List of Olympic records in athletics

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

The modern Summer Olympic Games have been held every four years since the first Games in 1896 and Olympic records are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in each event. The 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Some Olympic records have been broken but later rescinded by the IOC.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, 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 American Carl Lewis.[3] Hungarian athlete Robert 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 Bob Beamon's achievement in the men's long jump at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[6] The jump, at 8.90 m (29 ft 2 in), also broke the existing world record by 55 cm (22 in), and stood for 23 years until Beamon's compatriot, Mike Powell, jumped further in the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo.[7] During the 2008 Games, ten men's and seven women's records were broken.

Contents

Men's records

Usain Bolt currently holds three Olympics records, two individually and one with the Jamaican 4 x 100m relay team, all set in the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Roman Šebrle, current decathlon record holder

♦ denotes a performance that is also a world record. Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Event Record Name Nation Games Date Ref
100 metres 9.69  Bolt, UsainUsain Bolt  Jamaica (JAM) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-16 August 16, 2008 [8]
200 metres 19.30  Bolt, UsainUsain Bolt  Jamaica (JAM) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-20 August 20, 2008 [8]
400 metres 43.49  Johnson, MichaelMichael Johnson  United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta 01996-07-29 July 29, 1996 [9]
800 metres 1:42.58  Rodal, VebjørnVebjørn Rodal  Norway (NOR) 1996 Atlanta 01996-07-31 July 31, 1996 [10]
1,500 metres 3:32.07  Ngeny, NoahNoah Ngeny  Kenya (KEN) 2000 Sydney 02000-09-29 September 29, 2000 [11]
5,000 metres 12:57.82  Bekele, KenenisaKenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-23 August 23, 2008 [12]
10,000 metres 27:01.17  Bekele, KenenisaKenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-17 August 17, 2008 [13]
Marathon 2:06:32  Wanjiru, SamuelSamuel Wanjiru  Kenya (KEN) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-24 August 24, 2008 [14]
110 metre hurdles 12.91  Xiang, LiuLiu Xiang  China (CHN) 2004 Athens 02004-08-27 August 27, 2004 [15]
400 metre hurdles ♦46.78  Young, KevinKevin Young  United States (USA) 1992 Barcelona 01992-08-06 August 6, 1992 [16][17]
3,000 m steeplechase 8:05.51  Kariuki, JuliusJulius Kariuki  Kenya (KEN) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-30 September 30, 1988 [18]
4×100 m relay ♦37.10  Carter, NestaNesta Carter
Michael Frater
Usain Bolt
Asafa Powell		  Jamaica (JAM) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-22 August 22, 2008 [8]
4×400 m relay 2:55.39  Merritt, LaShawnLaShawn Merritt
Angelo Taylor
David Neville
Jeremy Wariner		  United States (USA) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-23 August 23, 2008 [19]
20 km walk 1:18:59  Korzeniowski, RobertRobert Korzeniowski  Poland (POL) 2000 Sydney 02000-09-22 September 22, 2000 [20]
50 km walk 3:37:09  Schwazer, AlexAlex Schwazer  Italy (ITA) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-22 August 22, 2008 [21]
High jump 2.39 m  Austin, CharlesCharles Austin  United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta 01996-07-28 July 28, 1996 [22]
Long jump 8.90 m  Beamon, BobBob Beamon  United States (USA) 1968 Mexico City 01968-10-18 October 18, 1968 [6]
Pole vault 5.96 m  Hooker, StevenSteven Hooker  Australia (AUS) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-22 August 22, 2008 [23]
Triple jump 18.09 m  Harrison, KennyKenny Harrison  United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta 01996-07-27 July 27, 1996 [24]
Shot put 22.47 m  Timmermann, UlfUlf Timmermann  East Germany (GDR) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-23 September 23, 1988 [25]
Discus throw 69.89 m  Alekna, VirgilijusVirgilijus Alekna  Lithuania (LTU) 2004 Athens 02004-08-23 August 23, 2004 [26]
Hammer throw 84.80 m  Litvinov, SergeySergey Litvinov  Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-26 September 26, 1988 [27]
Javelin throw 90.57 m  Thorkildsen, AndreasAndreas Thorkildsen  Norway (NOR) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-23 August 23, 2008 [28]
Decathlon 8893 pts  Šebrle, RomanRoman Šebrle  Czech Republic (CZE) 2004 Athens 02004-08-24 August 24, 2004 [29]

Women's records

Tirunesh Dibaba is the current Olympic 10,000 m record holder.
Yelena Slesarenko, Olympic record holder in the high jump

