Two miles
The 2 mile (10,560 feet or 3,218.688 metres) is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets due its historical chronology in the United States and United Kingdom. It has been largely superseded by the 3000 m (approximately 1.864 miles) and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions. The IAAF no longer keeps official world records for this distance; they are called world best instead.
Athletics Two miles | |
---|---|
World records | |
Men | Jakob Ingebrigtsen 7:54.10 (2023) |
Women | Meseret Defar 8:58.58 (2007) |
The world best for men is 7:54.10 set by Jakob Ingebrigtsen on 9 June 2023 in Paris. The women's record is 8:58.58, set by Ethiopian Meseret Defar in Brussels, Belgium on 14 September 2007. Ingebrigtsen, along with previous record holder Daniel Komen, are the only people to have run the distance in under 8 minutes, and thus run two miles at a four-minute mile pace.
All-time top 25
- i = indoor performance
- mx = mixed race
Men
- Correct as of June 2023.[1]
Rank | Result | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7:54.10 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway | 9 June 2023 | Paris | [2] |
2 | 7:58.61 | Daniel Komen | Kenya | 19 July 1997 | Hechtel | |
3 | 8:01.08 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | 31 May 1997 | Hengelo | |
4 | 8:03.40 i | Mo Farah | United Kingdom | 21 February 2015 | Birmingham | |
5 | 8:03.50 | Craig Mottram | Australia | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
6 | 8:04.35 i | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia | 16 February 2008 | Birmingham | |
7 | 8:04.83 | Tariku Bekele | Ethiopia | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
8 | 8:06.48 i | Paul Koech | Kenya | 16 February 2008 | Birmingham | |
9 | 8:06.61 i | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 23 February 2003 | Liévin | |
10 | 8:07.07 | Matt Tegenkamp | United States | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
11 | 8:07.39 i | Eliud Kipchoge | Kenya | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
12 | 8:07.41 i | Galen Rupp | United States | 24 January 2014 | Boston | |
13 | 8:07.54 | Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda | 30 June 2019 | Stanford | [3] |
14 | 8:07.59 | Paul Chelimo | United States | 30 June 2019 | Stanford | [3] |
15 | 8:08.16 i | Moses Kipsiro | Uganda | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
16 | 8:08.39 i | Markos Geneti | Ethiopia | 20 February 2004 | Birmingham | |
17 | 8:08.69 | Selemon Barega | Ethiopia | 30 June 2019 | Stanford | [3] |
18 | 8:09.01 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya | 30 July 1994 | Hechtel | |
19 | 8:09.23 | Ishamel Rokitto Kipkurui | Kenya | 9 June 2023 | Paris | [4] |
20 | 8:09.49 i | Bernard Lagat | United States | 16 February 2013 | New York City | [5] |
21 | 8:09.66 i | Hailu Mekonnen | Ethiopia | 18 February 2001 | Birmingham | |
22 | 8:10.16 | Jacob Kiplimo | Uganda | 21 August 2021 | Eugene | [6] |
23 | 8:10.34 | Kuma Girma | Ethiopia | 9 June 2023 | Paris | [7] |
24 | 8:10.59 | Benjamin Limo | Kenya | 28 May 2006 | Eugene | |
25 | 8:10.78 i | Arne Gabius | Germany | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham |
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 8:07.46:
- Daniel Komen also ran 7:58.91 (1998), 8:03.54 (1996).
- Haile Gebrselassie also ran 8:01.72 (1999), 8:01.86 (1999), 8:07.46 (1995).
