Template:Short description The world record in the mile run is the fastest time set by a runner in the middle-distance track and field event. World Athletics is the official body which oversees the records. Hicham El Guerrouj is the current men's record holder with his time of 3:43.13,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while Faith Kipyegon has the women's record of 4:07.64.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since 1976, the mile has been the only non-metric distance recognized by the IAAF for record purposes. In international competitions such as the Olympics the term "metric mile" is sometimes used to refer to a distance of 1,500 meters, which is 109.344 meters shorter than an Imperial mile, even though four "full" laps of a 400 meter track is equal to 1,600 meters.

Accurate times for the mile run (1.609344 km) have been recorded since 1850, when the first precisely measured running tracks were built. Foot racing had become popular in England by the 17th century, when footmen would race and their masters would wager on the result.Template:Citation needed By the 19th century "pedestrianism", as it was called, had become extremely popular and the best times recorded in the period were by professionals.Template:Citation needed Even after professional foot racing died out, it was not until 1915 that the professional record of 4:12Template:Frac (set by Walter George in 1886) was surpassed by an amateur.Template:Citation needed

Progression of the mile record accelerated in the 1930s as newsreel coverage greatly popularized the sport, making stars out of milers such as Jules Ladoumègue, Jack Lovelock, and Glenn Cunningham. In the 1940s, Swedes Arne Andersson and Gunder Hägg lowered the record to 4:01.4 while racing was curtailed during World War II in the combatant countries. After the war, Roger Bannister of the United Kingdom and John Landy of Australia vied to be the first to break the fabled four-minute mile barrier. Roger Bannister did it first on May 6, 1954, and John Landy followed 46 days later.

On the women's side, the first sub-5:00 mile was achieved by the UK's Diane Leather 23 days after Bannister's first sub-4:00 mile. However, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) did not recognize women's records for the distance until 1967, when Anne Smith of the UK ran 4:37.0.<ref name="Sears2015">Template:Cite book</ref>

MenEdit

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</timeline>

Pre-IAAFEdit

ProfessionalsEdit

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:28 Charles Westhall Template:GBR 26 July 1855 London
4:28 Thomas Horspool Template:GBR 28 September 1857 Manchester
4:23 Thomas Horspool Template:GBR 12 July 1858 Manchester
4:22Template:Frac Siah Albison Template:GBR 27 October 1860 Manchester
4:21Template:Frac William Lang Template:GBR 11 July 1863 Manchester
4:20Template:Frac Edward Mills Template:GBR 23 April 1864 Manchester
4:20 Edward Mills Template:GBR 25 June 1864 Manchester
4:17Template:Frac William Lang Template:GBR 19 August 1865 Manchester
4:17Template:Frac William Richards Template:GBR 19 August 1865 Manchester
4:16Template:Frac William Cummings Template:GBR 14 May 1881 Preston
4:12Template:Frac Walter George Template:GBR 23 August 1886 London

AmateursEdit

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:55 J. Heaviside Template:GBR 1 April 1861 Dublin
4:49 J. Heaviside Template:GBR 27 May 1861 Dublin
4:46 Matthew Greene Template:GBR 27 May 1861 Dublin
4:33 George Farran Template:GBR 23 May 1862 Dublin
4:29Template:Frac Walter Chinnery Template:GBR 10 March 1868 Cambridge
4:28Template:Frac Walter Gibbs Template:GBR 3 April 1868 London
4:28Template:Frac Charles Gunton Template:GBR 31 March 1873 London
4:26Template:Frac Walter Slade Template:GBR 30 May 1874 London
4:24Template:Frac Walter Slade Template:GBR 1 June 1875 London
4:23Template:Frac Walter George Template:GBR 16 August 1880 London
4:19Template:Frac Walter George Template:GBR 3 June 1882 London
4:18Template:Frac Walter George Template:GBR 21 June 1884 Birmingham
4:17Template:Frac Thomas Conneff Template:GBR 26 August 1893 Cambridge
4:17Template:Frac Fred Bacon Template:GBR 6 July 1895 London
4:15Template:Frac Thomas Conneff Template:GBR 28 August 1895 New York City
4:15Template:Frac John Paul Jones Template:Flag 27 May 1911 Cambridge

As there was no recognized official sanctioning body until 1912, there are several versions of the mile progression before that year. One version starts with Richard Webster (GBR) who ran 4:36.5 in 1865, surpassed by Chinnery in 1868.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Another variation of the amateur record progression pre-1862 is as follows:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:52 Cadet Marshall Template:GBR 2 September 1852 Addiscome
4:45 Thomas Finch Template:GBR 3 November 1858 Oxford
4:45 St. Vincent Hammick Template:GBR 15 November 1858 Oxford
4:40 Gerald Surman Template:GBR 24 November 1859 Oxford
4:33 George Farran Template:GBR 23 May 1862 Dublin

IAAF / World Athletics eraEdit

The first world record in the mile for men (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (later known as the International Association of Athletics Federations and currently known as World Athletics) in 1913.

