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55 metres

{{Short description|Non-Olympic discipline in athletics}}

55 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a relatively uncommon non-championship event for indoor track and field. The history of the event lies in the 60-yard dash, which is about 5 inches shorter than 55 metres. Since the 1960s almost all countries have used metric measurements for track and field, hence the standard sprint distances for indoor competition have been 50 metres and 60 metres.

The single exception to this was the United States, which continued to use imperial measurements. In the 1980s efforts were made to switch track and field in the United States to use metric measurements and the 55 metres was adopted as a close equivalent to 60 yards. The NCAA Indoor Championships featured the event from 1984 to 1998 and the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships featured the event from 1987 to 1990.{{cite web|title=History of NCAA Division I Men's Indoor Track and Field Championships|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/track_indoor_champs_records/2012-13/2012-13_mitfd1.pdf|publisher = NCAA|date = 2013}}{{cite web|title=History of NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/track_indoor_champs_records/2012-13/2012-13_witfd1.pdf|publisher = NCAA|date = 2013}}{{cite web|title=USATF Indoor Champions|url=https://www.flipsnack.com/USATF/usatf-indoor-champions/full-view.html|publisher = USATF|date = 2018}} Subsequently the 55 metres were dropped from American championships in favour of the international standard of 60 metres. Since the late 1990s there have been very few significant open competitions over 55 metres and the event remains something of a historic anomaly. The distance is still frequently run in junior (below college) meets.

All-time top 25

Indoor results only. Hand-timed results are excluded

The websites of World Athletics{{cite web|title=55 Metres Men|url=http://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/sprints/55-metres/indoor/men/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1900-01-01&lastDay=2020-04-04|publisher=World Athletics|date= 4 April 2020}} and tilastopaja.net{{cite web|title=All-time men's best 55m|url=http://www.tilastopaja.eu/db/allt30.php?Sex=1&Event=20&Age=99&Ind=1|publisher=tilastopaja.net|date= 4 April 2020}} are often used to generate lists of top performers. However, the data in these sites is not complete before about 1998 and, as noted above, much of the championship activity in this event (and hence best performances) were before this time. Hence a better source of data is the Track and Field News website.{{cite web|title=T&FN YEARLY & ALL-TIME LISTS|url=http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-lists/|publisher=Track and Field News|date= 4 April 2020}}

  • A = affected by altitude

=Men=

  • Updated February 2023

class="wikitable"
Rank

!Time

!Athlete

!Nationality

!Date

!Place

!Ref

1

|5.99 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Obadele Thompson

|{{flagu|Barbados}}

|22 February 1997

|Colorado Springs

|

2

|6.00

|Lee McRae

|{{flagu|United States}}

|14 March 1986

|Oklahoma City

|

3

|6.02 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Leo Myles-Mills

|{{flagu|Ghana}}

|22 February 1997

|Colorado Springs

|

rowspan=3|4

|6.03

|Sam Graddy

|{{flagu|United States}}

|14 March 1986

|Oklahoma City

|

6.03 {{efn|name=60y|Converted from a time for the slightly shorter 60 yards by adding 0.01}}

|Carl Lewis

|{{flagu|United States}}

|5 February 1983

|Dallas

|

6.03{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Christian Coleman

|{{flagu|United States}}

|11 February 2023

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670681/115th_Millrose_Games/Mens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

rowspan=2|7

|6.04

|André Cason

|{{flagu|United States}}

|9 March 1990

|Indianapolis

|

6.04 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Ato Boldon

|{{flagu|Trinidad and Tobago}}

|1 February 1997

|Flagstaff

|

rowspan=2|9

|6.05

|Brian Cooper

|{{flagu|United States}}

|13 February 1988

|East Rutherford

|

6.05 {{efn|name=60y}}

|Stanley Floyd

|{{flagu|United States}}

|31 January 1981

|Dallas

|

rowspan=8|11

|rowspan=3|6.06

|Tim Harden

|{{flagu|United States}}

|9 March 1996

|Indianapolis

|

Emmit King

|{{flagu|United States}}

|26 February 1988

|New York City

|

Fred Johnson

|{{flagu|United States}}

|16 March 1985

|Fargo

|

6.06 {{efn|name=60y}}

|Houston McTear

|{{flagu|United States}}

|24 February 1978

|New York City

|

rowspan=4|6.06 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Marcus Brunson

