| Athletics Mile run | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Matt Centrowitz andNick Willis racing for first place in the 2015Wanamaker Mile. Centrowitz ended up beating Willis by 0.11 seconds, in a time of 3:51.35.[1] | |
| World records | |
| Men |  Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) 3:43.13 (1999) |
| Women |  Faith Kipyegon (KEN) 4:07.64 (2023) |
| Short track world records | |
| Men |  Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 3:45.14 (2025) |
| Women |  Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 4:13.31 (2016) |
| World junior (U20) records | |
| Men |  Cameron Myers (AUS) 3:47.48 (2025) |
| Women | Birke Haylom (ETH) 4:17.13 (2023) |
Themile run (1,760 yards,[2] 5,280feet, or exactly 1,609.344 metres) is amiddle-distancefoot race.
The history of themile run event began inEngland, where it was used as a distance for gambling races.[citation needed] It survivedtrack and field's switch tometric distances in the 1900s and retained its popularity, with the chase for thefour-minute mile in the 1950s a high point for the race.
In spite of the roughly equivalent1500 metres race, which is used instead of the mile at theWorld Championships andOlympic Games and is sometimes referred as the foremost middle-distance track event in athletics, the mile run is present in all fields ofathletics. Since 1976, it is the onlyimperial distanceWorld Athletics has on its books for officialworld records.[a]
Although the mile is not featured at any major championships, theWanamaker Mile,Dream Mile,Emsley Carr Mile andBowerman Mile races are among the foremost annual middle-distance races.
| Athletics Road Mile | |
|---|---|
.jpg) 2018 Women'sFifth Avenue Mile | |
| World records | |
| Men |  Elliot Giles (GBR) 3:51.3 (2024) |
| Women | Diribe Welteji (ETH) 4:20.98 (2023) |
The currentmile world record holders areHicham El Guerrouj ofMorocco with a time of 3:43.13 andFaith Kipyegon ofKenya with the women's record of 4:07.64.
Despite being only 109.344 metres longer, the mile is distinctly different from its much more common 1500 metres counterpart. World record holder Hicham El Guerrouj considers the mile to be his more challenging event.[3]
“My favourite is 1500m. It’s part of my heart. I competed in it a lot and I know every metre of this race. The mile is completely different. If you are not strong physically and mentally, you cannot run it well.”
— Hicham El Guerrouj
Each lap during El Guerrouj's world record run averaged 55.46 seconds per 400 m.[4] Along with El Guerrouj, only three other men in history have broken the 3:44 barrier in the mile;Noah Ngeny (in the same race as El Guerrouj),Jakob Ingebrigtsen, andYared Nuguse.[5]
Although astatute mile today is equal to a length of 5,280 feet, the distance of the English mile gained its current definition of 1,760 yards through a statute of theParliament of England in 1593.[6] Thus, the history of the mile run began inEngland and it initially found usage within thewagered running contests of the 18th and 19th century. Such contests would attract large numbers of spectators and gamblers – so many that the activity became aprofessional one for its more-established participants.[7]
The mile run was at the heart of the divide between professional andamateur sports in the late 19th century, as running was beginning to gain popularity in the sports world. Separateworld record categories were kept for amateurs and professionals, with professional runners providing the faster times. High-profile contests between BritonsWilliam Cummings andWalter George brought much publicity to the sport, as did George's races against the AmericanLon Myers. The mile run was also one of the foremost events at the amateurAAA Championships.[7] Although the spotlight was shining on the running scene, the categories remained distinct but the respective rise in amateurism and decline of the professional sector saw the division become irrelevant in the 20th century.[8]
Prior tometrication, many tracks in the United States and theCommonwealth of Nations were constructed to the specifications of one quarter of a mile, 440 yards (402.336 m). Thus, when the mile was run, the race was four laps. TheCommonwealth Games officially converted to metric in the mid-1960s. TheUnited States adopted metric rules in the mid to late 1970s, though some tracks are still constructed to be a quarter of a mile in length requiring calibrated painted lines to run metric races.[citation needed]
The mile run continued to be a popular distance in spite of themetrication oftrack and field andathletics in general, replacing the imperial distance for the metric mile (1500 meters). It was the1500 metres – sometimes referred to as themetric mile – which was featured on theOlympic athletics programme. TheInternational Amateur Athletics Federation formed in 1912 and confirmed the first officially recognisedworld record in the mile the following year (4:14.4 minutes run byJohn Paul Jones).[9]
The fact that the mile run was the onlyimperial distance to retain its official world record status after 1976 reflects its continued popularity in the international (and principally metric) era.[10] Decades later, the distance remains widespread, and is often used as a benchmark for distance running performance.
