Full list of track & field records in Olympic history ahead of Paris 2024 Summer Games

From Marita Koch to Usain Bolt several legendary athletes have shined in this sport throughout the last century. We take a look at all the Track and Field records in the history of the Olympic Games.

Published : Jul 22, 2024 13:05 IST , CHENNAI - 7 MINS READ

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men’s 100m final at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on August 5, 2012.
Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men’s 100m final at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on August 5, 2012. | Photo Credit: AFP
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Jamaica’s Usain Bolt celebrates after winning the men’s 100m final at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games in London on August 5, 2012. | Photo Credit: AFP

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games which begins on the 26th of July will have a total of 329 events this time. Along with its rich history and sporting heritage, the diversity of sporting events it showcases is what makes it one of the greatest sporting events in the world.

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Some of the most exciting and popular Olympic events come under the Track and Field category. From Paavo Nurmi to Usain Bolt several legendary athletes have shined in this sport throughout the last century. Sportstar takes a look at all the Track and Field records in the history of the Olympic Games.

100 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 9.63, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 9.58, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, 2009 World Athletics Championships, Berlin

100 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 10.61, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Jamaica, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 10.49, Florence Griffith Joyner, USA, U.S. Olympic Trials Indianapolis

200 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 19.30, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 19.19, Usain Bolt, Jamaica, 2009 World Athletics Championships, Berlin

200 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 21.34, Florence Griffith Joyner, USA, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 21.34, Florence Griffith Joyner, USA, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

400 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 43.03, Wayde van Niekerk, South Africa, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 43.03, Wayde van Niekerk, South Africa, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

400 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 48.25, Marie-José Perec, France, Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics

World Record: 47.60, Marita Koch, East Germany, 1985 IAAF World Cup, Australia

800 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 1:40.91, David Rudisha, Kenya, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 1:40.91, David Rudisha, Kenya, London 2012 Summer Olympics

800 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 1:53.43, Nadezhda Olizarenko, USSR, Moscow 1980 Summer Olympics

World Record: 1:53.28, Jarmila Kratochvílová, Czechoslovakia, 1983 World Championships in Athletics, Helinski

1500 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 3:28.32, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Norway, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 3:26.00, Hicham El Guerrouj, Morocco, 1998 European Athletics Championships, Rome

1500 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 3:53.11, Faith Kipyegon, Kenya, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 3:49.04, Faith Kipyegon, Kenya, Paris Diamond League, 2024

5000 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 12:57.82, Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 12:35.36, Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda, Diamond League 2020, Monaco

5000 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 14:26.17, Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 14:00.21, Gudaf Tsegay, Ethiopia, Prefontaine Classic 2023, Oregon

10,000 Metres (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 27:01.17, Kenenisa Bekele, Ethiopia, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 26:11.00, Joshua Cheptegei, Uganda, 10,000 metres 2020 Valencia

10,000 Metres (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 29:17.45 , Almaz Ayana, Ethiopia, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 28:54.14, Beatrice Chebet, Kenya, Prefontaine Classic 2024, Oregon

110 Metres Hurdles (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 12.91, Xiang Liu, China, Athens 2004 Summer Olympics

World Record: 12.80, Aries Merritt, USA, 2012 Diamond League, Brussels

100 Metres Hurdles (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 12.26, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Puerto Rico, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 12.12, Tobi Amusan, Nigeria, World Athletics Championship, Oregon

400 Metres Hurdles (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 45.94, Karsten Warholm, Norway, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 45.94, Karsten Warholm, Norway, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

400 Metres Hurdles (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 51.46, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 50.65, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA, U.S. Olympic Trials Oregon

3000 Metres Steeplechase (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 8:03.28, Conseslus Kirputo, Kenya, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 7:52.11, Lamecha Girma, Ethiopia, Diamond League 2023, Paris

3000 Metres Steeplechase (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 8:58.81, Gulnara Samitova-Galkina, Russia, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 8:44.32, Beatrice Chepkoech, Kenya, Diamond League 2018, Monaco

High Jump (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 2.39 metres, Charles Austin, USA, Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics

World Record: 2.45 metres, Javier Sotomayer, Cuba, Salamanca, 1993

High Jump (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 2.06 metres, Yelena Slesarenko, Russia, Athens 2004 Summer Olympics

World Record: 2.10 metres, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Ukraine, Diamond League 2024, Paris