Women
- Correct as of August 2021.[8]
Rank | Result | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8:58.58 | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
2 | 8:59.08 | Francine Niyonsaba | Burundi | 27 May 2022 | Eugene | [9] |
3 | 9:00.48 i | Genzebe Dibaba | Ethiopia | 15 February 2014 | Birmingham | |
4 | 9:06.74 | Letesenbet Gidey | Ethiopia | 20 August 2021 | Eugene | [10] |
5 | 9:10.28 i | Elinor Purrier | United States | 13 February 2021 | New York City | [11] |
6 | 9:11.49 | Mercy Cherono | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
7 | 9:11.97 Mx | Regina Jacobs | United States | 12 August 1999 | Los Gatos | [12][13] |
8 | 9:12.23 i | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
9 | 9:12.35 i | Vivian Cheruiyot | Kenya | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
10 | 9:12.59 | Viola Kibiwott | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
11 | 9:12.68 i | Sentayehu Ejigu | Ethiopia | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
12 | 9:12.90 | Irene Jelagat | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
13 | 9:13.85 | Mimi Belete | Bahrain | 31 May 2014 | Eugene | |
14 | 9:13.94 i | Kim Smith | New Zealand | 26 January 2008 | Boston | |
15 | 9:14.09 | Priscah Cherono | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
16 | 9:14.55 | Hellen Obiri | Kenya | 20 August 2021 | Eugene | [10] |
17 | 9:14.71 | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya | 27 May 2022 | Eugene | [9] |
18 | 9:15.71 i | Emma Coburn | United States | 13 February 2021 | New York City | [11] |
19 | 9:15.74 | Laura Galván | Mexico | 27 May 2022 | Eugene | [9] |
20 | 9:16.62 | Sylvia Kibet | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
21 | 9:16.73 | Konstanze Klosterhalfen | Germany | 27 May 2022 | Eugene | [14] |
22 | 9:16.78 | Jennifer Simpson | United States | 27 April 2018 | Des Moines | [15][16] |
23 | 9:16.95 | Betsy Saina | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
24 | 9:17.62 | Helen Schlachtenhaufen | United States | 27 May 2022 | Eugene | [14] |
25 | 9:18.26 | Viola Kibiwott | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels |
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:13.27:
- Francine Niyonsaba also ran 9:00.75 (2021).
- Meseret Defar also ran 9:06.26i (2009), 9:10.47 (2007), 9:10.50i (2008).
- Mercy Cherono also ran 9:13.27 (2014).
World Best Performance Progression
Outdoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
9:17.0 | Alfred Shrubb (GBR) | 1903-09-12 | London, United Kingdom |
9:08.4 | Alfred Shrubb (GBR) | 1904-06-11 | Glasgow, United Kingdom |
9:08.4 | Edvin Wide (SWE) | 1925-06-23 | Kramfors, Sweden |
9:01.4 | Edvin Wide (SWE) | 1926-09-12 | Berlin, Germany |
8:59.6 | Paavo Nurmi (FIN) | 1931-06-24 | Helsinki, Finland |
8:58.4 | Don Lash (USA) | 1936-06-13 | Princeton, USA |
8:57.4 | Gunnar Höckert (FIN) | 1936-09-24 | Stockholm, Sweden |
8:56.0 | Miklós Szabó (HUN) | 1937-09-30 | Budapest, Hungary |
8:53.2 | Taisto Mäki (FIN) | 1939-06-07 | Helsinki, Finland |
8:47.8 | Gunder Hägg (SWE) | 1942-06-03 | Stockholm, Sweden |
8:46.4 | Gunder Hägg (SWE) | 1944-06-25 | Östersund, Sweden |
8:42.8 | Gunder Hägg (SWE) | 1944-08-04 | Stockholm, Sweden |
8:40.4 | Gaston Reiff (BEL) | 1952-08-26 | Paris, France |
8:33.4 | Sándor Iharos (HUN) | 1955-05-30 | London, United Kingdom |
8:32.0 | Albie Thomas (AUS) | 1958-08-07 | Dublin, Ireland |
8:30.0 | Murray Halberg (NZL) | 1961-06-07 | Jyväskylä, Finland |
8:29.8 | Jim Beatty (USA) | 1962-06-08 | Los Angeles, USA |
8:29.6 | Michel Jazy (FRA) | 1963-06-06 | Paris, France |
8:26.4 | Bob Schul (USA) | 1964-08-29 | Los Angeles, USA |
8:22.6 | Michel Jazy (FRA) | 1965-06-23 | Melun, France |
8:19.8 | Ron Clarke (AUS) | 1967-07-27 | Västerås, Sweden |
8:19.6 | Ron Clarke (AUS) | 1968-08-24 | London, United Kingdom |
8:17.8 | Emiel Puttemans (BEL) | 1971-08-21 | Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
8:14.0 | Lasse Virén (FIN) | 1972-08-14 | Stockholm, Sweden |
8:13.8 | Brendan Foster (GBR) | 1973-08-27 | London, United Kingdom |
8:13.51 | Steve Ovett (GBR) | 1978-09-15 | London, United Kingdom |
8:13.45 | Saïd Aouita (MAR) | 1987-05-28 | Turin, Italy |
8:12.17 | Khalid Skah (MAR) | 1993-06-30 | Hechtel, Belgium |
8:09.01 | Moses Kiptanui (KEN) | 1994-06-30 | Hechtel, Belgium |
8:07.46 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | 1995-05-27 | Kerkrade, Netherlands |
8:03.54 | Daniel Komen (KEN) | 1996-07-14 | Lappeenranta, Finland |
8:01.10 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | 1997-05-31 | Hengelo, Netherlands |
7:58.61 | Daniel Komen (KEN) | 1997-07-19 | Hechtel, Belgium |
7:54.10 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) | 2023-06-09 | Paris, France |
Indoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
