Mile run world record progression explained

The world record in the mile run is the fastest time set by a runner in the middle-distance track and field event. World Athletics is the official body which oversees the records. Hicham El Guerrouj is the current men's record holder with his time of 3:43.13,^[1] while Faith Kipyegon has the women's record of 4:07.64.^[2] Since 1976, the mile has been the only non-metric distance recognized by the IAAF for record purposes. However, in international competitions such as the Olympics the term "mile" almost always refers to a distance of 1,500 meters, which is 109.344 meters shorter than an Imperial mile, even though four "full" laps of a 400 meter track is equal to 1,600 meters.

Accurate times for the mile run (1.609344 km) have been recorded since 1850, when the first precisely measured running tracks were built. Foot racing had become popular in England by the 17th century, when footmen would race and their masters would wager on the result. By the 19th century "pedestrianism", as it was called, had become extremely popular and the best times recorded in the period were by professionals. Even after professional foot racing died out, it was not until 1915 that the professional record of 4:12 (set by Walter George in 1886) was surpassed by an amateur.

Progression of the mile record accelerated in the 1930s as newsreel coverage greatly popularized the sport, making stars out of milers such as Jules Ladoumègue, Jack Lovelock, and Glenn Cunningham. In the 1940s, Swedes Arne Andersson and Gunder Hägg lowered the record to 4:01.4 while racing was curtailed during World War II in the combatant countries. After the war, Roger Bannister of the United Kingdom and John Landy of Australia vied to be the first to break the fabled four-minute mile barrier. Roger Bannister did it first on May 6, 1954, and John Landy followed 46 days later.

On the women's side, the first sub-5:00 mile was achieved by the UK's Diane Leather 23 days after Bannister's first sub-4:00 mile. However, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) did not recognize women's records for the distance until 1967, when Anne Smith of the UK ran 4:37.0.^[3]

Men

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Professionals

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:28	Charles Westhall		26 July 1855
4:28			28 September 1857	Manchester
4:23	Thomas Horspool		12 July 1858	Manchester
4:22			27 October 1860	Manchester
4:21	William Lang		11 July 1863	Manchester
4:20	Edward Mills		23 April 1864	Manchester
4:20	Edward Mills		25 June 1864	Manchester
4:17	William Lang		19 August 1865	Manchester
4:17	William Richards		19 August 1865	Manchester
4:16			14 May 1881	Preston
4:12	Walter George		23 August 1886	London

Amateurs

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:55	J. Heaviside		1 April 1861	Dublin
4:49	J. Heaviside		27 May 1861	Dublin
4:46	Matthew Greene		27 May 1861	Dublin
4:33	George Farran		23 May 1862	Dublin
4:29	Walter Chinnery		10 March 1868	Cambridge
4:28	Walter Gibbs		3 April 1868	London
4:28	Charles Gunton		31 March 1873	London
4:26			30 May 1874	London
4:24	Walter Slade		1 June 1875	London
4:23	Walter George		16 August 1880	London
4:19	Walter George		3 June 1882	London
4:18	Walter George		21 June 1884
4:17			26 August 1893	Cambridge
4:17			6 July 1895	London
4:15	Thomas Conneff		28 August 1895	New York City
4:15			27 May 1911	Cambridge

As there was no recognized official sanctioning body until 1912, there are several versions of the mile progression before that year. One version starts with Richard Webster (GBR) who ran 4:36.5 in 1865, surpassed by Chinnery in 1868.^[4]

Another variation of the amateur record progression pre-1862 is as follows:^[5]

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:52	Cadet Marshall		2 September 1852	Addiscome
4:45	Thomas Finch		3 November 1858	Oxford
4:45	St. Vincent Hammick		15 November 1858	Oxford
4:40	Gerald Surman		24 November 1859	Oxford
4:33	George Farran		23 May 1862	Dublin

IAAF / World Athletics era

The first world record in the mile for men (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (later known as the International Association of Athletics Federations and currently known as World Athletics) in 1913.