Pole Vault (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 6.03 metres, Thiago Braz, Brazil, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 6.24 metres, Armand Duplantis, Sweden, Xiamen Diamond League 2024

Pole Vault (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 5.05, Yelena Isinbaeva, Russia, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 5.06, Yelena Isinbaeva, Russia, Golden League 2009, Zurich

Long Jump (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 8.90 metres, Bob Beamon, USA, Mexico 1968 Summer Olympics

World Record: 8.95 metres, Mike Powell, USA, 1991 World Championship Tokyo

Long Jump (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 7.40 metres, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USA, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 7.52 metres, Galina Chistyakova, USSR, Leningrad Znamenskiy Memorial

Triple Jump (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 18.09 metres, Kenny Harrison, USA, Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics

World Record: 18.29 metres, Jonathan Edwards, Great Britain, 1995 World Championship, Sweden

Triple Jump (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 15.67, Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 15.74, Yulimar Rojas, Venezuela, World Indoor Championships, Belgrade

Shot Put (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 23.30 metres, Ryan Crouser, USA, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 23.56 metres, Ryan Crouser, USA, Continental Gold Tour 2023

Shot Put (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 22.41 metres, Ilona Slupianek, East Germany, Moscow 1980 Summer Olympics

World Record: 22.63 metres, Natalya Lisovskaya, USSR, 1987, Moscwa

Discus Throw (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 69.89 metres, Virgilijus Alekna, Lithuania, Athens 2004 Summer Olympics

World Record: 74.35 metres, Mykolas Alekna, Lithuania, Oklahoma Throws Series 2024

Discus Throw (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 72.30 metres, Martina Hellmann, East Germany, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 76.80 metres, Gabriele Reinsch, East Germany, 1988 East Germany–Italy tournament, Neubrandenburg

Hammer Throw (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 84.80 metres, Sergey Litvinov, USSR, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 86.74 metres, Yuriy Sedykh, USSR, 1986 Neckarstadion, Stuttgart

Hammer Throw (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 82.29 metres, Anita Włodarczyk, Poland, Rio 2016 Summer Olympics

World Record: 82.98 metres, Anita Włodarczyk, Poland, Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, Warsaw, 2016

Javelin Throw (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 90.57 metres, Andreas Thorkildsen, Norway, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics

World Record: 98.48 metres, Jan Železný, Czechia, 1996, Jena Zeiss Meeting, Germany

Javelin Throw (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 71.53 metres, Osleidys Menéndez, Cuba, Athens 2004 Summer Olympics

World Record: 72.28 metres, Barbora Špotáková, Czechia, 2008 Stuttgart IAAF World Athletics Final

Marathon (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 2:06:32, Samuel Kamaru Wanjiru, Kenya, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics 

World Record: 2:00:35, Kelvin Kiptum, Kenya, 2023 Chicago Marathon

Marathon (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 2:23:07, Tiki Gelana, Ethiopia, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 2:11:53, Tigst Assefa, Ethiopia, 2023 Berlin Marathon

20 Kilometres Race Walk (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 1:18:46, Ding Chen, China, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 1:16:36, Yusuke Suzuki, Japan, 2015 Nomi Asian Race Walking Championships

20 Kilometres Race Walk (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 1:25:16, Shijie Qieyang, China, London 2012 Summer Olympics 

World Record: 1:23:49, Jiayu Yang, China, 2021 Chinese Race Walking Championships, Huangshan

Decathlon (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 9018, Damian Warner, Canada, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 9126, Kevin Mayer, France, 2023 Talence Décastar, Paris

Heptathlon (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 7291, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USA, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 7291, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, USA, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

4x100 Metres Relay (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 36.84, Jamaica, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 36.84, Jamaica, London 2012 Summer Olympics 

4x100 Metres Relay (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 40.82, United States of America, London 2012 Summer Olympics

World Record: 40.82, United States of America, London 2012 Summer Olympics

4x400 Metres Relay (Men)

Olympic Games Record: 2:55.39, United States of America, Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics 

World Record: 2:54.29, United States Of America, Stuttgart, 1993

4x400 Metres Relay (Women)

Olympic Games Record: 3:15.17, USSR, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

World Record: 3:15.17, USSR, Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics

4x400 Metres Relay (Mixed)

Olympic Games Record: 3:09.87, Poland, Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

World Record: 3:08.80, United States Of America, Budapest 2023

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