Mile run world record progression

The world record in the mile run is the best mark set by a male or female runner in the middle-distance track and field event. The IAAF 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, while Sifan Hassan has the women's record of 4:12.33.[1] Since 1976, the mile has been the only non-metric distance recognized by the IAAF for record purposes.

Accurate times for the mile run (1.609344 km) were not recorded until after 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​3⁄4 (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 just over four minutes (4:01.4) while racing was curtailed during World War II in the combatant countries. After the war, John Landy of Australia and Britain's Roger Bannister 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. By the end of the 20th century, the record had been lowered to the time of 3:43.13 run by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco in 1999.[2]

On the women's side, the first sub-5:00 mile was achieved by Britain'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 Britain ran 4:37.0. The current women's world record, pending ratification, is 4:12.33 by Sifan Hassan, set on July 12, 2019.

Men

Pre-IAAF

Professionals
TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:28Charles Westhall United Kingdom26 July 1855London
4:28Thomas Horspool United Kingdom28 September 1857Manchester
4:23Thomas Horspool United Kingdom12 July 1858Manchester
4:22​1⁄4Siah Albison United Kingdom27 October 1860Manchester
4:21​3⁄4William Lang United Kingdom11 July 1863Manchester
4:20​1⁄2Edward Mills United Kingdom23 April 1864Manchester
4:20Edward Mills United Kingdom25 June 1864Manchester
4:17​1⁄4William Lang United Kingdom19 August 1865Manchester
4:17​1⁄4William Richards United Kingdom19 August 1865Manchester
4:16​1⁄5William Cummings United Kingdom14 May 1881Preston
4:12​3⁄4Walter George United Kingdom23 August 1886London

Amateurs
TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:55J. Heaviside United Kingdom1 April 1861Dublin
4:49J. Heaviside United Kingdom27 May 1861Dublin
4:46Matthew Greene United Kingdom27 May 1861Dublin
4:33George Farran United Kingdom23 May 1862Dublin
4:29​3⁄5Walter Chinnery United Kingdom10 March 1868Cambridge
4:28​4⁄5Walter Gibbs United Kingdom3 April 1868London
4:28​3⁄5Charles Gunton United Kingdom31 March 1873London
4:26​0⁄5Walter Slade United Kingdom30 May 1874London
4:24​1⁄2Walter Slade United Kingdom1 June 1875London
4:23​1⁄5Walter George United Kingdom16 August 1880London
4:19​2⁄5Walter George United Kingdom3 June 1882London
4:18​2⁄5Walter George United Kingdom21 June 1884Birmingham
4:17​4⁄5Thomas Conneff United Kingdom26 August 1893Cambridge
4:17​0⁄5Fred Bacon United Kingdom6 July 1895London
4:15​3⁄5Thomas Conneff United Kingdom28 August 1895New York City
4:15​2⁄5John Paul Jones United States27 May 1911Cambridge

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.[3]

Another variation of the amateur record progression pre-1862 is as follows:[4]

TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:52Cadet Marshall United Kingdom2 September 1852Addiscome
4:45Thomas Finch United Kingdom3 November 1858Oxford
4:45St. Vincent Hammick United Kingdom15 November 1858Oxford
4:40Gerald Surman United Kingdom24 November 1859Oxford
4:33George Farran United Kingdom23 May 1862Dublin

IAAF era

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

To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 32 world records in the event.[5]

TimeAutoAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:14.4John Paul Jones United States31 May 1913[5]Allston, Mass.
4:12.6Norman Taber United States16 July 1915[5]Allston, Mass.
4:10.4Paavo Nurmi Finland23 August 1923[5]Stockholm
4:09.2Jules Ladoumègue France4 October 1931[5]Paris
4:07.6Jack Lovelock New Zealand15 July 1933[5]Princeton, N.J.
4:06.8Glenn Cunningham United States16 June 1934[5]Princeton, N.J.
4:06.4Sydney Wooderson United Kingdom28 August 1937[5]Motspur Park
4:06.2Gunder Hägg Sweden1 July 1942[5]Gothenburg
4:06.2Arne Andersson Sweden10 July 1942[5]Stockholm
4:04.6Gunder Hägg Sweden4 September 1942[5]Stockholm
4:02.6Arne Andersson Sweden1 July 1943[5]Gothenburg
4:01.6Arne Andersson Sweden18 July 1944[5]Malmö
4:01.4Gunder Hägg Sweden17 July 1945[5]Malmö
3:59.4Roger Bannister United Kingdom6 May 1954[5]Oxford
3:58.0John Landy Australia21 June 1954[5]Turku
3:57.2Derek Ibbotson United Kingdom19 July 1957[5]London
3:54.5Herb Elliott Australia6 August 1958[5]Dublin
3:54.4Peter Snell New Zealand27 January 1962[5]Wanganui
3:54.13:54.04Peter Snell New Zealand17 November 1964[5]Auckland
3:53.6Michel Jazy France9 June 1965[5]Rennes
3:51.3Jim Ryun United States17 July 1966[5]Berkeley, Cal.
3:51.1Jim Ryun United States23 June 1967[5]Bakersfield, Cal.
3:51.0Filbert Bayi Tanzania17 May 1975[5]Kingston
3:49.4John Walker New Zealand12 August 1975[5]Gothenburg
3:49.03:48.95Sebastian Coe United Kingdom17 July 1979[5]Oslo
3:48.8Steve Ovett United Kingdom1 July 1980[5]Oslo
3:48.53Sebastian Coe United Kingdom19 August 1981[5]Zürich
3:48.40Steve Ovett United Kingdom26 August 1981[5]Koblenz
3:47.33Sebastian Coe United Kingdom28 August 1981[5]Brussels
3:46.32Steve Cram United Kingdom27 July 1985[5]Oslo
3:44.39Noureddine Morceli Algeria5 September 1993[5]Rieti
3:43.13Hicham El Guerrouj Morocco7 July 1999[5]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.[6]:vii; 69–70 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.[5]