The top men's middle-distance runners continued to compete in the mile run in the first half of the 1900s –Paavo Nurmi,Jack Lovelock andSydney Wooderson were all world record holders over the distance.[9] In the 1940s,Swedish runnersGunder Hägg andArne Andersson pushed times into a new territory, as they set three world records each during their rivalry over the decade.[11]
The goal of completing a sub-four-minute mile sparked further interest in the distance in the 1950s and to this day, many competitive runners are still chasing the ambitious barrier. EnglishmanRoger Bannister became the first person to achieve the feat in May 1954 and his effort, conducted with the help ofChris Brasher andChris Chataway, was a key moment in the rise of the use ofpacemakers at the top level of the sport – an aspect which is now commonplace at non-championship middle andlong-distance races.[12][13] In fact, pacemakers, if performing effectively, can earn generous sums of money for their performances and accurate pacing duties.[citation needed]
The 1960s saw AmericanJim Ryun set world records near the 3:50-minute mark and his achievements popularisedinterval workout techniques which are still heavily used today, especially for collegiate distance runners.[11] Jim Ryun was the first person to run a sub-four minute mile in high school.[14] From this period onwards, African runners began to emerge, breaking the largely white,Western dominance of the distance; Kenya'sKip Keino won the mile at the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games (which was among the last mile races to be held at a majormulti-sport event as of 2021).[15]
Filbert Bayi of Tanzania became Africa's first world record holder over the distance in 1975, although New ZealanderJohn Walker further broke Bayi's record a few months later to become the first man under 3:50 minutes for the event. The 1980s were highlighted by the rivalry between British runnersSebastian Coe andSteve Ovett, who improved the record five times between them, including two records at theOslo Dream Mile race.Noureddine Morceli brought the mile record back into African hands in 1993 and Morocco'sHicham El Guerrouj set the current record of 3:43.13, which has stood since 1999.[9] On the men's side, the fastest mile run since Hicham El Guerrouj's 3:43.13 in 1999 wasJakob Ingebrigtsen's 3:43.73 at the 2023Bowerman Mile at thePrefontaine Classic & Diamond League Final.
Mile run contests remain a key feature of many annual track and field meetings, including recreational, high school, and collegiate meets.
In the United States, particularly in many high school (NFHS) competitions, the1600 meters is a substitute for the mile run.
On the professional level, races such as theWanamaker Mile at theMillrose Games, theDream Mile at theBislett Games, the BritishEmsley Carr Mile, and theBowerman Mile at thePrefontaine Classic are among the most prominent. Aside from track races, mile races are also occasionally contested incross country running, and mile runson the road include theFifth Avenue Mile inNew York City. However, in high school and collegiate cross country running, races are often measured in kilometers, with 5K and 8K being the most common.
In 2019,World Athletics President and former athleteSebastian Coe organized the World Athletics Heritage Mile Night inMonaco, which brought together eleven mile world record holders, either indoors or outdoors:Ron Delany,Michel Jazy,Jim Ryun,Filbert Bayi,Paola Pigni-Cacchi,John Walker,Eamonn Coghlan, Coe,Steve Cram,Noureddine Morceli, andHicham El Guerrouj. The event posthumously honoredRoger Bannister andDiane Leather Charles, who were the first to break the four minute and five minute mile barriers, for men and women respectively.[16][17]
In February 2025, it was announced that the mile run would be revived at the2026 Commonwealth Games, replacing the 1500 metres.[18]
In June 2025, in aspecial event organized byNike,Faith Kipyegon attempted to become the first woman to break four minutes for the mile. She fell 6.91 seconds short with an unadjusted time of 4:06.91. Given the use of male pacemakers, the event was not record eligible.[19][20][21][22]
| Area | Men's | Women's | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Athlete | Time | Athlete | |
| World | 3:43.13 | Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) | 4:07.64 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) |
| Continental records | ||||
| Africa | 3:43.13 | Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) | 4:07.64 | Faith Kipyegon (KEN) |
| Asia | 3:47.97 |  Daham Najim Bashir (QAT) | 4:17.75 |  Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BHR) |
| Europe | 3:43.73 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) | 4:12.33 |  Sifan Hassan (NED) |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 3:43.97 |  Yared Nuguse (USA) | 4:16.35 | Nikki Hiltz (USA) |