To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 32 world records in the event.<ref name=iaaf> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>

Ratified
Not ratified
Ratified but later rescinded
Pending ratification
Time Auto Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:14.4 John Paul Jones Template:Flag 31 May 1913<ref name=iaaf/> Allston, Mass.
4:12.6 Norman Taber Template:Flag 16 July 1915<ref name=iaaf/> Allston, Mass.
4:10.4 Paavo Nurmi {{#invoke:flag Finland}} 23 August 1923<ref name=iaaf/> Stockholm
4:09.2 Jules Ladoumègue {{#invoke:flag France}} 4 October 1931<ref name=iaaf/> Paris
4:07.6 Jack Lovelock Template:NZL 15 July 1933<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=epchal>Template:Cite news</ref> Princeton, N.J.
4:06.8 Glenn Cunningham Template:Flag 16 June 1934<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=sethm>Template:Cite news</ref> Princeton, N.J.
4:06.4 Sydney Wooderson Template:GBR 28 August 1937<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=mrecmk>Template:Cite news</ref> Motspur Park
4:06.2 Gunder Hägg {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 1 July 1942<ref name=iaaf/> Gothenburg
4:06.2 Arne Andersson {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 10 July 1942<ref name=iaaf/> Stockholm
4:04.6 Gunder Hägg (2) {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 4 September 1942<ref name=iaaf/> Stockholm
4:02.6 Arne Andersson (2) {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 1 July 1943<ref name=iaaf/> Gothenburg
4:01.6 Arne Andersson (3) {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 18 July 1944<ref name=iaaf/> Malmö
4:01.4 Gunder Hägg (3) {{#invoke:flag Sweden}} 17 July 1945<ref name=iaaf/> Malmö
3:59.4 Roger Bannister Template:GBR 6 May 1954<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=rgrbnppg>Template:Cite news</ref> Oxford
3:58.0 John Landy Template:AUS 21 June 1954<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=lcminfe>Template:Cite news</ref> Turku
3:57.2 Derek Ibbotson Template:GBR 19 July 1957<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=wmrfibb>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=hwfst>Template:Cite news</ref> London
3:54.5 Herb Elliott Template:AUS 6 August 1958<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=glsgher>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=wrdmi>Template:Cite news</ref> Dublin
3:54.4 Peter Snell Template:NZL 27 January 1962<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=crcks>Template:Cite news</ref> Wanganui
3:54.1 3:54.04 Peter Snell (2) Template:NZL 17 November 1964<ref name=iaaf/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Auckland
3:53.6 Michel Jazy {{#invoke:flag France}} 9 June 1965<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=trmles>Template:Cite news</ref> Rennes
3:51.3 Jim Ryun Template:USA 17 July 1966<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=phrwmm>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=thrku>Template:Cite news</ref> Berkeley, Cal.
3:51.1 Jim Ryun (2) Template:USA 23 June 1967<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=chptr>Template:Cite news</ref> Bakersfield, Cal.
3:51.0 Filbert Bayi Template:TAN 17 May 1975<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=lmmk>Template:Cite news</ref> Kingston
3:49.4 John Walker Template:NZL 12 August 1975<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=wprfrc>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=wrrcm>Template:Cite news</ref> Gothenburg
3:49.0 3:48.95 Sebastian Coe Template:GBR 17 July 1979<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=miceair>Template:Cite news</ref> Oslo
3:48.8 Steve Ovett Template:GBR 1 July 1980<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=lwovt>Template:Cite news</ref> Oslo
3:48.53 Sebastian Coe (2) Template:GBR 19 August 1981<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=conehmi>Template:Cite news</ref> Zürich
3:48.40 Steve Ovett (2) Template:GBR 26 August 1981<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=snaprno>Template:Cite news</ref> Koblenz
3:47.33 Sebastian Coe (3) Template:GBR 28 August 1981<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=ctrmmo>Template:Cite news</ref> Brussels
3:46.32 Steve Cram Template:GBR 27 July 1985<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=thwtrec>Template:Cite news</ref> Oslo
3:44.39 Noureddine Morceli Template:ALG 5 September 1993<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=shttrti>Template:Cite news</ref> Rieti
3:43.13 Hicham El Guerrouj Template:MAR 7 July 1999<ref name=iaaf/><ref name=miractrk>Template:Cite news</ref> Rome

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.