|{{flagu|United States}}

|20 February 1999

|Reno

|

Felix Andam

|{{flagu|Ghana}}

|28 February 1998

|Colorado Springs

|

Syan Williams

|{{flagu|Jamaica}}

|14 February 1998

|Colorado Springs

|

Keith Williams

|{{flagu|United States}}

|15 February 1997

|Colorado Springs

|

rowspan=6|19

|rowspan=5|6.07

|Leonard Scott

|{{flagu|United States}}

|20 February 1999

|Gainesville

|

Ousmane Diarra

|{{flagu|Mali}}

|10 February 1996

|Ames

|

Raghib Ismail

|{{flagu|United States}}

|8 February 1991

|West Lafayette

|

Ray Stewart

|{{flagu|Jamaica}}

|11 March 1989

|Indianapolis

|

Ron Brown

|{{flagu|United States}}

|4 February 1984

|Dallas

|

6.07 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Obadiah Cooper

|{{flagu|United States}}

|21 February 1998

|Flagstaff

|

rowspan=6|25

|rowspan=5|6.08

|Marvin Bracy

|{{flagu|United States}}

|29 January 2012

|Gainesville

|

Michael Green

|{{flagu|Jamaica}}

|14 March 1992

|Indianapolis

|

Phil Epps

|{{flagu|United States}}

|5 March 1983

|Dallas

|

Rod Richardson

|{{flagu|United States}}

|13 March 1982

|Pontiac

|

James Sanford

|{{flagu|United States}}

|20 February 1981

|San Diego

|

6.08 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|Bernard Williams

|{{flagu|United States}}

|21 February 1998

|Colorado Springs

|

=Women=

  • Updated March 2025

class="wikitable"
Rank

!Time

!Athlete

!Nationality

!Date

!Place

!Ref

1

|6.53{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Jacious Sears

|{{flagu|United States}}

|8 February 2025

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=Millrose Games 2025 Results|url=https://www.armorytrack.org/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586|publisher=ArmoryTrack.org|date=8 February 2025|access-date=10 March 2025}}

rowspan=2|2

|rowspan=2|6.55{{efn|name=60y|Converted from a time for the slightly shorter 60 yards by adding 0.01}}

|Evelyn Ashford

|{{flagu|United States}}

|26 February 1982

|New York City

|

Jeanette Bolden

|{{flagu|United States}}

|21 February 1986

|Los Angeles

|

4

|6.56

|Gwen Torrence

|{{flagu|United States}}

|14 March 1987

|Oklahoma City

|

rowspan=2|5

|6.57 {{efn|name=60y}}

|Alice Brown

|{{flagu|United States}}

|22 February 1985

|New York City

|

6.57{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Aleia Hobbs

|{{flagu|United States}}

|11 February 2023

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670655/115th_Millrose_Games/Womens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

rowspan=3|7

|rowspan=2|6.58

|Dawn Sowell

|{{flagu|United States}}

|26 February 1989

|Baton Rouge

|

Beatrice Utondu-Okoye

|{{flagu|Nigeria}}

|11 February 1990

|Monroe, North Carolina

|

6.58{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Tamari Davis

|{{flagu|United States}}

|11 February 2023

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670655/115th_Millrose_Games/Womens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

10

|6.60{{efn|name=60y}}

|Chandra Cheeseborough

|{{flagu|United States}}

|5 February 1983

|Dallas

|

11

|6.61

|Michelle Finn

|{{flagu|United States}}

|23 February 1990

|New York City

|

rowspan=3|12

|rowspan=2|6.62 {{efn|name=60y}}

|Merlene Ottey

|{{flagu|Jamaica}}

|13 March 1982

|Cedar Falls, Iowa

|

Marlies Göhr

|{{flagu|East Germany}}

|28 February 1986

|New York City

|

6.62{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Marybeth Sant-Price

|{{flagu|United States}}

|11 February 2023

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670655/115th_Millrose_Games/Womens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

rowspan=2|15

|rowspan=2|6.63{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Mikiah Brisco

|{{flagu|United States}}

|11 February 2023

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670655/115th_Millrose_Games/Womens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

Lisa Raye

|{{flagu|Trinidad and Tobago}}

|8 February 2025

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=Millrose Games 2025 Results|url=https://www.armorytrack.org/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586|publisher=ArmoryTrack.org|date=8 February 2025|access-date=10 March 2025}}

rowspan=2|17

|6.64 {{efn|name=60y}}

|Lyudmila Storozhkova

|{{flagu|USSR}}

|3 March 1979

|New York City

|

6.64

|Anelia Nuneva

|{{flagu|Bulgaria}}

|27 February 1987

|New York City

|

rowspan=4|19

|rowspan=2|6.65{{efn|name=60y}}

|Florence Griffith

|{{flagu|United States}}

|8 February 1985

|Inglewood

|

Nelli Cooman

|{{flagu|Netherlands}}

|30 January 1987

|New York City

|

6.65

|Savatheda Fynes

|{{flagu|Bahamas}}

|8 March 1997

|Indianapolis

|

6.65{{AthAbbr|+}}

|Celera Barnes

|{{flagu|United States}}

|8 February 2025

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=Millrose Games 2025 Results|url=https://www.armorytrack.org/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586|publisher=ArmoryTrack.org|date=8 February 2025|access-date=10 March 2025}}

