Athletics records in the Summer Olympic Games have been recorded since 1896. The modern SummerOlympic Games have been held every four years since the first Games in1896 (except 1916 due to the First World War, 1940 and 1944 due to the Second World War, and 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic ) andOlympic records are recognised by theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) in each event. Theathletics 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, shot put, pole vault, high, long and triple jumps), road events (such as walks and the marathon) and combined events (the heptathlon and the decathlon).[ 1] [ 2] [ 1]
Some Olympic records have been broken but later rescinded by the IOC. In1988 , Canadian sprinterBen Johnson broke the Olympic and World record in the100 metres sprint, but was subsequently disqualified after it was discovered that he had usedanabolic steroids to enhance his performance. His record was expunged and the gold medal was instead awarded to original silver medalist AmericanCarl Lewis .[ 3] Róbert Fazekas broke the Olympic record in the men's discus in2004 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 isBob Beamon 's achievement in the men's long jump at the1968 Summer Olympics .[ 6] world record by 55 cm (22 in), and stood as the world record for 23 years until Beamon's compatriot,Mike Powell , jumped farther in the1991 World Championships in Athletics inTokyo .[ 7]
Note, only those events currently competed for and recognised by the IOC as Summer Olympic events are listed.[ 8]
No longer contested at the Summer Olympics
Usain Bolt currently holds three Olympic records; two individually in the100 m &200 m , and one with theJamaican 4 × 100 m relayEthiopian long-distance runnerKenenisa Bekele holds the Olympic record in the 5000 m. ♦ denotes a performance that is also a currentworld record . Statistics are correct as of August 5, 2024.
List of men's Olympic records in athletics Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref. 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] 1500 metres 3:27.65 Cole Hocker United States (USA) 2024 Paris August 6, 2024 [ 13] 5000 metres 12:57.82 Kenenisa Bekele Ethiopia (ETH) 2008 Beijing August 23, 2008 [ 14] 10,000 metres 26:43.14 Joshua Cheptegei Uganda (UGA) 2024 Paris August 2, 2024 [ 15] [ 16] Marathon 2:06:26 Tamirat Tola Ethiopia (ETH) 2024 Paris August 10, 2024 [ 17] 110 metres hurdles 12.91 Liu Xiang China (CHN) 2004 Athens August 27, 2004 [ 18] 400 metres hurdles ♦45.94 Karsten Warholm Norway (NOR) 2020 Tokyo August 3, 2021 [ 19] 3000 metres steeplechase 8:03.28 Conseslus Kipruto Kenya (KEN) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 17, 2016 [ 20] 4 × 100 m relay ♦36.84 Nesta Carter Michael Frater Yohan Blake Usain Bolt Jamaica (JAM) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [ 21] 4 × 400 m relay 2:54.43 Christopher Bailey Vernon Norwood Bryce Deadmon Rai Benjamin United States (USA) 2024 Paris August 10, 2024 [ 22] 20 km walk 1:18:46 Chen Ding China (CHN) 2012 London August 4, 2012 [ 23] 50 km walk 3:36:53 Jared Tallent Australia (AUS) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [ 24] High jump 2.39 m Charles Austin United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta July 28, 1996 [ 25] Long jump 8.90 m Bob Beamon United States (USA) 1968 Mexico City October 18, 1968 [ 6] Pole vault 6.25 m Armand Duplantis Sweden (SWE) 2024 Paris August 5, 2024 [ 26] Triple jump 18.09 m Kenny Harrison United States (USA) 1996 Atlanta July 27, 1996 [ 27] Shot put 23.30 m Ryan Crouser United States (USA) 2020 Tokyo August 5, 2021 [ 28] Discus throw 70.00 m Rojé Stona Jamaica (JAM) 2024 Paris August 7, 2024 [ 29] Hammer throw 84.80 m Sergey Litvinov Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul September 26, 1988 [ 30] Javelin throw 92.97 m Arshad Nadeem Pakistan (PAK) 2024 Paris August 8, 2024 [ 31] Decathlon 9018 pts Damian Warner Canada (CAN) 2020 Tokyo August 5, 2021 [ 32]
Russian athleteYelena Isinbayeva set the Olympic record in the pole vault in Beijing in 2008. ♦ denotes a performance that is also a currentworld record . Statistics are correct as of August 9, 2024.