Records for the mile were rounded up to the nearest tenth of a second commencing January 1, 1957. Previously, records were rounded up to the nearest fifth of a second. Those rounded-up marks were: Cunningham's 4:06.8 (timed at 4:06.7); Hägg's 4:06.2 (4:06.1); Hägg's 4:01.4 (4:01.3); Landy's 3:58.0 (3:57.9). Landy's mark was not retroactively adjusted when the new rule came into effect.<ref name="wrp">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Rp Auto times to the hundredth of a second were accepted by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000 m beginning in 1981.<ref name=iaaf/>

During the most recent world record setting race in 1999, Noah Ngeny came in second place to Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.40, which continues to be the second fastest mile run in history, beating out the old world record set in 1993 by Noureddine Morceli.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> No-one else approached the record in the 21st century until September 16, 2023, when Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yared Nuguse recorded the third and fourth fastest times in history, with 3:43.73 and 3:43.97 respectively.

Men's IndoorEdit

Men Indoor Pre-IAAFEdit

Time Auto Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:39.2 Lawrence Myers Template:Flag April 25, 1885 New York Template:USA
4:39.2 Ernest Hjertberg Template:Flag May 10, 1889 New York Template:USA
4:31.4 William Day Template:Flag February 5, 1890 Brooklyn Template:USA
4:28.4 Ernest Hjertberg Template:Flag February 13, 1892 Boston Template:USA
4:26.0 Andrew Walsh Template:Flag November 30, 1895 Brooklyn Template:USA
4:25.2 Melvin Sheppard Template:Flag January 26, 1906 New York Template:USA
4:23.8 Melvin Sheppard Template:Flag March 30, 1906 New York Template:USA
4:19.8 Herbert Trube Template:Flag February 13, 1909 New York Template:USA
4:19.8 Oscar Hedlund Template:Flag February 22, 1912 Troy Template:USA
4:18.8 Oscar Hedlund Template:Flag February 12, 1913 New York Template:USA
4:18.2 Abel Kiviat Template:Flag February 15, 1913 New York Template:USA
4:16.0 John Overton Template:Flag March 10, 1917 Philadelphia Template:USA
4:14.6 Joseph Ray Template:Flag April 12, 1919 Chicago Template:USA
4:13.6 Paavo Nurmi {{#invoke:flag Finland}} January 6, 1925 New York Template:USA
4:13.4 Lloyd Hahn Template:Flag February 14, 1925 New York Template:USA
4:12.0 Paavo Nurmi {{#invoke:flag Finland}} March 7, 1925 Buffalo Template:USA
4:12.0 Joseph Ray Template:Flag March 17, 1925 New York Template:USA
4:11.2 Gene Venzke Template:Flag February 6, 1932 New York Template:USA
4:10.0 Gene Venzke Template:Flag February 17, 1932 New York Template:USA
4:09.8 Glenn Cunningham Template:Flag March 25, 1933 Chicago Template:USA
4:08.4 Glenn Cunningham Template:Flag March 17, 1934 New York Template:USA
4:04.4
oversized track
Glenn Cunningham Template:Flag March 3, 1938<ref name=iaaf/> Hanover Template:USA
4:07.4 Glenn Cunningham Template:Flag March 12, 1938 New York Template:USA
4:07.4 Charles Fenske Template:Flag February 3, 1940 New York Template:USA
4:07.4 Charles Fenske Template:Flag February 17, 1940 New York Template:USA
4:07.4 Leslie MacMitchell Template:Flag February 15, 1941 New York Template:USA
4:07.4 Walter Mehl Template:Flag February 15, 1941 New York Template:USA
4:07.3 Gilbert Dodds Template:Flag March 11, 1944 New York Template:USA
4:06.4 Gilbert Dodds Template:Flag March 18, 1944 Chicago Template:USA
4:05.3 Gilbert Dodds Template:Flag January 31, 1948 New York Template:USA
4:04.9 Wes Santee Template:Flag February 15, 1954 East Lansing Template:USA
4:03.8 Wes Santee Template:Flag January 29, 1955 Boston Template:USA
4:03.6 Gunnar Nielsen Template:DEN February 5, 1955 New York Template:USA
4:03.4 Ron Delany {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} March 14, 1958 Chicago Template:USA
4:02.5 Ron Delany {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} February 21, 1959 New York Template:USA
4:01.4 Ron Delany {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} March 7, 1959 New York Template:USA
3:58.9 Jim Beatty Template:USA February 10, 1962 Los Angeles Template:USA
3:58.6 Jim Beatty Template:USA February 15, 1963 New York Template:USA
3:56.6 Tom O'Hara Template:USA February 13, 1964 New York Template:USA
3:56.4 Tom O'Hara Template:USA March 6, 1964 Chicago Template:USA
3:56.4 Jim Ryun Template:USA February 19, 1971 San Diego Template:USA
3:55.0 Tony Waldrop Template:USA February 17, 1974 San Diego Template:USA
3:55.0 3:54.93 Dick Buerkle Template:USA January 13, 1978 College Park Template:USA
3:52.6 Eamonn Coghlan {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} February 16, 1979 San Diego Template:USA
3:50.6 Eamonn Coghlan {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} February 20, 1981 San Diego Template:USA