| Oceania | 3:47.48 | Oliver Hoare (AUS) | 4:15.34 | Jessica Hull (AUS) |
| South America | 3:51.05 |  Hudson de Souza (BRA) | 4:30.05 | Soraya Vieira Telles (BRA) |
| Area | Men's | Women's | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Athlete | Time | Athlete | |
| World | 3:45.14 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) | 4:13.31 | Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
| Continental records | ||||
| Africa | 3:47.01 | Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) | 4:13.31 | Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) |
| Asia | 3:57.05 | Mohamed Suleiman (QAT) | 4:24.71 | Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BHR) |
| Europe | 3:45.14 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) | 4:17.14 |  Doina Melinte (ROM) |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 3:46.63 | Yared Nuguse (USA) | 4:16.85 | Elle Purrier (USA) |
| Oceania | 3:47.48 | Cameron Myers (AUS) | 4:19.03 | Jessica Hull (AUS) |
| South America | 3:56.26 | Hudson de Souza (BRA) | 4:42.24 |  Valentina Medina (VEN) |
| Area | Men's | Women's | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Athlete | Time | Athlete | |
| World | 3:51.3h | Elliot Giles (GBR) | 4:20.98 | Dirbe Welteji (ETH) |
| Continental records | ||||
| Africa | 3:52.45 | Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) | 4:20.98 | Dirbe Welteji (ETH) |
| Asia | 4:01.26 |  Ryoji Tatezawa (JPN) | 4:29.79 | Nozomi Tanaka (JPN) |
| Europe | 3:51.3h | Elliot Giles (GBR) | 4:29.0h |  Maria Akraka (SWE) |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 3:51.9h | Yared Nuguse (USA) | 4:25.0h | Ellinor Purrier (USA) |
| Oceania | 3:56.57 |  Nick Willis (NZL) | 4:32.0h | Linden Hall (AUS) |
| South America | 4:02.75 | Guilherme Kurtz (BRA) | none | none |
| Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25mile times and the top 25athletes: |
| - denotes top performance forathletes in the top 25mile times |
| - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25mile times, by repeat athletes |
| - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25athletes who fall outside the top 25 mile times |
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3:43.13 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 7 July 1999 | Rome | |
| 2 | 2 | 3:43.40 | Noah Ngeny | Kenya | 7 July 1999 | Rome | |
| 3 | 3 | 3:43.73 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [25] |
| 4 | 4 | 3:43.97 | Yared Nuguse |  United States | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [25] |
| 5 | 5 | 3:44.39 | Noureddine Morceli |  Algeria | 5 September 1993 | Rieti | |
| 6 | 3:44.60 | El Guerrouj #2 | 16 July 1998 | Nice | |||
| 7 | 3:44.90 | El Guerrouj #3 | 4 July 1997 | Oslo | |||
| 8 | 3:44.95 | El Guerrouj #4 | 29 June 2001 | Rome | |||
| 9 | 3:45.19 | Morceli #2 | 16 August 1995 | Zürich | |||
| 6 | 10 | 3:45.34 | Josh Kerr | Great Britain | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [26] |
| 11 | 3:45.60 | Ingebrigtsen #2 | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [26] | ||
| 12 | 3:45.64 | El Guerrouj #5 | 26 August 1997 | Berlin | |||
| 7 | 13 | 3:45.94 | Niels Laros | Netherlands | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] |
| 14 | 3:45.95 | Nuguse #2 | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] | ||
| 15 | 3:45.96 | El Guerrouj #6 | 5 August 2000 | London | |||
| 16 | 3:46.22 | Nuguse #3 | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [26] | ||
| 17 | 3:46.24 | El Guerrouj #7 | 28 July 2000 | Oslo | |||
| 8 | 18 | 3:46.32 | Steve Cram | Great Britain | 27 July 1985 | Oslo | |
| 9 | 19 | 3:46.38 | Daniel Komen | Kenya | 26 August 1997 | Berlin | |
| 20 | 3:46.46 | Ingebrigtsen #3 | 16 June 2022 | Oslo | [28] | ||
| 10 | 21 | 3:46.65 | Azeddine Habz |  France | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] |
| 11 | 22 | 3:46.70 | Vénuste Niyongabo |  Burundi | 26 August 1997 | Berlin | |
| 12 | 23 | 3:46.76 | Saïd Aouita | Morocco | 2 July 1987 | Helsinki | |
| 24 | 3:46.78 | Morceli #3 | 27 August 1993 | Berlin | |||
| 13 | 25 | 3:46.91 | Alan Webb | United States | 21 July 2007 | Brasschaat | |
| 14 | 3:47.28 | Bernard Lagat | Kenya | 29 June 2001 | Rome | ||
| 15 | 3:47.32 | Ayanleh Souleiman |  Djibouti | 31 May 2014 | Eugene | [29] | |
| 16 | 3:47.33 | Sebastian Coe | Great Britain | 28 August 1981 | Brussels | ||
| 17 | 3:47.43 | Cole Hocker | United States | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] | |
| 18 | 3:47.46 | Reynold Cheruiyot | Kenya | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] | |
| 19 | 3:47.48 | Oliver Hoare | Australia | 16 June 2022 | Oslo | [28] | |
| 20 | 3:47.50 | Cameron Myers | Australia | 5 July 2025 | Eugene | [27] | |
| 21 | 3:47.65 | Laban Rotich | Kenya | 4 July 1997 | Oslo | ||