To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 32 world records in the event.^[6]

	Ratified
	Not ratified
	Ratified but later rescinded
	Pending ratification

Time	Auto	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:14.4				31 May 1913	Allston, Mass.
4:12.6				16 July 1915	Allston, Mass.
4:10.4				23 August 1923
4:09.2				4 October 1931	Paris
4:07.6				15 July 1933^[7]	Princeton, N.J.
4:06.8				16 June 1934^[8]	Princeton, N.J.
4:06.4				28 August 1937^[9]
4:06.2				1 July 1942	Gothenburg
4:06.2				10 July 1942	Stockholm
4:04.6		Gunder Hägg (2)		4 September 1942	Stockholm
4:02.6		Arne Andersson (2)		1 July 1943	Gothenburg
4:01.6		Arne Andersson (3)		18 July 1944
4:01.4		Gunder Hägg (3)		17 July 1945	Malmö
3:59.4				6 May 1954^[10]
3:58.0				21 June 1954^[11]	Turku
3:57.2				19 July 1957^[12] ^[13]
3:54.5				6 August 1958^[14] ^[15]	Dublin
3:54.4				27 January 1962^[16]
3:54.1	3:54.04	Peter Snell (2)		17 November 1964^[17]
3:53.6				9 June 1965^[18]
3:51.3				17 July 1966^[19] ^[20]
3:51.1		Jim Ryun (2)		23 June 1967^[21]
3:51.0				17 May 1975^[22]
3:49.4				12 August 1975^[23] ^[24]	Gothenburg
3:49.0	3:48.95			17 July 1979^[25]
3:48.8				1 July 1980^[26]	Oslo
3:48.53		Sebastian Coe (2)		19 August 1981^[27]
3:48.40		Steve Ovett (2)		26 August 1981^[28]
3:47.33		Sebastian Coe (3)		28 August 1981^[29]	Brussels
3:46.32				27 July 1985^[30]	Oslo
3:44.39				5 September 1993^[31]
3:43.13				7 July 1999^[32]	Rome

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.

Records for the mile were rounded up to the nearest tenth of a second commencing January 1, 1957. Previously, records were rounded up to the nearest fifth of a second. Those rounded-up marks were: Cunningham's 4:06.8 (timed at 4:06.7); Hägg's 4:06.2 (4:06.1); Hägg's 4:01.4 (4:01.3); Landy's 3:58.0 (3:57.9). Landy's mark was not retroactively adjusted when the new rule came into effect.^[33] Auto times to the hundredth of a second were accepted by the IAAF for events up to and including 10,000 m beginning in 1981.^[6]

During the most recent world record setting race in 1999, Noah Ngeny came in second place to Hicham El Guerrouj with a time of 3:43.40, which continues to be the second fastest mile run in history, beating out the old world record set in 1993 by Noureddine Morceli. No-one else approached the record in the 21st century until September 16, 2023, when Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Yared Nuguse recorded the third and fourth fastest times in history, with 3:43.73 and 3:43.97 respectively.

Men's Indoor

Men Indoor Pre-IAAF

Time	Auto	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:39.2				April 25, 1885
4:39.2		Ernest Hjertberg		May 10, 1889
4:31.4		William Day		February 5, 1890
4:28.4		Ernest Hjertberg		February 13, 1892
4:26.0		Andrew Walsh		November 30, 1895
4:25.2				January 26, 1906
4:23.8				March 30, 1906
4:19.8				February 13, 1909
4:19.8				February 22, 1912
4:18.8				February 12, 1913
4:18.2				February 15, 1913
4:16.0				March 10, 1917
4:14.6				April 12, 1919
4:13.6				January 6, 1925
4:13.4				February 14, 1925
4:12.0				March 7, 1925
4:12.0				March 17, 1925
4:11.2				February 6, 1932
4:10.0				February 17, 1932
4:09.8				March 25, 1933
4:08.4				March 17, 1934
4:04.4 oversized track				March 3, 1938
4:07.4				March 12, 1938
4:07.4		Charles Fenske		February 3, 1940
4:07.4		Charles Fenske		February 17, 1940
4:07.4				February 15, 1941
4:07.4		Walter Mehl		February 15, 1941
4:07.3				March 11, 1944
4:06.4				March 18, 1944
4:05.3				January 31, 1948
4:04.9				February 15, 1954
4:03.8				January 29, 1955
4:03.6				February 5, 1955
4:03.4				March 14, 1958
4:02.5				February 21, 1959
4:01.4				March 7, 1959
3:58.9				February 10, 1962
3:58.6				February 15, 1963
3:56.6				February 13, 1964
3:56.4				March 6, 1964
3:56.4				February 19, 1971
3:55.0				February 17, 1974
3:55.0	3:54.93			January 13, 1978
3:52.6				February 16, 1979
3:50.6				February 20, 1981