♦ denotes a performance that is also a world record. Statistics are correct as of the end of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Event Record Name Nation Games Date Ref
100 metres 10.62  Griffith-Joyner, FlorenceFlorence Griffith-Joyner  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-24 September 24, 1988 [30][31]
200 metres ♦21.34  Griffith-Joyner, FlorenceFlorence Griffith-Joyner  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-29 September 29, 1988 [32][33]
400 metres 48.25  Pérec, Marie-JoséMarie-José Pérec  France (FRA) 1996 Atlanta 01996-07-29 July 29, 1996 [34]
800 metres 1:53.43  Olizarenko, NadezhdaNadezhda Olizarenko  Soviet Union (URS) 1980 Moscow 01980-07-27 July 27, 1980 [34]
1,500 metres 3:53.96  Ivan, PaulaPaula Ivan  Romania (ROU) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-26 September 26, 1988 [34]
5,000 metres 14:40.79  Szabo, GabrielaGabriela Szabo  Romania (ROU) 2000 Sydney 02000-09-25 September 25, 2000 [34]
10,000 metres 29:54.66  Dibaba, TiruneshTirunesh Dibaba  Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-15 August 15, 2008 [35]
Marathon 2:23:14  Takahashi, NaokoNaoko Takahashi  Japan (JPN) 2000 Sydney 02000-09-24 September 24, 2000 [34]
100 metre hurdles 12.37  Hayes, JoannaJoanna Hayes  United States (USA) 2004 Athens 02004-08-24 August 24, 2004 [34]
400 metre hurdles 52.64  Walker, MelaineMelaine Walker  Jamaica (JAM) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-20 August 20, 2008 [36]
3,000 m steeplechase ♦8:58.81  Galkina-Samitova, GulnaraGulnara Galkina-Samitova  Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-17 August 17, 2008 [37]
4×100 m relay 41.60  Müller, RomyRomy Müller
Bärbel Wöckel
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr		  East Germany (GDR) 1980 Moscow 01980-08-01 August 1, 1980 [34]
4×400 m relay ♦3:15.27  Ledovskaya, TatyanaTatyana Ledovskaya
Olga Nazarova
Mariya Pinigina
Olga Bryzgina		  Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul 01988-10-01 October 1, 1988 [38]
20 km walk 1:26:31  Kaniskina, OlgaOlga Kaniskina  Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-21 August 21, 2008 [20]
High jump 2.06 m  Slesarenko, YelenaYelena Slesarenko  Russia (RUS) 2004 Athens 02004-08-28 August 28, 2004 [22]
Long jump 7.40 m  Joyner-Kersee, JackieJackie Joyner-Kersee  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-29 September 29, 1988 [39]
Pole vault 5.05 m  Isinbayeva, YelenaYelena Isinbayeva  Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-18 August 18, 2008 [37][40]
Triple jump 15.39 m  Mbango Etone, FrançoiseFrançoise Mbango Etone  Cameroon (CMR) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-17 August 17, 2008 [41]
Shot put 22.41 m  Slupianek, IlonaIlona Slupianek  East Germany (GDR) 1980 Moscow 01980-07-24 July 24, 1980 [25]
Discus throw 72.30 m  Hellmann, MartinaMartina Hellmann  East Germany (GDR) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-29 September 29, 1988 [26]
Hammer throw 76.34 m  Miankova, AksanaAksana Miankova  Belarus (BLR) 2008 Beijing 02008-08-20 August 20, 2008 [42]
Javelin throw 71.53 m  Menéndez, OsleidysOsleidys Menéndez  Cuba (CUB) 2004 Athens 02004-08-27 August 27, 2004 [34]
Heptathlon ♦7291 pts  Joyner-Kersee, JackieJackie Joyner-Kersee  United States (USA) 1988 Seoul 01988-09-24 September 24, 1988 [34]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Athletics". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=AT. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  2. ↑ Mel Watman (July 25, 2008). "Evolution of Olympic Women's Athletics, 1928 to the present day". International Association of Athletics Federations. http://www.iaaf.org/OLY08/news/kind=100/newsid=46357.html. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  3. ↑ "1988: Johnson stripped of Olympic gold". BBC. September 27, 1988. http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/27/newsid_2539000/2539525.stm. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  4. ↑ "Fazekas takes discus gold". BBC Sport. August 23, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3591592.stm. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  5. ↑ "International Olympic Committee Executive Board Decision regarding Mr Robert Fazekas, born on 18 August 1975, athlete, Hungary, Men's Discus Throw". International Olympic Committee. http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_860.pdf. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Parker Morse (August 23, 2008). "Beijing 2008 - Day Nine Summary - 23 Aug". International Association of Athletics Federations. http://www.iaaf.org/OLY08/news/kind=100/newsid=47332.html. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  7. ↑ Gerald Eskenazi (August 31, 1991). "Track and field; Back in Miami, Beamon Remains Down to Earth". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE4DB1131F932A0575BC0A967958260. Retrieved September 6, 2008. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Bolt grabs third gold and record". BBC Sport. August 22, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7576737.stm. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  9. ↑ "LaShawn Merritt ends Jeremy Wariner's 400m domination". The Australian. August 21, 2008. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24218955-5016798,00.html. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  10. ↑ "Azmi qualifies for second round". Arab Times. August 20, 2008. http://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/pagesdetails.asp?nid=21205&ccid=9. Retrieved September 10, 2008. 
  11. ↑ David Isaacson (August 22, 2008). "1500m pace too hot for Juan". The Times (South Africa). http://www.thetimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=825690. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  12. ↑ "Bekele storms to Olympic double". BBC Sport. August 23, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7578467.stm. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  13. ↑ Lynn Zinser (August 17, 2008). "Jamaican Supremacy Continues, and So Does an Ethiopian’s Comeback". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/sports/olympics/18track.html?em. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  14. ↑ "Wanjiru first Kenyan to win Olympic men's marathon". ESPN. August 24, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/trackandfield/news/story?id=3550624&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