Men Indoor IAAF eraEdit

The IAAF started to recognize indoor world records in 1987, with the then world's best time, Coghlan's 3:49.78, ratified as the inaugural record for the mile.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
3:49.78 Eamonn Coghlan {{#invoke:flag Ireland}} February 27, 1983 East Rutherford
3:48.45 Hicham El Guerrouj Template:MAR February 12, 1997 Ghent
3:47.01 Yomif Kejelcha Template:ETH March 3, 2019 Boston
3:46.63 Yared Nuguse Template:USA February 8, 2025 New York
3:45.14 Jakob Ingebrigtsen {{#invoke:flag Norway}} February 13, 2025 Liévin

Road MenEdit

IAAF EraEdit

Note: The Road Mile became an official world record event after September 1, 2023, on World Athletics Certified Courses only (i.e: elevation gradient must not exceed one meter per kilometer, start and finish line must not be more than half a mile apart). The winning times from the 2023 U.S. Road Mile Championships, on 25 April, were ratified by World Athletics as the inaugural road mile world records.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Key: Template:Legend

h = hand-timed

Source:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:01.21 Samuel Prakel Template:USA April 25, 2023 Des Moines
3:56.13 Hobbs Kessler Template:USA October 1, 2023 Riga
3:54.6h Emmanuel Wanyonyi Template:Flag April 27, 2024 Herzogenaurach
3:51.3h Elliot Giles Template:GBR September 1, 2024 Düsseldorf

WomenEdit

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</timeline>

Pre-IAAFEdit

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
6:13.2 Elizabeth Atkinson Template:GBR 24 June 1921 Manchester
5:27.5 Ruth Christmas Template:GBR 20 August 1932 London
5:24.0 Gladys Lunn Template:GBR 1 June 1936 Brentwood
5:23.0 Gladys Lunn Template:GBR 18 July 1936 London
5:20.8 Gladys Lunn Template:GBR 8 May 1937 Dudley
5:17.0 Gladys Lunn Template:GBR 7 August 1937 London
5:15.3 Evelyn Forster Template:GBR 22 July 1939 London
5:11.0 Anne Oliver Template:GBR 14 June 1952 London
5:09.8 Enid Harding Template:GBR 4 June 1953 London
5:08.0 Anne Oliver Template:GBR 12 September 1953 Consett
5:02.6 Diane Leather Template:GBR 30 September 1953 London
5:00.3 Edith Treybal Template:Flag 1 November 1953 Timișoara
5:00.2 Diane Leather Template:GBR 26 May 1954 Birmingham
4:59.6 Diane Leather Template:GBR 29 May 1954 Birmingham
4:50.8 Diane Leather Template:GBR 24 May 1955 London
4:45.0 Diane Leather Template:GBR 21 September 1955 London
4:41.4 Marise Chamberlain Template:NZL 8 December 1962 Perth
4:39.2 Anne Smith Template:GBR 13 May 1967 London

Women's IAAF eraEdit

The first world record in the mile for women (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (later known as the International Association of Athletics Federations and currently known as World Athletics), in 1967. To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 13 world records in the event.<ref name=iaaf2> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} </ref>

