.2020
20000 mHaile Gebreselassie 🇪🇹56.26,0h27.6.2007
One hourMo Farah 🇬🇧21330 m4.9.2020
25000 mMoses Mosop 🇰🇪1:12.25,4h3.6.2011
30000 mMoses Mosop 🇰🇪1:26.47,4h3.6.2011
5 km road raceJoshua Cheptegei 🇺🇬12.35,3616.2.2020
10 km road raceRhonex Kipruto 🇰🇪26.2412.1.2020
Half marathonKibiwott Kandie 🇰🇪57.326.12.2020
MarathonEliud Kipchoge 🇰🇪2:01.0925.9.2022
100 kmAleksandr Sorokin 🇱🇹6:05.3514.5.2023
110 m hurdlesAries Merritt 🇺🇸12,807.9.2012
400 m hurdlesKarsten Warholm 🇳🇴46,701.7.2021
3000 m steeple chaseLamecha Girma 🇪🇹7.52,116.9.2023
Long jumpMike Powell 🇺🇸89530.8.1991
High jumpJavier Sotomayor 🇨🇺24527.7.1993
Triple jumpJonathan Edwards 🇬🇧18,297.8.1995
Pole vaultArmand Duplantis 🇸🇪62317.9.2023
Javelin throwJan Zelezny 🇨🇿98,4825.5.1996
Shot putRyan Crouser 🇺🇸23,5627.5.2023
Discus throwJürgen Schult (GDR)74,086.6.1986
Hammer throwJuri Sedyh (URS)86,7430.8.1986
DecathlonKevin Mayer 🇫🇷912615-16.9.2018
4 x 100 mJamaica36,8411.8.2012
4 x 200 mJamaica1.18,6324.5.2018
4 x 400 mUnited States2.54,2922.8.1993
4 x 800 mKenya7.02,4325.8.2006
4 x 1500 mKenya14.22,2225.5.2014
Roadrelay 42,195 kmKenya1:57.0623.11.2005
Distance medley relay 4000 mUnited States9.15,503.5.2015


Jamaicas Usain Bolt holds the world records for 100 and 200 metres dash.
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

DisciplineAthleteResultsDate
100 mFlorence Griffith‑Joyner 🇺🇸10,4916.7.1988
200 mFlorence Griffith‑Joyner 🇺🇸21,3429.9.1988
400 mMarita Koch (GDR)47,606.10.1985
800 mJarmila Kratochvílová 🇨🇿1.53,2826.7.1983
1000 mSvetlana Masterkova2.28,9823.8.1996
1500 mFaith Kipyegon 🇰🇪3.49,112.6.2023
One mileFaith Kipyegon 🇰🇪4.07,6421.7.2023
2000 mFrancine Niyonsaba 🇧🇮5.21,5614.9.2021
3000 mWang Junxia 🇨🇳8.06,1113.9.1993
5000 mGudaf Tsegay 🇪🇹14.00,2117.9.2023
10000 mLetesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹29.01,039.6.2021
20000 mTegla Loroupe 🇰🇪1:05.26,6h3.9.2000
One hourSifan Hassan 🇳🇱18930 m4.9.2020
25000 mTegla Loroupe 🇰🇪1:27.05,9h21.9.2002
30000 mTegla Loroupe 🇰🇪1:45.50,0h6.6.2003
5 km road raceSenbere Teferi 🇪🇹14.2912.9.2021
10 km road raceAgnes Tirop 🇰🇪 (Wo)30.0112.9.2021
10 km road raceKalkidan Gezahegne 🇧🇭 (Mx)29.383.10.2021
10 km road raceJoyciline Jepkosgei 🇰🇪 (Mx)29.439.9.2017
Half marathonPeres Jepchirchir 🇰🇪 (Wo)1:05.1617.10.2020
Half marathonLetesenbet Gidey 🇪🇹 (Mx)1:02.5224.10.2021
MarathonMary Jepkosgei Keitany 🇰🇪 (Wo)2:17.0123.4.2017
MarathonTigist Assefa 🇪🇹2:11.5324.9.2023
100 kmTomoe Abe 🇯🇵6:33.11 (Mx)25.6.2000
100 m hurdlesTobi Amusan 🇳🇬12,1225.7.2022
400 m hurdlesSydney McLaughlin 🇺🇸50,6825.7.2022
3000 m steeplechaseBeatrice Chepkoech 🇰🇪8.44,3220.7.2018
Long jumpGalina Tšistjakova (URS)75211.6.1988
High jumpStefka Kostadinova 🇧🇬20930.8.1987
Triple jumpYulimar Rojas 🇻🇪15,74i2.8.2021
Pole vaultJelena Isinbajeva50628.8.2009
Javelin throwBarbora Špotákova 🇨🇿72,2813.9.2008
Shot putNatalja Lisovskaja (URS)22,637.6.1987
Discus throwGabriele Reinsch (GDR)76,809.7.1988
Hammer throwAnita Włodarczyk 🇵🇱82,9828.8.2016
HeptathlonJackie Joyner-Kersee 🇺🇸729123.-24.9.1988
DecathlonAustra Skujyte 🇱🇹835815.4.2005
10000 m race walkNadezhda Ryashkina (URS)41.56,2324.7.1990
20000 m race walkOlimpiada Ivanova1:26.52,3h6.9.2001
20 km race walkJiayu Yang 🇨🇳1:23.4920.3.2021
35 km race walkMaria Pérez 🇪🇸2:37.1521.5.2023
50 km race walkHong Liu 🇨🇳3:59.159.3.2019
4 x 100 mUnited States40,8210.8.2012
4 x 200 mUnited States1.27,4629.4.2000
4 x 400 mSoviet Union3.15,171.10.1988
4 x 800 mSoviet Union7.50,175.8.1984
4 x 1500 mNike/Bowerman Track Club16.27,0231.7.2020
Road relay 42,195 kmRepublic of China2:11.4128.2.2011
Distance medley relay 4000 mUSA10.36,502.5.2015