| George Mills | Great Britain | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [25] | |||
| 23 | 3:47.68 | Narve Gilje Nordås | Norway | 27 July 2025 | Berlin | [30] | |
| 24 | 3:47.69 | Steve Scott | United States | 7 July 1982 | Oslo | ||
| Mario García |  Spain | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [25] |
Notes
Note: World Athletics only accepts times achieved on World Athletics certified courses that are conducted according to World Athletics rules. The elevation gradient must not exceed one meter per kilometer.[66] For instance, the famousFifth Avenue Mile in New York City, or New Zealand's Queen Street Golden Mile,[67] are too steep to be record eligible by World Athletics. Downhill miles such as Craig Wheeler's 3:24 clocking in the 1993 Meltham Mile[68] were achieved on ineligible courses and as such are not recognized by World Athletics. The road mile became an official world record event on 1 September 2023 which is why most performances prior to this date were not previously considered records. 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.[69]
Note: World Athletics only accepts times achieved on World Athletics certified courses that are conducted according to World Athletics rules. The elevation gradient must not exceed one meter per kilometer.[66] For instance, the famousFifth Avenue Mile, or New Zealand's Queen Street Golden Mile,[67] are too steep to be record eligible by World Athletics. Downhill miles are achieved on ineligible courses and as such are not recognized by World Athletics. The road mile became an official world record event on 1 September 2023 which is why performances prior to this date were not previously considered records. 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.[69]
Key: Incomplete information
| Age | Time | Athlete | Nation | Birthdate | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 6:33.3 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 23 July 2013 | Santa Rosa | |
| 6 | 5:44.4 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 5 August 2014 | Santa Rosa | |
| 7 | 5:20.3 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 9 June 2015 | Santa Rosa | |
| 8 | 5:12.1 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 9 August 2016 | Santa Rosa | |
| 9 | 5:02.5 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 27 June 2017 | Santa Rosa | |
| 10 | 4:46.6 | Daniel Skandera | United States | 2 November 2007 | 24 July 2018 | Santa Rosa | |
| 11 | 4:36.04 | Archie Sideridis | Australia | 18 October 2011 | 9 February 2023 | Melbourne | |
| 12 | 4:35.66 | Quenton Lanese | United States | 4 March 2011 | 20 May 2023 | Mercer Island | |
| 13 | 4:22.33 | Jackson Miller | United States | 11 June 1999 | 1 June 2023 | St. Louis | |
| 14 | 4:11.20 | Angus Wilkinson | Great Britain | 16 January 2009 | 26 August 2023 | Stirling | [77] |
| 15 | 3:58.35 | Sam Ruthe | New Zealand | 12 April 2009 | 19 March 2025 | Auckland | [78][79] |
| 16 | 3:55.44 | Cameron Myers | Australia | 9 June 2006 | 23 February 2023 | Melbourne | [80] |
| 17 | 3:50.15 | Cameron Myers | Australia | 9 June 2006 | 25 May 2024 | Eugene | [81] |
| 18 | 3:47.48i | Cameron Myers | Australia | 9 June 2006 | 8 February 2025 | New York City | [82] |
| 19 | 3:48.06 | Reynold Cheruiyot | Kenya | 30 July 2004 | 16 September 2023 | Eugene | [25] |
| Age | Time | Athlete | Nation | Birthdate | Date | Place | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6:36.0 | Celine Struijvé | Netherlands | 10 November 2012 | 17 September 2019 | Epe | |
| 7 | 6:05.1 | Kristina Wilson | United States | 5 December 1963 | 5 June 1971 | ||
| 8 | 5:43.5 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 10 December 2013 | Sydney | |
| 9 | 5:18.74 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 17 January 2015 | Wollongong | |
| 10 | 5:04.19 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 16 January 2016 | Wollongong | |
| 11 | 4:56.08 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 4 March 2017 | Sydney | |
| 12 | 4:46.57 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 13 January 2018 | Wollongong | |
| 13 | 4:44.73 | Imogen Stewart | Australia | 27 July 2005 | 22 December 2018 | Sydney | |
| 14 | 4:40.1i | Mary Decker | United States | 4 August 1958 | 16 March 1973 | Richmond | |
| 15 | 4:35.16 | Sadie Engelhardt | United States | 21 August 2006 | 9 April 2022 | Arcadia | [83] |
| 16 | 4:28.25i | Mary Cain | United States | 3 May 1996 | 16 February 2013 | New York City | |
| 17 | 4:24.11i | Mary Cain | United States | 3 May 1996 | 24 January 2014 | Boston | |
| 18 | 4:23.50 | Jane Hedengren | United States | 23 September 2006 | 5 June 2025 | St. Louis | [84] |
| 19 | 4:17.57 | Zola Budd | Great Britain | 26 May 1966 | 21 August 1985 | Zürich |
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