The World Athletics Championships is a biennial event which began in 1983. Organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the World Championships are a competition comprising track and field athletics events available to male and female athletes from any of the IAAF's 213 member federations. Championship records are set when an athlete achieves the best mark in an event at one of the editions of the Championships. World, area, and national records have been set at the championships over the course of its history.
Competitors at the World Championships come from around the globe and records have been broken by athletes from all six continents. The United States has been the most successful competitor at the World Championships in both medals and records.
Four athletes hold multiple records:
not ratified or later rescinded by World Athletics
Statistics are correct as of August 2023
Event | Record | Name | Location | Date | Ref | Video | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 m | 9.58 (+0.9 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 16 August 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
200 m | 19.19 (−0.3 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 20 August 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
400 m | 43.18 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 26 August 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
800 m | 1:42.34 | ![]() | ![]() | 1 October 2019 | [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
1500 m | 3:27.65 | ![]() | ![]() | 24 August 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
5000 m | 12:52.79 | ![]() | ![]() | 31 August 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
10,000 m | 26:46.31 | ![]() | ![]() | 17 August 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Marathon | 2:05:36 | ![]() | ![]() | 17 July 2022 | [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||
110 m hurdles | 12.91 (+0.5 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 20 August 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||
400 m hurdles | 46.29 | ![]() | ![]() | 19 July 2022 | [3] | ||||||||||||||||||||
3000 m steeplechase | 8:00.43 | ![]() | ![]() | 18 August 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
High jump | 2.41 m | ![]() | ![]() | 15 August 2013 | [4] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Pole vault | 6.21 m WR | ![]() | ![]() | 24 July 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Long jump | 8.95 m (+0.3 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 30 August 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Triple jump | 18.29 m (+1.3 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 7 August 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Shot put | 23.51 m | ![]() | ![]() | 19 August 2023 | [5] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Discus throw | 71.46 m | ![]() | ![]() | 21 August 2023 | [6] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hammer throw | 83.63 m [7] | ![]() | ![]() | 27 August 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Javelin throw | 92.80 m | ![]() | ![]() | 12 August 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Decathlon | 9045 pts WR | ![]() | ![]() | 28–29 August 2015 | [8] | ||||||||||||||||||||
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20 km walk (road) | 1:17:21 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 23 August 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
35 km walk (road) | 2:23:14 | ![]() | ![]() | 24 July 2022 | [9] | ||||||||||||||||||||
50 km walk (road) | 3:33:12 | ![]() | ![]() | 13 August 2017 | [10] | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 × 100 m relay | 37.04 | ![]() Nesta Carter Michael Frater Yohan Blake Usain Bolt | ![]() | 4 September 2011 | [11] | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 × 400 m relay | 2:54.29 WR | ![]() Andrew Valmon Quincy Watts Butch Reynolds Michael Johnson | ![]() | 22 August 1993 | [12] |
WR World record | AR Area record | NR National record | PB Athlete's personal best |
Statistics are correct as of August 2023
Event | Record | Name | Location | Date | Ref | Video | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 m | 10.65 (−0.2 m/s) | ![]() | ![]() | 21 August 2023 | [15] | |||||||||||||
200 m | 21.41 (+0.1 m/s) | ![]() | ![]() | 25 August 2023 | [16] | |||||||||||||
400 m | 47.99 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 10 August 1983 | ||||||||||||||
800 m | 1:54.68 | ![]() | ![]() | 9 August 1983 | ||||||||||||||
1500 m | 3:51.95 | ![]() | ![]() | 5 October 2019 | [17] | |||||||||||||
3000 m (defunct since 1993) | 8:28.71 | ![]() | ![]() | 16 August 1993 | ||||||||||||||
5000 m | 14:26.72 | ![]() | ![]() | 5 October 2019 | [18] | |||||||||||||
10,000 m | 30:04.18 | ![]() | ![]() | 23 August 2003 | ||||||||||||||
100 m hurdles | 12.12 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 24 July 2022 | [19] | |||||||||||||
12.06 (+2.5 m/s) | ![]() | ![]() | 24 July 2022 | |||||||||||||||
400 m hurdles | 50.68 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 22 July 2022 | [20] | |||||||||||||
3000 m steeplechase | 8:53.02 | ![]() | ![]() | 20 July 2022 | [21] | |||||||||||||
Marathon | 2:18:11 | ![]() | ![]() | 18 July 2022 | [22] | |||||||||||||
High jump | 2.09 m WR | ![]() | ![]() | 30 August 1987 | ||||||||||||||
Pole vault | 5.01 m WR | ![]() | ![]() | 12 August 2005 | [23] | |||||||||||||
Long jump | 7.36 m (+0.4 m/s) | ![]() | ![]() | 4 September 1987 | ||||||||||||||
Triple jump | 15.50 m (+0.9 m/s) WR | ![]() | ![]() | 10 August 1995 | ||||||||||||||
Shot put | 21.24 m | ![]() | ![]() | 5 September 1987 | ||||||||||||||
![]() | ![]() | 29 August 2011 | ||||||||||||||||
Discus throw | 71.62 m | ![]() | ![]() | 31 August 1987 | ||||||||||||||
Hammer throw | 80.85 m | ![]() | ![]() | 27 August 2015 | [24] | |||||||||||||
Javelin throw | 71.70 m | ![]() | ![]() | 14 August 2005 | ||||||||||||||
71.99 m DQ | ![]() | ![]() | 2 September 2011 | [25] | ||||||||||||||
Heptathlon | 7128 pts | ![]() | ![]() | 31 August – 1 September 1987 | [26] | |||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
10,000 m walk (track) (defunct since 1997) | 42:55.49 | ![]() | ![]() | 7 August 1997 | ||||||||||||||
10 km walk (road) (defunct since 1995) | 42:13 | ![]() | ![]() | 7 August 1995 | [27] | |||||||||||||
20 km walk (road) | 1:25:41 | ![]() | ![]() | 7 August 2005 | ||||||||||||||
35 km walk (road) | 2:38:40 | ![]() | ![]() | 24 August 2023 | [28] | |||||||||||||
50 km walk (road) | 4:05:56 WR | ![]() | ![]() | 13 August 2017 | [29] | |||||||||||||
4 × 100 m relay | 41.03 | ![]() Tamari Davis Twanisha Terry Gabrielle Thomas Sha'Carri Richardson | ![]() | 26 August 2023 | [30] | |||||||||||||
4 × 400 m relay | 3:16.71 | ![]() Gwen Torrence Maicel Malone-Wallace Natasha Kaiser-Brown Jearl Miles | ![]() | 22 August 1993 | [31] |
WR World record | AR Area record | NR National record | PB Athlete's personal best |
Event | Record | Athlete | Nation | Date | Championships | Place | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 × 400 m relay | 3:08.80 WR | Justin Robinson (44.47) Rosey Effiong (50.38) Matthew Boling (45.13) Alexis Holmes (48.82) | ![]() | 19 August 2023 | 2023 World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | [38] |
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