Men Indoor IAAF era

The IAAF started to recognize indoor world records in 1987, with the then world's best time, Coghlan's 3:49.78, ratified as the inaugural record for the mile.^[34]

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
3:49.78			February 27, 1983
3:48.45			February 12, 1997
3:47.01			March 3, 2019

Women

1. >

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Pre-IAAF

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
6:13.2	Elizabeth Atkinson		24 June 1921	Manchester
5:27.5			20 August 1932	London
5:24.0			1 June 1936	Brentwood
5:23.0	Gladys Lunn		18 July 1936	London
5:20.8	Gladys Lunn		8 May 1937	Dudley
5:17.0	Gladys Lunn		7 August 1937	London
5:15.3	Evelyn Forster		22 July 1939	London
5:11.0	Anne Oliver		14 June 1952	London
5:09.8	Enid Harding		4 June 1953	London
5:08.0	Anne Oliver		12 September 1953	Consett
5:02.6			30 September 1953	London
5:00.3	Edith Treybal		1 November 1953	Timișoara
5:00.2			26 May 1954	Birmingham
4:59.6			29 May 1954	Birmingham
4:50.8			24 May 1955	London
4:45.0			21 September 1955	London
4:41.4			8 December 1962	Perth
4:39.2			13 May 1967	London

Women's IAAF era

The first world record in the mile for women (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (later known as the International Association of Athletics Federations and currently known as World Athletics), in 1967. To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 13 world records in the event.^[35]

Time	Auto	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:37.0				3 June 1967	London
4:36.8				14 June 1969	Leicester
4:35.3				20 August 1971	Sittard
4:29.5				8 August 1973	Viareggio
4:23.8				21 May 1977	Bucharest
4:22.1	4:22.09			27 January 1979	Auckland
4:21.7	4:21.68			26 January 1980	Auckland
4:20.89				12 September 1981	Bologna
4:18.08				9 July 1982	Paris
4:17.44				9 September 1982	Rieti
4:16.71				21 August 1985	Zürich
4:15.61				10 July 1989	Nice
4:12.56				14 August 1996	Zürich
4:12.33				12 July 2019	Monaco
4:07.64				21 July 2023^[36]	Monaco

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th of a second, depending on the rules then in place.

The IAAF recognized times to the hundredth of a second starting in 1981.^[35]

Note:

• Decker ran 4:17.55 indoors in Houston on 16 February 1980, but this time was rejected as a record due to an oversized track.
• Natalya Artyomova (Soviet Union) ran 4:15.8 in Leningrad on 6 August 1984, but this time was rejected as a record due to there being no international judges.

Women's Indoor

Women Indoor Pre-IAAF

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
5:17.2	Brenda Cook		February 5, 1966
5:03.6			February 12, 1966
4:52.0			February 19, 1966
4:40.4			February 18, 1967
4:38.5			March 17, 1972
4:35.6			February 17, 1973
4:34.6			February 2, 1974
4:29.0			February 15, 1975
4:28.5			March 3, 1975
4:24.6			January 22, 1982
4:21.47			February 12, 1982

Women Indoor IAAF era

Time	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Venue
4:20.5			February 19, 1982
4:18.86			February 13, 1988
4:17.14			February 9, 1990
4:13.31			February 17, 2016

See also

• 1500 metres world record progression

Further reading

• Book: Bascomb, Neil. The Perfect Mile. 2004. Willow. 978-0-0071737-3-0.
• Book: Bryant, John. 3:59.4 The Quest To Break The Four Minute Mile. 2004. Hutchinson. 978-0-0918003-3-8.
• Book: Nelson. Cordner. Quercetani. Roberto. The Milers. 1985. Tafnews Press. 0-911521-15-1.
• Book: Phillips, Bob. 3:59.4 The Quest For The Four-Minute Mile. 2004. Parrs Wood Press. 978-1-9031584-9-4.