8:09.66 | Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) | 2000-02-20 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
8:04.69 | Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) | 2003-02-21 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
8:04.35 | Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) | 2008-02-16 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
8:03.40 | Mo Farah (GBR) | 2015-02-21 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
Outdoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
10:07.0 | Doris Brown (USA) | 1971-07-10 | CA, USA |
9:55.9 | Francie Larrieu (USA) | 1972-06-04 | CA, USA |
9:19.56 | Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) | 1998-06-27 | Cork, Ireland |
9:10.47 | Meseret Defar (ETH) | 2007-05-20 | Carson, USA |
8:58.58 | Meseret Defar (ETH) | 2007-09-14 | Brussels, Belgium |
Indoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
9:28.15 | Lynn Jennings (USA) | 1986-02-20 | New York City, USA |
9:23.38 | Regina Jacobs (USA) | 2002-01-27 | Boston, USA |
9:10.50 | Meseret Defar (ETH) | 2008-01-26 | Boston, USA |
9:06.26 | Meseret Defar (ETH) | 2009-02-26 | Prague, Czech Republic |
9:00.48 | Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) | 2014-02-15 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
High school boys progression
Note: this list only covers boys because the history of 2 mile running largely occurred before Title IX, before high school girls were allowed to compete, which occurred about the same time as conversion to metric distances.[17]
TIME | ATHLETE | SCHOOL | CITY | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(8:40.0i) | Gerry Lindgren | Rogers High School | Spokane, Washington | February 15, 1964 | Cow Palace, Daly City, California[18] |
8:57.8 | Mike Ryan | Wilcox High School | Santa Clara, California | 1965 | |
8:48.3 | Rick Riley | Ferris High School | Spokane, Washington | May 28, 1966 | Washington State Championships[19] |
8:41.5 | Steve Prefontaine | Marshfield High School | Coos Bay, Oregon | April 25, 1969 | Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis, Oregon[19] |
8:40.9 | Craig Virgin | Lebanon High School | Lebanon, Illinois | June 9, 1973 | International Prep Invitational, Prospect, Illinois[19] |
8:36.3 | Jeff Nelson | Burbank High School | Burbank, California | May 6, 1979 | Pepsi Invitational, Westwood, Los Angeles, California |
8:34.23 | German Fernandez | Riverbank High School | Riverbank, California | June 20, 2008 | Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, North Carolina video |
8:29.46 | Lukas Verzbicas | Carl Sandburg High School | Orland Hills, Illinois | June 4, 2011 | Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Oregon video |
Notes
- "All-time men's best Two miles". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- Jon Mulkeen (9 June 2023). "Kipyegon, Girma and Ingebrigtsen make history in Paris". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- Brian Russell (1 July 2019). "Hassan takes historic 3000m victory in Stanford – IAAF Diamond League". IAAF. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- "Two Miles Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- "Two Miles Results". www.branchsportstech.com. 16 February 2013. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
- "Prefontaine Classic 2021 Complete Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 21 August 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- "Two Miles Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- "All-time women's best Two miles". alltime-athletics.com. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- Cathal Dennehy (28 May 2022). "Mahuchikh and Taye triumph on opening night in Eugene". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- Mike Rowbottom (21 August 2021). "No world record but Hassan claims clear win in Eugene". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- Taylor Dutch (14 February 2021). "Three American Records and 10 National Records Fall at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix". runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- "Defar breaks world record in two miles". Reuters. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "U.S. ALL-TIME LIST — WOMEN". Track and Field News. 17 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "2 Miles Results". World Athletics. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- "Jenny Simpson, in another return to Drake Relays, takes aim at American 2-mile record". Des Moines Register. 27 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "Jenny Simpson breaks U.S. 2-mile record at Drake Relays". ESPN.com. 27 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
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- "Running_Shots_25". runningentertainment.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.