World records in athletics are ratified by World Athletics. Athletics records comprise the best performances in the sports of track and field, road running and racewalking.
Records are kept for all events contested at the Olympic Games and some others. Unofficial records for some other events are kept by track and field statisticians. The only non-metric track distance for which official records are kept is the mile run.
The criteria which must be satisfied for ratification of a world record are defined by World Athletics in Part III of the Competition Rules. [1] These criteria also apply to national or other restricted records and also to performances submitted as qualifying marks for eligibility to compete in major events such as the Olympic Games.
The criteria include:
Witnessing a world record brings great pleasure for athletics fans, and athletes' personal sponsors and promoters of major meetings such as the Diamond League and its predecessor, the IAAF Golden League have offered bonuses to athletes breaking a record.
Some middle-distance runners have specialized in acting as pacemakers in longer races, receiving a fee without even finishing the race, and possibly a bonus if a record results. This is a useful occupation for athletes who are capable of running accurately to a specified pace, but not capable of the fastest times to become champions in their own right.
In the pole vault record bonuses create an incentive for an athlete capable of beating a record by a large margin to instead break it by the minimum amount (one centimetre), multiple times, at multiple meetings, in order to accumulate multiple bonuses. This has been done by Sergey Bubka and more recently Armand Duplantis in the men's pole vault, and Yelena Isinbayeva in the women's pole vault. [4] Some commentators have complained that neither athlete ever posted as high a mark as they were capable of. [5] In most other disciplines, this issue does not arise, since it is practically impossible to deliberately break a record by a small margin.
World Athletics (then IAAF) commenced the recognition of world records in 1912, and indoor world records after 1987. In 2000, IAAF rule 260.18a (formerly 260.6a) was amended, so that "world records" (as opposed to "indoor world records") can be set in a facility "with or without roof". This rule was not applied retroactively, [6] and has, thus far, only affected the men's and women's pole vault, women's 2,000 m and women's triple jump. The women's vault record has been advanced 9 times indoors by three different women, each ratified as a world record. The last record to be set indoors was in 2004. Sergey Bubka's 1993 pole vault world indoor record of 6.15 m was not considered to be a world record, because it was set before the new rule came into effect. Bubka's world record of 6.14 m, set outdoors in 1994, was surpassed by six consecutive records set indoors, most recently by Armand Duplantis in 2023 with a 6.22 m mark. In 2020, Duplantis surpassed Bubka's outdoor world best (the old 6.14 m record), with a 6.15 m vault and continued to improve the world record thereafter, most recently in 2024 with a 6.25 m mark.
As new events are advanced to world record status, World Athletics might delay declaring initial performances as the official world record until sufficient athletes have had the opportunity to perform.
Awaiting ratification not ratified or later rescinded by World Athletics
h = hand timing
+ = en route to a longer distance
A = affected by altitude
OT = oversized track
X = annulled due to doping violations
# = not officially ratified by World Athletics
a = aided road course according to IAAF rule 260.28
est = estimate
i = set indoors (overall world record tables only)
Event | Perf. | N | Athlete(s) | Nat. | Avg Speed (mph, kph) | Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | R | V | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 × 400 m relay | 3:08.80 | Justin Robinson (44.47) Rosey Effiong (50.38) Matthew Boling (45.13) Alexis Holmes (48.82) | USA | 18.957 (30.509) | N/A | 19 August 2023 | World Championships | Budapest | HUN | [172] | P | ||
3:07.41 | Vernon Norwood (44.47) Shamier Little (49.32) Bryce Deadmon (44.17) Kaylyn Brown (49.45) | USA | 19.098 (30.735) | N/A | 2 August 2024 | Olympic Games | Saint-Denis | FRA | [173] | P |
In 2023, World Athletics decided to introduce the new term 'short track' to replace the previous term 'indoor' to describe events and performances that are set on a 200m track. [174] For track and combined events, the term "indoor world records" were changed to "short track world records". In some field events, including long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault, and shot put, indoor world records were eliminated. These changes came into effect on 1 November 2023.
Events which do not qualify for World Athletics-ratified world records are typically referred to as world bests.
While races over imperial measured distances were very common in the first half of the 20th century, only the mile remains common today due to its historical prominence in track and field: all other imperial measured distance races became increasingly rare, and the IAAF deleted these events from the world record books in 1976.
In November 2019, World Athletics (WA; formerly IAAF) also deleted several long-distance events (track distances of 20,000 metres, 25,000 metres and 30,000 metres and road distances of 15 km, 20 km, 25 km and 30 km) from the world record books.