rowspan=2|23

|rowspan=2|6.66

|Carlette Guidry

|{{flagu|United States}}

|10 March 1990

|Indianapolis

|

Michelle Freeman

|{{flagu|Jamaica}}

|30 January 1993

|Johnson City

|

rowspan=5|25

|6.67{{efn|name=60y}}

|Angela Bailey

|{{flagu|Canada}}

|28 February 1986

|New York City

|

rowspan=4|6.67{{AthAbbr|+}}

|rowspan=2|Shawnti Jackson

|rowspan=2|{{flagu|United States}}

|29 January 2022

|rowspan=2|New York City

|{{cite news|title=Shawnti Jackson 55m en route Result|url=https://ny.milesplit.com/meets/451180-the-millrose-games-2022/results/786089?type=formatted|website=milesplit.com|date=29 January 2022|access-date=16 March 2022}}

11 February 2023

|{{cite web|title=55m Dash en-route Results|url=https://www.tfrrs.org/results/76403/4670655/115th_Millrose_Games/Womens-55-Meters|work=Track & Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS)|date=11 February 2023|access-date=26 February 2023}}

Melanie Doggett

|{{flagu|United States}}

|8 February 2025

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=Millrose Games 2025 Results|url=https://www.armorytrack.org/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586|publisher=ArmoryTrack.org|date=8 February 2025|access-date=10 March 2025}}

Destiny Smith-Barnett

|{{flagu|Liberia}}

|8 February 2025

|New York City

|{{cite web|title=Millrose Games 2025 Results|url=https://www.armorytrack.org/gprofile.php?do=view_event&event_id=574&mgroup_id=45586|publisher=ArmoryTrack.org|date=8 February 2025|access-date=10 March 2025}}

==Notes==

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 6.67:

Season's bests

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Men=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
Year

!Mark

!Athlete

!Place

1978

|6.06 {{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Houston McTear|USA}}

|New York City

1979

|6.10 {{efn|name=60y}} {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Jerome Deal|USA}}

|Albuquerque

rowspan=2|1980

|rowspan=2|6.10 {{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Herkie Walls|USA}}

|Fort Worth

align=left|{{flagathlete|Curtis Dickey|USA}}

|New York City

1981

|6.05 {{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Stanley Floyd|USA}}

|Dallas

1982

|6.08

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Rod Richardson|USA}}

|Pontiac

1983

|6.03 {{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Carl Lewis|USA}}

|Dallas

rowspan=2|1984

|rowspan=2|6.07 {{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Emmit King|USA}}

|Johnson City

align=left|{{flagathlete|Ron Brown|USA}}

|Dallas

1985

|6.06

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Fred Johnson|USA}}

|Fargo

1986

|6.00

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Lee McRae|USA}}

|Oklahoma City

1987

|6.04

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Lee McRae|USA}}

|East Rutherford

1988

|6.05

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Brian Cooper|USA}}

|East Rutherford

1989

|6.07

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Ray Stewart|JAM}}

|Indianapolis

1990

|6.04

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Andre Cason|USA}}

|Indianapolis

1991

|6.07

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Raghib Ismail|USA}}

|West Lafayette

1992

|6.08

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Michael Green|JAM}}

|Indianapolis

1993

|6.10

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Michael Green|JAM}}

|Johnson City

1994

|6.09

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Mark Witherspoon|USA}}

|Cedar Falls

1995

|6.13

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Phil Riley|USA}}

|Gainesville

1996

|6.06

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Tim Harden|USA}}

|Indianapolis

1997

|5.99 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Obadele Thompson|BAR}}

|Colorado Springs

rowspan=2|1998

|rowspan=2|6.06 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Felix Andam|GHA}}