External links

• Runner's World data
• Running Times Magazine data
• Frankfurt University (Internet Archive)
• Women's progression
• Another women's mile progression
• Frankfurt University (Women's progression) (Internet Archive)
• Clips of Bannister's 4 minute mile
• Video of current Men's world record by Hicham El Guerrouj

Notes and References

1. Web site: International Association of Athletics Federations . IAAF . 2013-10-23.
2. Web site: Mile run - women - senior - outdoor. World Athletics. 23 July 2023.
3. Book: Edward S. Sears. Running Through the Ages, 2d ed.. 8 June 2015. McFarland. 978-1-4766-2086-2. 261–.
4. Web site: World Mile Record Progression . Berkshire Sports . 2011-09-04.
5. Web site: Progression of world record times for males . sta.colostate.edu . 2012-08-15.
6. Web site: 12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009. . IAAF Media & Public Relations Department . Monte Carlo . Pages 546, 549–50 . 2009 . August 4, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134819/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf . June 29, 2011 .
7. News: Epochal run breaks mark . Pittsburgh Press . United Press . McLemore . Henry . July 16, 1933 . 1, sports.
8. News: Cunningham and Eastman set world's records in mile, half-mile . Pittsburgh Press . United Press . June 17, 1934 . 1, sports.
9. News: Wooderson cracks mile record mark . Pittsburgh Press . United Press . August 29, 1937 . 1, sports.
10. News: 4-minute mile cracked by British speedster . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . Associated Press . 7 May 1954 . 1.
11. News: Landy cracks mark in 3:58 . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington) . Associated Press . Haeggblom . Stig . June 22, 1954 . 14.
12. News: World mile record for Ibbotson . Glasgow Herald . July 20, 1957 . 5.
13. News: World wondering how fast a man can run a mile . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . July 20, 1957 . 7.
14. News: Australian runner's mile record . Glasgow Herald . August 7, 1958 . 5.
15. News: Herb Elliott runs 3:54.5 world record mile . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . August 6, 1958 . 3B.
16. News: Snell cracks Elloitt's mile record with clocking of 3:54.4 on grass . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . January 28, 1962 . 1B.
17. News: Snell snaps his own mile mark with 3:54.1 clocking . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . November 17, 1964 . 3B.
18. News: The record miles – and now 3:53.6! . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . June 10, 1965 . 1D.
19. News: Poles help Ryun with mile mark. Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . July 18, 1966 . 2B.
20. News: Ryun's record performance thrills KU trach coaches . Lawrence Journal-World . (Kansas) . Engel . Lou . July 18, 1966 . 10.
21. News: Ryun writes 3:51.1 chapter to mile story . Lawrence Journal-World . (Kansas) . Associated Press . June 24, 1967 . 10.
22. News: Bayi lowers mile mark to 3:51 . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . May 18, 1975 . 1B.
23. News: Walker's 3:49.4 "perfect race" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . August 13, 1975 . 1D.
24. News: Walker runs record 3:49.4 mile . Lawrence Journal-World . (Kansas) . Associated Press . August 13, 1975 . 13.
25. News: 'Nice air' Coe's only explanation for record mile . Lawrence Journal-World . (Kansas) . Associated Press . July 18, 1979 . 24.
26. News: Coe loses world mile record to Ovett . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . wire service reports . July 2, 1980 . 1D.
27. News: Coe, Nehemiah set records . Wilmington Morning Star . (North Carolina) . Associated Press . August 20, 1981 . 1D.
28. News: Ovett snaps mile record; Rono's back . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . wire service reports . August 27, 1981 . 1C.
29. News: Coe trims mile mark once again . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington) . Associated Press . August 29, 1981 . 17.
30. News: Three world track records fall at Oslo . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . July 28, 1985 . 1B.
31. News: Morceli shatters mile record . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . September 6, 1993 . 1D.
32. News: El Guerrouj breaks mile mark on 'miracle track'. Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon) . Associated Press . July 8, 1999 . 1D.
33. Web site: IAAF World Records Progression . 2015 . Hymans, Richard . Matrahazi, Imre . . November 6, 2017.
34. Web site: Progressions - Mile History.
35. Web site: 12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009. . IAAF Media & Public Relations Department . Monte Carlo . Pages 546, 642 . 2009 . August 4, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134819/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf . June 29, 2011 .
36. Web site: Mile Run Results. sportresult.com. 21 July 2023. 21 July 2023.