Some road racing distances and indoor variations of outdoor events fall outside of WA's lists, and records set in uncommon events usually do not adhere to the strict criteria found in WA-ratifiable events: one example is the 150 metres record, which was set by Usain Bolt on a specially-made straight track, while previous performances (such as the Bailey–Johnson 150-metre race) were completed on a traditional circuit which included a partial bend in the track.
The 40-yard dash, a standard acceleration evaluation for American football players, does not fall within the usual criteria of athletics racing events. In most 40-yard dashes, reaction times are not recorded as timing starts only once the player is in motion, and the standards for timing a "football 40" are so lax and inconsistent that a real world record cannot be claimed.
Performances are also hand-timed and calculated to 1/100th of a second, although studies have shown human beings simply cannot react consistently or accurately enough for this to be a valid method, and even those using light beams are timed by the motion of the athlete, removing the normal factor of reaction time; further, football 40-yard dashes are usually run on a turf surface as opposed to an all weather track. All of these factors make track and "football 40" performances essentially impossible to compare.
The world best time for a "football 40" is 4.17 by Deion Sanders, while the extrapolated best for an Olympic-level athlete (including reacting to a starting gun) is 4.24 by Maurice Greene at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. [250]
Event | Perf. | N | Athlete(s) | Nat. | Avg Speed (mph, kph) | Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | R | V | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marathon Race Walk Relay | 2:50:31 | [note 1] | Álvaro Martín María Pérez | ESP | 9.226 (14.847) | N/A | 7 August 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris | FRA | [364] |
World Athletics recognises world bests achieved in individual disciplines during a combined event. [437] The below list includes disciplines in the decathlon (men) and heptathlon (women). Athletes must score at least 7000 points in a decathlon in order to have their performance recognised. [438]
Event | Perf. | N | Athlete(s) | Nat. | Avg Speed (mph, kph) | Hep. Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | R | V |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100 metre hurdles | 12.54 | Jessica Ennis | GBR | 17.838 (28.708) | 1195 | 3 Aug 2012 | Olympic Games | London | GBR | [441] | ||
High jump | 2.02 m | Nafissatou Thiam | BEL | 1264 | 22 Jun 2019 | Décastar | Talence | FRA | [441] | |||
Shot put | 20.79 m | [lower-alpha 59] | Eva Wilms | FRG | 1252 | 28 Aug 1977 | Hanover | FRG | [441] | |||
200 metres | 22.30 | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | USA | 20.062 (32.287) | 1150 | 15 Jul 1988 | Indianapolis | USA | [441] | |||
Long jump | 7.27 m | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | USA | 1264 | 23 Sep 1988 | Olympic Games | Seoul | KOR | [441] | |||
Javelin throw | 60.90 m | [lower-alpha 3] | Barbora Špotáková | CZE | 1072 | 16 Sep 2012 | Décastar | Talence | FRA | [446] | ||
800 metres | 2:01.84 | Nadine Debois | FRA | 14.688 (23.638) | 1087 | 27 Sep 1987 | Décastar | Talence | FRA | [441] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
The men's javelin specification was changed with effect from 1986, and the women's from 2000. The purpose was to reduce the number of illegal flat landings, but a side-effect was to reduce the distance travelled. The prior world records in individual men's and women's javelin were invalidated, but the prior records in decathlon and heptathlon were not. [447]
The old specification records for men's and women's javelin were as follows:
Event | Record | Athlete | Nat. | Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Men's | 104.80 m | Uwe Hohn | GDR | N/A | 20 Jul 1984 | East Berlin | GDR | ||
Women's | 80.00 m | Petra Felke | GDR | N/A | 9 Sep 1988 | Potsdam | GDR |
The current decathlon world record was set with the current javelin specification.
The best performance in heptathlon using the new specification javelin is:
Performance | Athlete | Nat. | Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7032 | Carolina Klüft | SWE | 1279 | 26 Aug 2007 | World Championships | Osaka | JPN | [448] [449] |
13.15 (+0.1 m/s) (100 m hurdles), 1.95 m (high jump), 14.81 m (shot put), 23.38 (+0.3 m/s) (200 m) / 6.85 m (+1.0 m/s) (long jump), 47.98 m [lower-alpha 65] (javelin), 2:12.56 (800 m) |
The best javelin throw in a heptathlon was also set using the old specification:
Performance | Athlete | Nat. | Hep. Pts | Date | Meeting | Location | Ctry. | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
64.64 m | Tessa Sanderson | GBR | 1145 | 12 Jul 1981 | Brussels | BEL | [450] |
The World Athletics Championships, known as the IAAF World Championships in Athletics until 2019, are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics, formerly International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Alongside Olympic Games, they represent the highest level championships of senior international outdoor athletics competition for track and field athletics globally, including marathon running and race walking. Separate World Championships are held by World Athletics for certain other outdoor events, including cross-country running and half-marathon, as well as indoor and age-group championships.
