List of Olympic records in athletics
The modern Summer Olympic Games have been held every four years since the first Games in 1896 (except 1916 due to the First World War, 1940 and 1944 due to the Second World War, and 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) 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]
![](../I/Olympic_flag.svg.png.webp)
Some Olympic records have been broken but later rescinded by the IOC.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 sprint, 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 original silver medalist American Carl Lewis.[3] Hungarian athlete Róbert 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 as the world record for 23 years until Beamon's compatriot, Mike Powell, jumped farther in the 1991 World Championships in Athletics in Tokyo.[7]
Note, only those events currently competed for and recognised by the IOC as Summer Olympic events are listed.[8]
Men's records
![Usain Bolt in a yellow running vest and green shorts just completing a race](../I/Usain_Bolt_Olympics_Celebration.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Kenenisa_Bekele_2014_Paris_Marathon_t084500.jpg.webp)
♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record. Statistics are correct as of August 3, 2021.
Women's records
![](../I/Perec_Atlanta_1996.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Isinbayeva_Berlin_2009.jpg.webp)
♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record. Statistics are correct as of July 31, 2021.
Mixed records
Event | Record | Athlete(s) | Nation | Games | Date | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4×400 m relay | 3:09.87 | Karol Zalewski Natalia Kaczmarek Justyna Święty-Ersetic Kajetan Duszyński |
![]() |
2020 Tokyo | July 31, 2021 | [50] |
See also
References
- "Athletics". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
- Mel Watman (25 July 2008). "Evolution of Olympic Women's Athletics, 1928 to the present day". International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- "1988: Johnson stripped of Olympic gold". BBC. 27 September 1988. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- "Fazekas takes discus gold". BBC Sport. 23 August 2004. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "International Olympic Committee Executive Board Decision regarding Mr Robert Fazekas, born on 18 August 1975, athlete, Hungary, Men's Discus Throw" (PDF). International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- Parker Morse (23 August 2008). "Beijing 2008 – Day Nine Summary – 23 Aug". International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- Gerald Eskenazi (31 August 1991). "Track and field; Back in Miami, Beamon Remains Down to Earth". New York Times. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- "Athletics". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- "London 2012 Olympics: Day Nine evening session". BBC Sport. 5 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
- "Bolt grabs third gold and record". BBC Sport. 22 August 2008. Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
- "Rio Olympics 2016: Wayde van Niekerk breaks world record to win Olympic gold". BBC Sport. 14 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- "800 Metres Results". IAAF. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
- "Men's 1500m Final Results" (PDF). olympics.com. 7 August 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- "Bekele storms to Olympic double". BBC Sport. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
- Lynn Zinser (17 August 2008). "Jamaican Supremacy Continues, and So Does an Ethiopian's Comeback". New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
- "Wanjiru first Kenyan to win Olympic men's marathon". ESPN. 24 August 2008. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2008.
- "Athletics – 110m Hurdles – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2008.
- "Current Records - Men's 400m Hurdles". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- "Conseslus Kipruto breaks Olympic record as he wins gold". BBC Sport. 17 August 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- "4x100 Metres Relay Results". IAAF. 11 August 2012. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- "United States powers to record-breaking 4 x 400m Relay gold". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 August 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
- "London 2012 20km walk results". Official website of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
- "Jared Tallent finally gets his gold medal for London Olympics 50k walk". ABC News. 17 June 2016. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- "Athletics – High jump – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Thiago Braz da Silva wins Brazil's second gold medal of Games". BBC Sport. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 16 August 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
- "Athletics – Triple jump – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Men's shot put official results (Tokyo 2020)". olympics.com. 5 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
- "Athletics – Discus OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Athletics – Hammer throw OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Thorkildsen strikes gold in Men's Javelin Throw final". The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. 23 August 2008. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
- "Decathlon Summary Points (Tokyo 2020)". olympics.com. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
- "Athletics Women's 100m Final Results" (PDF). Olympics. 31 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
- "Athletics – 200 metres OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Athletics – 200 metres WR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2008.
- "Olympic Games Records – Women". International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- "Athletics - Final Results - Women's 1500 metres (Tokyo 2020)". IOC. 6 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- "Kenya's Vivian Cheruiyot wins 5000m gold". BBC Sport. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
- "Rio Olympics 2016: Ethiopia's Ayana smashes world record for 10,000m gold". BBC Sport. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- "Women's 100 Metres Hurdles Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "Athletics - Final Results - Women's 400 m hurdles (Tokyo 2020)". IOC. 4 August 2021. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- "Olympic Records". International Herald Tribune. The Associated Press. 22 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2008.
- "4 × 100m Relay Results". IAAF. 10 August 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- "Records by event – 4x400m Relay". International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- "20km Race Walk Results". IAAF. 11 August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
- "Athletics – Long jump OR – Progression". Official website of the Olympic Movement. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- Andy Bull (19 August 2008). "Olympics: Isinbayeva raises the bar and the Bird's Nest roof". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2008.
- "Women's Triple Jump Results". Archived from the original on 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- "USA's Ryan Crouser breaks 28-year record to win shot put gold". BBC Sport. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- "Rio Olympics 2016: Hitchon wins historic GB hammer bronze". BBC Sport. 15 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- "Athletics 4 x 400m Relay Mixed Final Results" (PDF). Olympics. 31 July 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
External links
- "Olympic and World records". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
- "Statistics – Records by event". International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved 5 September 2008.