Time Auto Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:37.0 Anne Smith Template:GBR 3 June 1967<ref name=iaaf2/> London
4:36.8 Maria Gommers Template:NED 14 June 1969<ref name=iaaf2/> Leicester
4:35.3 Ellen Tittel Template:FRG 20 August 1971<ref name=iaaf2/> Sittard
4:29.5 Paola Pigni {{#invoke:flag Italy}} 8 August 1973<ref name=iaaf2/> Viareggio
4:23.8 Natalia Mărășescu Template:Flag 21 May 1977<ref name=iaaf2/> Bucharest
4:22.1 4:22.09 Natalia Mărășescu Template:Flag 27 January 1979<ref name=iaaf2/> Auckland
4:21.7 4:21.68 Mary Decker Template:USA 26 January 1980<ref name=iaaf2/> Auckland
4:20.89 Lyudmila Veselkova Template:URS 12 September 1981<ref name=iaaf2/> Bologna
4:18.08 Mary Decker-Tabb Template:USA 9 July 1982<ref name=iaaf2/> Paris
4:17.44 Maricica Puică Template:Flag 9 September 1982<ref name=iaaf2/> Rieti
4:16.71 Mary Decker-Slaney Template:USA 21 August 1985<ref name=iaaf2/> Zürich
4:15.61 Paula Ivan Template:Flag 10 July 1989<ref name=iaaf2/> Nice
4:12.56 Svetlana Masterkova {{#invoke:flag }} 14 August 1996<ref name=iaaf2/> Zürich
4:12.33 Sifan Hassan Template:NED 12 July 2019 Monaco
4:07.64 Faith Kipyegon Template:KEN citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref> || Monaco

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.

The IAAF recognized times to the hundredth of a second starting in 1981.<ref name=iaaf2/>

Note:

  • Decker ran 4:17.55 indoors in Houston on 16 February 1980, but this time was rejected as a record due to an oversized track.
  • Natalya Artyomova (Soviet Union) ran 4:15.8 in Leningrad on 6 August 1984, but this time was rejected as a record due to there being no international judges.

Women's IndoorEdit

Women Indoor Pre-IAAFEdit

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
5:17.2 Brenda Cook Template:GBR February 5, 1966 Cosford Template:GBR
5:03.6 Joyce Smith Template:GBR February 12, 1966 Cosford Template:GBR
4:52.0 Doris Brown Template:USA February 19, 1966 Vancouver Template:CAN
4:40.4 Doris Brown Template:USA February 18, 1967 Vancouver Template:CAN
4:38.5 Debbie Heald Template:USA March 17, 1972 Richmond Template:USA
4:35.6 Francie Larrieu Template:USA February 17, 1973 San Diego Template:USA
4:34.6 Francie Larrieu Template:USA February 2, 1974 Seattle Template:USA
4:29.0 Francie Larrieu Template:USA February 15, 1975 San Diego Template:USA
4:28.5 Francie Larrieu Template:USA March 3, 1975 Richmond Template:USA
4:24.6 Mary Decker Template:USA January 22, 1982 Los Angeles Template:USA
4:21.47 Mary Decker Template:USA February 12, 1982 New York Template:USA

Women Indoor IAAF eraEdit

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:20.5 Mary Decker Template:USA February 19, 1982 San Diego Template:USA
4:18.86 Doina Melinte {{#invoke:flag }} February 13, 1988 East Rutherford Template:USA
4:17.14 Doina Melinte {{#invoke:flag }} February 9, 1990 East Rutherford Template:USA
4:13.31 Genzebe Dibaba Template:ETH February 17, 2016 Stockholm {{#invoke:flag Sweden}}

Road WomenEdit

IAAF EraEdit

Note: The Road Mile became an official world record event after September 1, 2023, on World Athletics Certified Courses only (i.e: elevation gradient must not exceed one meter per kilometer, start and finish line must not be more than half a mile apart). The winning times from the 2023 U.S. Road Mile Championships, on 25 April, were ratified by World Athletics as the inaugural road mile world records.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Key: Template:Legend

Wo = Women Only Race

Source:<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Time Athlete Nationality Date Venue
4:27.97 Wo Nikki Hiltz Template:USA April 25, 2023 Des Moines
4:20.98 Wo Deribe Welteji Template:ETH October 1, 2023 Riga

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

External linksEdit

Template:Athletics record progressions