The 400 metres, or 400-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 for men and since 1964 for women. On a standard outdoor running track, it is one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and race in separate lanes for the entire course. In many countries, athletes previously competed in the 440-yard dash (402.336 m)—which is a quarter of a mile and was referred to as the "quarter-mile"—instead of the 400 m (437.445 yards), though this distance is now obsolete.
The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first recorded event at the ancient Olympic Games. The 200 m places more emphasis on speed endurance than shorter sprint distances as athletes predominantly rely on anaerobic energy system during the 200 m sprint. Similarly to other sprint distances, the 200 m begins from the starting blocks. When the sprinters adopt the 'set' position in the blocks they are able to adopt a more efficient starting posture and isometrically preload their muscles. This enables them to stride forwards more powerfully when the race begins and start faster.
The 4 × 100 metres relay or sprint relay is an athletics track event run in lanes over one lap of the track with four runners completing 100 metres each. The first runners must begin in the same stagger as for the individual 400 m race. Each runner carries a relay baton. Before 2018, the baton had to be passed within a 20 m changeover box, preceded by a 10-metre acceleration zone. With a rule change effective November 1, 2017, that zone was modified to include the acceleration zone as part of the passing zone, making the entire zone 30 metres in length. The outgoing runner cannot touch the baton until it has entered the zone, and the incoming runner cannot touch it after it has left the zone. The zone is usually marked in yellow, frequently using lines, triangles or chevrons. While the rule book specifies the exact positioning of the marks, the colours and style are only "recommended". While most legacy tracks will still have the older markings, the rule change still uses existing marks. Not all governing body jurisdictions have adopted the rule change.
The 4 × 400 metres relay or long relay is an athletics track event in which teams consist of four runners who each complete 400 metres or one lap, totaling 1600 meters. It is traditionally the final event of a track meet. The first leg and the first bend of the second leg are run in lanes. Start lines are thus staggered over a greater distance than in an individual 400 metres race; the runners then typically move to the inside of the track. The slightly longer 4 × 440 yards relay, on an Imperial distance, was a formerly run British Commonwealth and American event, until metrication was completed in the 1970s.
60 metres, or 60-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At indoor events, the 60 metres is run on lanes set out in the middle of the 'field', as is the hurdles event over the same distance, thus avoiding some of the effects of the banked track encircling the venue, upon which other track events in indoor events are run. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes. The format of the event is similar to other sprint distances. The sprinters follow three initial instructions: 'on your marks', instructing them to take up position in the starting blocks; 'set', instructing them to adopt a more efficient starting posture, which also isometrically preloads their muscles. This will enable them to start faster. The final instruction is the firing of the starter's pistol. Upon hearing this the sprinters stride forwards from the blocks.
The 1500 metres or 1,500-metre run is the foremost middle distance track event in athletics. The distance has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896 and the World Championships in Athletics since 1983. It is equivalent to 1.5 kilometers or approximately 15⁄16 miles. The event is closely associated with its slightly longer cousin, the mile race, from which it derives its nickname "the metric mile".
The 5000 metres or 5000-metre run is a common long-distance running event in track and field, approximately equivalent to 3 miles 188 yards or 16,404 feet 2 inches. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics, run over 12+1⁄2 laps of a standard track. The same distance in road running is called a 5K run; referring to the distance in metres rather than kilometres serves to disambiguate the two events. The 5000 m has been present on the Olympic programme since 1912 for men and since 1996 for women. Prior to 1996, women had competed in an Olympic 3000 metres race since 1984. The 5000 m has been held at each of the World Championships in Athletics in men's competition and since 1995 in women's.
The 3000 metres or 3000-metre run is a track running event, also commonly known as the "3K" or "3K run", where 7.5 laps are run around an outdoor 400 m track, or 15 laps around a 200 m indoor track.
In 2005, the second annual Audrey Walton Combined Events played host to the first women's decathlon in North America. Former K-State [Kansas State] heptathlete Austra Skujytė broke the IAAF's newly-ratified World Record in the event, scoring 8,358 points.