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

DisciplineAthleteResultsDate
50 mDonovan BAILEY 🇨🇦5,569.2.1996
60 mChristian COLEMAN 🇺🇸6,3418.2.2018
200 mFrank FREDERICKS 🇳🇦19,9218.2.1996
400 mKerron CLEMENT 🇺🇸44,5712.3.2005
800 mWilson KIPKETER 🇩🇰1.42,679.3.1997
1000 mAyanleh SOULEIMAN 🇩🇯2.14,2017.2.2016
1500 mSamuel TEFERA 🇪🇹3.31,0416.2.2019
One mileYomif KEJELCHA 🇪🇹3.47,013.3.2019
3000 mLamecha Girma 🇪🇹7.23,8115.2.2023
5000 mKenenisa BEKELE 🇪🇹12.49,6020.2.2004
50 m hurdlesMark MCKOY 🇨🇦6,255.3.1986
60 m hurdlesGrant HOLLOWAY 🇺🇸7,2924.2.2021
High jumpJavier SOTOMAYOR 🇨🇺2434.3.1989
Pole vaultArmand DUPLANTIS 🇸🇪 62020.3.2022
Long jumpCarl LEWIS 🇺🇸87927.1.1984
Triple jumpHugues Fabrice ZANGO 🇧🇫18,0716.1.2021
Shot putRyan CROUSER 🇺🇸22,8224.1.2021
HeptathlonAshton EATON 🇺🇸664510.3.2012
5000 m race walkMikhail SHCHENNIKOV18.07,0814.2.1995
4 x 200 m relayGreat Britain & NI 🇬🇧1.22,113.3.1991
4 x 400 m relayHouston 🇺🇸3.01,519.2.2019
4 x 800 m relayHOKA NJ / NY TC 🇺🇸7.11,3025.2.2018


Women

DisciplineAthleteResultsDate
50 mIrina PRIVALOVA5,969.2.1995
60 mIrina PRIVALOVA6,9211.2.1993
200 mMerlene OTTEY 🇯🇲21,8713.2.1993
400 mFemke Bol 🇳🇱49,2619.2.2023
800 mJolanda ČEPLAK 🇸🇮1.55,823.3.2002
1000 mMaria de Lurdes MUTOLA (MOZ)2.30,9425.2.1999
1500 mGudaf TSEGAY 🇪🇹3.53,099.2.2021
One mileGenzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹4.13,3117.2.2016
3000 mGenzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹8.16,606.2.2014
5000 mGenzebe DIBABA 🇪🇹14.18,8619.2.2015
50 m hurdlesCornelia OSCHKENAT (GDR)6,5820.2.1988
60 m hurdlesSusanna KALLUR 🇸🇪7,6810.2.2008
High jumpKajsa BERGQVIST 🇸🇪2084.2.2006
Pole vaultJennifer SUHR 🇺🇸5022.3.2013
Long jumpHeike DRECHSLER (GDR)73713.2.1988
Triple jumpYulimar ROJAS 🇻🇪15,7420.3.2022
Shot putHelena FIBINGEROVÁ (TCH)22.5019.2.1977
5-otteluNataliya DOBRYNSKA 🇺🇦50139.3.2012
3000 m race walkClaudia IOVAN 🇷🇴11.40,3330.1.1999
4 x 200 m relayRussia1.32,4129.1.2005
4 x 400 m relayRussia3.23,3728.1.2006
4 x 800 m relayUnited States 🇺🇸8.05,893.2.2018