Men's Indoor

Men Indoor Pre-IAAF
TimeAutoAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:39.2Lawrence Myers United StatesApril 25, 1885New York  United States
4:39.2Ernest Hjertberg United StatesMay 10, 1889New York  United States
4:31.4William Day United StatesFebruary 5, 1890Brooklyn  United States
4:28.4Ernest Hjertberg United StatesFebruary 13, 1892Boston  United States
4:26.0Andrew Walsh United StatesNovember 30, 1895Brooklyn  United States
4:25.2Melvin Sheppard United StatesJanuary 26, 1906New York  United States
4:23.8Melvin Sheppard United StatesMarch 30, 1906New York  United States
4:19.8Herbert Trube United StatesFebruary 13, 1909New York  United States
4:19.8Oscar Hedlund United StatesFebruary 22, 1912Troy  United States
4:18.8Oscar Hedlund United StatesFebruary 12, 1913New York  United States
4:18.2Abel Kiviat United StatesFebruary 15, 1913New York  United States
4:16.0John Overton United StatesMarch 10, 1917Philadelphia  United States
4:14.6Joseph Ray United StatesApril 12, 1919Chicago  United States
4:13.6Paavo Nurmi FinlandJanuary 6, 1925New York  United States
4:13.4Lloyd Hahn United StatesFebruary 14, 1925New York  United States
4:12.0Paavo Nurmi FinlandMarch 7, 1925Buffalo  United States
4:12.0Joseph Ray United StatesMarch 17, 1925New York  United States
4:11.2Gene Venzke United StatesFebruary 6, 1932New York  United States
4:10.0Gene Venzke United StatesFebruary 17, 1932New York  United States
4:09.8Glenn Cunningham United StatesMarch 25, 1933Chicago  United States
4:08.4Glenn Cunningham United StatesMarch 17, 1934New York  United States
4:04.4
oversized track		Glenn Cunningham United StatesMarch 3, 1938[5]Hanover  United States
4:07.4Glenn Cunningham United StatesMarch 12, 1938New York  United States
4:07.4Charles Fenske United StatesFebruary 3, 1940New York  United States
4:07.4Charles Fenske United StatesFebruary 17, 1940New York  United States
4:07.4Leslie MacMitchell United StatesFebruary 15, 1941New York  United States
4:07.4Walter Mehl United StatesFebruary 15, 1941New York  United States
4:07.3Gilbert Dodds United StatesMarch 11, 1944New York  United States
4:06.4Gilbert Dodds United StatesMarch 18, 1944Chicago  United States
4:05.3Gilbert Dodds United StatesJanuary 31, 1948New York  United States
4:04.9Wes Santee United StatesFebruary 15, 1954East Lansing  United States
4:03.8Wes Santee United StatesJanuary 29, 1955Boston  United States
4:03.6Gunnar Nielsen DenmarkFebruary 5, 1955New York  United States
4:03.4Ron Delany IrelandMarch 14, 1958Chicago  United States
4:02.5Ron Delany IrelandFebruary 21, 1959New York  United States
4:01.4Ron Delany IrelandMarch 7, 1959New York  United States
3:58.9Jim Beatty United StatesFebruary 10, 1962Los Angeles  United States
3:58.6Jim Beatty United StatesFebruary 15, 1963New York  United States
3:56.6Tom O'Hara United StatesFebruary 13, 1964New York  United States
3:56.4Tom O'Hara United StatesMarch 6, 1964Chicago  United States
3:56.4Jim Ryun United StatesFebruary 19, 1971San Diego  United States
3:55.0Tony Waldrop United StatesFebruary 17, 1974San Diego  United States
3:55.03:54.93Dick Buerkle United StatesJanuary 13, 1978College Park  United States
3:52.6Eamonn Coghlan IrelandFebruary 16, 1979San Diego  United States
3:50.6Eamonn Coghlan IrelandFebruary 20, 1981San Diego  United States

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.[7]

TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
3:49.78Eamonn Coghlan IrelandFebruary 27, 1983East Rutherford  United States
3:48.45Hicham El Guerrouj MoroccoFebruary 12, 1997Ghent  Belgium
3:47.01Yomif Kejelcha EthiopiaMarch 3, 2019Boston  United States

Women

Pre-IAAF
TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
6:13.2Elizabeth Atkinson United Kingdom24 June 1921Manchester
5:27.5Ruth Christmas United Kingdom20 August 1932London
5:24.0 Gladys Lunn United Kingdom1 June 1936Brentwood
5:23.0 Gladys Lunn United Kingdom18 July 1936London
5:20.8 Gladys Lunn United Kingdom8 May 1937Dudley
5:17.0 Gladys Lunn United Kingdom7 August 1937London
5:15.3 Evelyn Forster United Kingdom22 July 1939London
5:11.0 Anne Oliver United Kingdom14 June 1952London
5:09.8 Enid Harding United Kingdom4 June 1953London
5:08.0 Anne Oliver United Kingdom12 September 1953Consett
5:02.6 Diane Leather United Kingdom30 September 1953London
5:00.3 Edith Treybal Romania1 November 1953Timișoara
5:00.2 Diane Leather United Kingdom26 May 1954Birmingham
4:59.6 Diane Leather United Kingdom29 May 1954Birmingham
4:50.8 Diane Leather United Kingdom24 May 1955London
4:45.0 Diane Leather United Kingdom21 September 1955London
4:41.4 Marise Chamberlain New Zealand8 December 1962Perth
4:39.2 Anne Smith United Kingdom13 May 1967London

Women's IAAF era

The first world record in the mile for women (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, in 1967.

To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 13 world records in the event.[8]

TimeAutoAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:37.0Anne Smith United Kingdom3 June 1967[8]London
4:36.8Maria Gommers Netherlands14 June 1969[8]Leicester
4:35.3Ellen Tittel West Germany20 August 1971[8]Sittard
4:29.5Paola Pigni Italy8 August 1973[8]Viareggio
4:23.8Natalia Mărășescu Romania21 May 1977[8]Bucharest
4:22.14:22.09Natalia Mărășescu Romania27 January 1979[8]Auckland
4:21.74:21.68Mary Decker United States26 January 1980[8]Auckland
4:20.89Lyudmila Veselkova Soviet Union12 September 1981[8]Bologna
4:18.08Mary Decker-Tabb United States9 July 1982[8]Paris
4:17.44Maricica Puică Romania9 September 1982[8]Rieti
4:16.71Mary Decker-Slaney United States21 August 1985[8]Zürich
4:15.61Paula Ivan Romania10 July 1989[8]Nice
4:12.56Svetlana Masterkova Russia14 August 1996[8]Zürich
4:12.33Sifan Hassan Netherlands12 July 2019Monaco

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.[8]

Decker ran 4:17.55 in Houston on 16 February 1980, and Natalya Artyomova (Soviet Union) ran 4:15.8 in Leningrad on 6 August 1984, but neither time was ratified by the IAAF.

Women's Indoor

Women Indoor Pre-IAAF
TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
5:17.2Brenda Cook United KingdomFebruary 5, 1966Cosford  United Kingdom
5:03.6Joyce Smith United KingdomFebruary 12, 1966Cosford  United Kingdom
4:52.0Doris Brown United StatesFebruary 19, 1966Vancouver  Canada
4:40.4Doris Brown United StatesFebruary 18, 1967Vancouver  Canada
4:38.5Debbie Heald United StatesMarch 17, 1972Richmond  United States
4:35.6Francie Larrieu United StatesFebruary 17, 1973San Diego  United States
4:34.6Francie Larrieu United StatesFebruary 2, 1974Seattle  United States
4:29.0Francie Larrieu United StatesFebruary 15, 1975San Diego  United States
4:28.5Francie Larrieu United StatesMarch 3, 1975Richmond  United States
4:24.6Mary Decker United StatesJanuary 22, 1982Los Angeles  United States
4:21.47Mary Decker United StatesFebruary 12, 1982New York  United States

Women Indoor IAAF era
TimeAthleteNationalityDateVenue
4:20.5Mary Decker United StatesFebruary 19, 1982San Diego  United States
4:18.86Doina Melinte RomaniaFebruary 13, 1988East Rutherford  United States
4:17.14Doina Melinte RomaniaFebruary 9, 1990East Rutherford  United States
4:13.31Genzebe Dibaba EthiopiaFebruary 17, 2016Stockholm  Sweden

See also

References
  1. "100 Metres - men - senior - outdoor - 2013". iaaf.org. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  2. "International Association of Athletics Federations". IAAF. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  3. "World Mile Record Progression". Berkshire Sports. Retrieved 2011-09-04.
  4. "Progression of world record times for males". sta.colostate.edu. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  5. "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. pp. Pages 546, 549–50. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  6. Hymans, Richard; Matrahazi, Imre. "IAAF World Records Progression" (pdf) (2015 ed.). International Association of Athletics Federations. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  7. https://bringbackthemile.com/history/progressions
  8. "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. pp. Pages 546, 642. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2009.

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