List of Olympic records in athletics

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Athletics records in the Summer Olympic Games have been recorded since 1896.

The modern Summer

athletics events, which take place at each Games, are divided into four groups: track events (including sprints, middle- and long-distance running, hurdling and relays), field events (including javelin, discus, hammer, pole vault, long and triple jumps), road events (such as walks and the marathon) and combined events (the heptathlon and the decathlon).[1] Women compete in 23 athletics events during the Games,[2] and men compete in 24; while 21 of the events are the same for both men and women, men exclusively compete in the 50 km walk, the women's combined event is the heptathlon while the men compete in the decathlon, and the short distance hurdles for women is contested over 100 m, ten metres shorter than the men's event.[1]

Some Olympic records have been broken but later rescinded by the IOC. In 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson broke the Olympic and World record in the 100 metres sprint, but was subsequently disqualified after it was discovered that he had used anabolic steroids to enhance his performance. His record was expunged and the gold medal was instead awarded to original silver medalist American Carl Lewis.[3] Hungarian athlete Róbert Fazekas broke the Olympic record in the men's discus in 2004 but was later stripped of both his gold medal and the record after it was deemed that he had "committed an anti-doping rule violation".[4][5]

The longest standing modern Olympic athletics record is

Mike Powell, jumped farther in the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo.[7]

Note, only those events currently competed for and recognised by the IOC as Summer Olympic events are listed.[8]

Men's records

Usain Bolt in a yellow running vest and green shorts just completing a race
Usain Bolt currently holds three Olympics records, two individually and one with the Jamaican 4 × 100m relay team.
Ethiopian long-distance runner Kenenisa Bekele holds the Olympic record in both the 5,000 m and the 10,000 m.

♦ denotes a performance that is also a current

world record
. Statistics are correct as of August 3, 2021.

List of men's Olympic records in athletics
Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref(s)
100 metres 9.63  Usain Bolt  Jamaica (JAM) 2012 London August 5, 2012 [9]
200 metres 19.30  Usain Bolt  Jamaica (JAM) 2008 Beijing August 20, 2008 [10]
400 metres ♦43.03  Wayde van Niekerk  South Africa (RSA) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 14, 2016 [11]
800 metres ♦1:40.91  David Rudisha  Kenya (KEN) 2012 London August 9, 2012 [12]
1,500 metres 3:28.32  Jakob Ingebrigtsen  Norway (NOR) 2020 Tokyo August 7, 2021 [13]
5,000 metres 12:57.82  Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing August 23, 2008 [14]
10,000 metres 27:01.17  Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing August 17, 2008 [15]
Marathon 2:06:32  Samuel Wanjiru  Kenya (KEN) 2008 Beijing August 24, 2008 [16]
110 metres hurdles 12.91  Liu Xiang  China (CHN) 2004 Athens August 27, 2004 [17]
400 metres hurdles ♦45.94  Karsten Warholm  Norway (NOR) 2020 Tokyo August 3, 2021 [18]
3,000 m steeplechase 8:03.28  Conseslus Kipruto  Kenya (KEN) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 17, 2016 [19]
4×100 m relay ♦36.84  Nesta Carter
Michael Frater
Yohan Blake
Usain Bolt
 Jamaica (JAM) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [20]
4×400 m relay 2:55.39 
David Neville
Jeremy Wariner
 United States (USA) 2008 Beijing August 23, 2008 [21]
20 km walk 1:18:46  Chen Ding  China (CHN) 2012 London August 4, 2012 [22]
50 km walk 3:36:53  Jared Tallent  Australia (AUS) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [23]
High jump 2.39 m  Charles Austin  United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta July 28, 1996 [24]
Long jump 8.90 m  Bob Beamon  United States (USA) 1968 Mexico City October 18, 1968 [6]
Pole vault 6.03 m  Thiago Braz  Brazil (BRA) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 15, 2016 [25]
Triple jump 18.09 m  Kenny Harrison  United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta July 27, 1996 [26]
Shot put 23.30 m  Ryan Crouser  United States (USA) 2020 Tokyo August 5, 2021 [27]
Discus throw 69.89 m  Virgilijus Alekna  Lithuania (LTU) 2004 Athens August 23, 2004 [28]
Hammer throw 84.80 m  Sergey Litvinov  Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul September 26, 1988 [29]
Javelin throw 90.57 m  Andreas Thorkildsen  Norway (NOR) 2008 Beijing August 23, 2008 [30]
Decathlon 9018 pts  Damian Warner  Canada (CAN) 2020 Tokyo August 5, 2021 [31]

Women's records

Marie-José Pérec of France holds the record for the 400 metres, set at the Atlanta games in 1996.
Russian athlete Yelena Isinbayeva set the Olympic record in the pole vault in Beijing in 2008.

♦ denotes a performance that is also a current

world record
. Statistics are correct as of July 31, 2021.