List of women's Olympic records in athletics Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref. 100 metres 10.61 Elaine Thompson Herah Jamaica (JAM) 2020 Tokyo July 31, 2021 [ 33] 200 metres ♦21.34 Florence Griffith Joyner United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [ 34] [ 35] 400 metres 48.17 Marileidy Paulino Dominican Republic (DOM) 2024 Paris August 9, 2024 [ 36] 800 metres 1:53.43 Nadezhda Olizarenko Soviet Union (URS) 1980 Moscow July 27, 1980 [ 37] 1500 metres 3:51.29 Faith Kipyegon Kenya (KEN) 2024 Paris August 10, 2024 [ 38] 5000 metres 14:26.17 Vivian Cheruiyot Kenya (KEN) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 19, 2016 [ 39] 10,000 metres 29:17.45 Almaz Ayana Ethiopia (ETH) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 12, 2016 [ 40] Marathon 2:22:55 Sifan Hassan Netherlands (NED) 2024 Paris August 11, 2024 [ 41] 100 metres hurdles 12.26 Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Puerto Rico (PUR) 2020 Tokyo August 1, 2021 [ 42] 400 metres hurdles ♦50.37 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone United States (USA) 2024 Paris August 8, 2024 [ 43] 3000 m steeplechase 8:52.76 Winfred Yavi Bahrain (BRN) 2024 Paris August 6, 2024 [ 44] 4 × 100 m relay♦40.82 Tianna Madison Allyson Felix Bianca Knight Carmelita Jeter United States (USA) 2012 London August 10, 2012 [ 45] 4 × 400 m relay♦3:15.17 Tatyana Ledovskaya Olga Nazarova Mariya Pinigina Olga Bryzgina Soviet Union (URS) 1988 Seoul October 1, 1988 [ 46] 20 km walk 1:25:16 Qieyang Shijie China (CHN) 2012 London August 11, 2012 [ 47] High jump 2.06 m Yelena Slesarenko Russia (RUS) 2004 Athens August 28, 2004 [ 25] Long jump 7.40 m Jackie Joyner-Kersee United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [ 48] Pole vault 5.05 m Yelena Isinbayeva Russia (RUS) 2008 Beijing August 18, 2008 [ 49] [ 50] Triple jump 15.67 m Yulimar Rojas Venezuela (VEN) 2020 Tokyo August 1, 2021 [ 51] Shot put 22.41 m Ilona Slupianek East Germany (GDR) 1980 Moscow July 24, 1980 [ 52] Discus throw 72.30 m Martina Hellmann East Germany (GDR) 1988 Seoul September 29, 1988 [ 29] Hammer throw 82.29 m Anita Włodarczyk Poland (POL) 2016 Rio de Janeiro August 15, 2016 [ 53] Javelin throw 71.53 m Osleidys Menéndez Cuba (CUB) 2004 Athens August 27, 2004 [ 37] Heptathlon ♦7291 pts Jackie Joyner-Kersee United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 24, 1988 [ 37]
♦ denotes a performance that is also a currentworld record . Statistics are correct as of August 7, 2024.
Combined event bests [ edit ] TheInternational Olympic Committee maintains a list of the best Olympic results in eachdecathlon andheptathlon discipline.[ 55]
List of men's Olympic decathlon bests Event Record Athlete(s) Nation Games Date Ref. 100 metres 10.12 Damian Warner Canada (CAN) 2020 Tokyo August 3, 2021 [ 55] Long jump 8.24 m Damian Warner Canada (CAN) 2020 Tokyo August 3, 2021 [ 55] Shot put 16.97 m Michael Smith Canada (CAN) 1996 Atlanta July 30, 1996 [ 55] High jump 2.27 m Christian Schenk East Germany (GDR) 1988 Seoul September 27, 1988 [ 55] 400 metres 45.68 Bill Toomey United States (USA) 1968 Mexico City October 17, 1968 [ 55] 110 metre hurdles 13.46 Damian Warner Canada (CAN) 2020 Tokyo August 4, 2021 [ 55] Discus throw 53.91 m Lindon Victor Grenada (GRN) 2024 Paris August 3, 2024 [ 56] Pole vault 5.70 m Tim Bright United States (USA) 1988 Seoul September 28, 1988 [ 55] Javelin throw 77.78 m Niklas Kaul Germany (GER) 2024 Paris August 3, 2024 [ 57] 1500 metres 4:05.90 Leonid Lytvynenko Soviet Union (URS) 1972 Munich September 8, 1972 [ 58]
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