  15. ↑ "Athletics - 110m Hurdles - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=012&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved August 29, 2008. 
  16. ↑ "Athletics - 400m Hurdles - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=044&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved August 29, 2008. 
  17. ↑ "400 Metres Hurdles Records". International Association of Athletics Federations. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=O/discType=5/disc=400H/detail.html. Retrieved August 29, 2008. 
  18. ↑ "Athletics - 3000m steeplechase - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=033&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved August 29, 2008. 
  19. ↑ "United States powers to record-breaking 4 x 400m Relay gold". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. August 23, 2008. http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214579942.shtml. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Athletics - 20km walk - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=092&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved August 29, 2008. 
  21. ↑ "Schwazer proves king of the walk". BBC Sport. August 22, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7575996.stm. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Athletics - High jump - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=071&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  23. ↑ "Hooker wins dramatic pole vault". BBC Sport. August 22, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7577369.stm. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  24. ↑ "Athletics - Triple jump - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=062&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Athletics - Shot put - Progrssion". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=051&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Athletics - Discus OR - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=052&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  27. ↑ "Athletics - Hammer throw OR - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=054&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  28. ↑ "Thorkildsen strikes gold in Men's Javelin Throw final". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. August 23, 2008. http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/athletics/n214578843.shtml. Retrieved August 23, 2008. 
  29. ↑ Philip Hersh (August 23, 2008). "Bryan Clay wins Olympic decathlon". Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-23-olympics-trackaug23,0,7585096.story. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  30. ↑ Eddie Pells (August 17, 2008). "Jamaicans jam and sweep in Olympic women's 100". Associated Press. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRl8zwTc2u7TXkXkp3DhMV1pv7GAD92K5KI80. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  31. ↑ Wayne Coffey (August 17, 2008). "Bird's Nest turns into a house of horrors for U.S. track and field team". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/2008olympics/2008/08/17/2008-08-17_birds_nest_turns_into_a_house_of_horrors.html. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  32. ↑ "Athletics - 200 metres OR - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=002&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  33. ↑ "Athletics - 200 metres WR - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=002&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 34.4 34.5 34.6 34.7 34.8 "Olympic Games Records - Women". International Association of Athletics Federations. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/recbycat/location=O/recordtype=CR/event=OLY/age=N/area=0/sex=W/records.html. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  35. ↑ "Dibaba smashes Olympic 10,000m record as two dip under 30 minutes!". iaaf.org. August 15, 2008. http://www.iaaf.org/OLY08/news/kind=100/newsid=46668.html. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
  36. ↑ "Jamaica's Walker wins 400m hurdles". Reuters. August 20, 2008. http://uk.reuters.com/article/reutersComService_2_MOLT/idUKPEK24266820080820. Retrieved August 25, 2008. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 "Olympic Records". International Herald Tribune. The Associated Press. August 22, 2008. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/22/sports/OLY-Olympic-Records.php. Retrieved August 22, 2008. 
  38. ↑ "Records by event - 4x400m Relay". International Association of Athletics Federations. http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=O/discType=5/disc=4X4/detail.html. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  39. ↑ "Athletics - Long jump OR - Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp?DIS_S_CODE=AT&GET_C_ID=W&GET_C_OL=1&GET_C_WO=&EVT_S_CODE=061&RESULT=TRUE. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  40. ↑ Andy Bull (August 19, 2008). "Olympics: Isinbayeva raises the bar and the Bird's Nest roof". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/19/olympics2008.olympicsathletics3. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  41. ↑ "Etone wins again for Cameroon in triple jump". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 17, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/trackandfield/news/story?id=3539541. Retrieved September 3, 2008. 
  42. ↑ "Miankova wins Olympic hammer gold". BBC Sport. August 20, 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7572071.stm. Retrieved September 2, 2008. 

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