List of women's Olympic records in athletics
Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref(s)
100 metres 10.61 
Elaine Thompson Herah
 Jamaica (JAM) 2020 Tokyo July 31, 2021 [32]
200 metres ♦21.34  Florence Griffith Joyner  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [33][34]
400 metres 48.25  Marie-José Pérec  France (FRA) 1996 Atlanta July 29, 1996 [35]
800 metres 1:53.43  Nadezhda Olizarenko  Soviet Union (URS) 1980 Moscow July 27, 1980 [35]
1,500 metres
3:53.11  Faith Kipyegon  Kenya (KEN) 2020 Tokyo August 6, 2021 [36]
5,000 metres 14:26.17  Vivian Cheruiyot  Kenya (KEN) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 19, 2016 [37]
10,000 metres 29:17.45  Almaz Ayana  Ethiopia (ETH) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 12, 2016 [38]
Marathon 2:23:07  Tiki Gelana  Ethiopia (ETH) 2012 London August 5, 2012 [35]
100 metres hurdles 12.26 Jasmine Camacho-Quinn  Puerto Rico (PUR) 2020 Tokyo August 1, 2021 [39]
400 metres hurdles 51.46
Sydney McLaughlin
 United States (USA) 2020 Tokyo August 4, 2021 [40]
3,000 m steeplechase 8:58.81 
Gulnara Galkina-Samitova
 Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing August 17, 2008 [41]
4×100 m relay ♦40.82   United States (USA) 2012 London August 10, 2012 [42]
4×400 m relay ♦3:15.17 
Olga Bryzgina
 Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul October 1, 1988 [43]
20 km walk 1:25:16  Qieyang Shijie  China (CHN) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [44]
High jump 2.06 m  Yelena Slesarenko  Russia (RUS) 2004 Athens August 28, 2004 [24]
Long jump 7.40 m  Jackie Joyner-Kersee  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [45]
Pole vault 5.05 m  Yelena Isinbayeva  Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing August 18, 2008 [41][46]
Triple jump 15.67 m  Yulimar Rojas  Venezuela (VEN) 2020 Tokyo August 1, 2021 [47]
Shot put 22.41 m  Ilona Slupianek  East Germany (GDR) 1980 Moscow July 24, 1980 [48]
Discus throw 72.30 m  Martina Hellmann  East Germany (GDR) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [28]
Hammer throw 82.29 m  Anita Włodarczyk  Poland (POL) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 15, 2016 [49]
Javelin throw 71.53 m  Osleidys Menéndez  Cuba (CUB) 2004 Athens August 27, 2004 [35]
Heptathlon ♦7291 pts  Jackie Joyner-Kersee  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 24, 1988 [35]

Mixed records

List of mixed Olympic records in athletics
Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref(s)
4×400 m relay 3:09.87  Karol Zalewski
Natalia Kaczmarek
Justyna Święty-Ersetic
Kajetan Duszyński
 Poland (POL) 2020 Tokyo July 31, 2021 [50]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Athletics". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  2. International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived
    from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  3. ^ "1988: Johnson stripped of Olympic gold". BBC. 27 September 1988. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  4. ^ "Fazekas takes discus gold". BBC Sport. 23 August 2004. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  5. ^ "International Olympic Committee Executive Board Decision regarding Mr Robert Fazekas, born on 18 August 1975, athlete, Hungary, Men's Discus Throw" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  6. ^
    International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived
    from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  7. from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
  8. ^ "Athletics". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  9. ^ "London 2012 Olympics: Day Nine evening session". BBC Sport. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  10. ^ "Bolt grabs third gold and record". BBC Sport. 22 August 2008. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  11. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Wayde van Niekerk breaks world record to win Olympic gold". BBC Sport. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  12. IAAF. 9 August 2012. Archived
    from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  13. ^ "Men's 1500m Final Results" (PDF). olympics.com. 7 August 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Bekele storms to Olympic double". BBC Sport. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  15. New York Times. Archived
    from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  16. ^ "Wanjiru first Kenyan to win Olympic men's marathon". ESPN. 24 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
  17. ^ "Athletics – 110m Hurdles – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
  18. ^ "Current Records - Men's 400m Hurdles". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Conseslus Kipruto breaks Olympic record as he wins gold". BBC Sport. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  20. IAAF. 11 August 2012. Archived
    from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  21. ^ "United States powers to record-breaking 4 x 400m Relay gold". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  22. ^ "London 2012 20km walk results". Official website of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  23. ^ "Jared Tallent finally gets his gold medal for London Olympics 50k walk". ABC News. 17 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  24. ^ a b "Athletics – High jump – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  25. ^ "Thiago Braz da Silva wins Brazil's second gold medal of Games". BBC Sport. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  26. ^ "Athletics – Triple jump – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  27. ^ "Men's shot put official results (Tokyo 2020)". olympics.com. 5 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Athletics – Discus OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  29. ^ "Athletics – Hammer throw OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  30. ^ "Thorkildsen strikes gold in Men's Javelin Throw final". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  31. ^ "Decathlon Summary Points (Tokyo 2020)". olympics.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  32. ^ "Athletics Women's 100m Final Results" (PDF). Olympics. 31 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  33. ^ "Athletics – 200 metres OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  34. ^ "Athletics – 200 metres WR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  35. ^
    International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived
    from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  36. IOC. 6 August 2021. Archived from the original
    on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  37. ^ "Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot wins 5000m gold". BBC Sport. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  38. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Ethiopia's Ayana smashes world record for 10,000m gold". BBC Sport. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  39. ^ "Women's 100 Metres Hurdles Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  40. ^ "Athletics - Final Results - Women's 400 m hurdles (Tokyo 2020)". IOC. 4 August 2021. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  41. ^ a b "Olympic Records". International Herald Tribune. The Associated Press. 22 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  42. IAAF. 10 August 2012. Archived
    from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
  43. from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  44. IAAF. 11 August 2012. Archived
    from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  45. ^ "Athletics – Long jump OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  46. ^ Andy Bull (19 August 2008). "Olympics: Isinbayeva raises the bar and the Bird's Nest roof". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  47. ^ "Women's Triple Jump Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  48. ^ "USA's Ryan Crouser breaks 28-year record to win shot put gold". BBC Sport. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  49. ^ "Rio Olympics 2016: Hitchon wins historic GB hammer bronze". BBC Sport. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  50. ^ "Athletics 4 x 400m Relay Mixed Final Results" (PDF). Olympics. 31 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.

External links