|rowspan=2|Colorado Springs

align=left|{{flagathlete|Syan Williams|JAM}}
1999

|6.06 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Marcus Brunson|USA}}

|Reno

2000

|6.11

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Ricardo Shaw|USA}}

|Gainesville

2001

|6.10

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Leonard Scott|USA}}

|Knoxville

2002

|6.14 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Ephion Jackson|USA}}

|Reno

2003

|6.10

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Mickey Grimes|USA}}

|Los Angeles

rowspan=2|2004

|rowspan=2|6.20

|{{flagathlete|Chris Johnson|USA}}

|Jonesboro

{{flagathlete|Ricardo Shaw|USA}}

|Gainesville

2005

|6.19

|{{flagathlete|Tyree Gailes|USA}}

|Lubbock

2006

|6.12

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Joshua Norman|USA}}

|Fresno

2007

|6.14

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Greg Bolden|USA}}

|Gainesville

2008

|6.10

|{{flagathlete|Dallas Robinson|USA}}

|Maysville

2009

|6.17

|{{flagathlete|Josh Norman|USA}}

|Fresno

rowspan=2|2010

|rowspan=2|6.20

|{{flagathlete|Delannie Spriggs|USA}}

|Greencastle

{{flagathlete|Keyth Talley|USA}}

|Murfreesboro

2011

|6.09

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Lorenzo Pooler|USA}}

|Southern Pines

2012

|6.08

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Marvin Bracy|USA}}

|Gainesville

2013

|6.16

|align=left|{{flagathlete|John Landy|USA}}

|Brea

2014

|6.11

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Odean Skeen|JAM}}

|Lubbock

2015

|6.09

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Marvin Bracy|USA}}

|Gainesville

2016

|6.17

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Blake Smith|USA}}

|Cape Girardeau

2017

|6.24

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Dawson Lack|USA}}

|Cheney

2018

|6.24

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Tatenda Tsumba|ZIM}}

|Ogden

2019

|6.26

|align=left|{{flagathlete|William Henderson|USA}}

|State College

2023

|6.03{{AthAbbr|+}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Christian Coleman|USA}}

|New York City

{{col-2}}

=Women=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%;"
Year

!Mark

!Athlete

!Place

1978

|6.73{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|DeAndra Carney|USA}}

|Inglewood

1979

|6.64{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Lyudmila Storozhkova|USSR}}

|New York City

rowspan=2|1980

|rowspan=2|6.77{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Evelyn Ashford|USA}}

|New York City

align=left|{{flagathlete|Brenda Morehead|USA}}

|New York City

1981

|6.63{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Alice Brown|USA}}

|Dallas

1982

|6.55{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Evelyn Ashford|USA}}

|New York City

1983

|6.56{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Evelyn Ashford|USA}}

|Los Angeles

1984

|6.63{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Alice Brown|USA}}

|New York City

1985

|6.57{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Alice Brown|USA}}

|New York City

1986

|6.55{{efn|name=60y}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Jeanette Bolden|USA}}

|Los Angeles

1987

|6.56

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Gwen Torrence|USA}}

|Oklahoma City

1988

|6.60

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Gwen Torrence|USA}}

|East Rutherford

1989

|6.58

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Dawn Sowell|USA}}

|Baton Rouge

1990

|6.58

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Beatrice Utondu|Nigeria}}

|Monroe, North Carolina

1991

|6.70

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Carlette Guidry|USA}}

|Johnson City

1992

|6.66

| align=left|{{flagathlete|Gwen Torrence|USA}}

|Johnson City

1993

|6.66

| align=left|{{flagathlete|Michelle Freeman|Jamaica}}

|Johnson City

1994

|6.70

| align=left|{{flagathlete|Holli Hyche|USA}}

|Indianapolis

1995

|6.60

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Gwen Torrence|USA}}

|Johnson City

1996

|6.68 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Aleisha Latimer|USA}}

|Boulder, Colorado

1997

|6.65

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Savatheda Fynes|BAH}}

|Indianapolis

1998

|6.68 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Peta-Gaye Dowdie|JAM}}

|Colorado Springs

1999

|6.71

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Debbie Ferguson McKenzie|BAH}}

|Gainesville

2000

|6.69

|{{flagathlete|Julia O'Neal|USA}}

|Knoxville

2001

|6.78

|{{flagathlete|Monique Tubbs|USA}}

|Gainesville

2002

|6.79

|{{flagathlete|Tayna Lawrence|JAM}}

|Gainesville

rowspan=3|2003

|rowspan=3|6.73

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Elva Goulbourne|JAM}}

|Gainesville

align=left|{{flagathlete|Angela Williams|USA}}

|Los Angeles

align=left|{{flagathlete|Muna Lee|USA}}

|Gainesville

2004

|6.70

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Lauryn Williams|USA}}

|Gainesville

rowspan=2|2005

|rowspan=2|6.74

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Fana Ashby|TTO}}

|Gainesville

{{flagathlete|Toyin Olupona|CAN}}

|Knoxville

2006

|6.71

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Kerron Stewart|JAM}}

|Gainesville

2007

|6.71

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Nolle Graham|JAM}}

|Gainesville

rowspan=2|2008

|rowspan=2|6.80

|{{flagathlete|Angela Williams|USA}}

|Gainesville

{{flagathlete|Lakecia Ealey|USA}}

|Gainesville

2009

|6.69

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Tianna Bartoletta|USA}}

|Gainesville

2010

|6.74

|{{flagathlete|Sheri-Ann Brooks|JAM}}

|Gainesville

2011

|6.81

|{{flagathlete|Jura Levy|JAM}}

|Lubbock

2012

|6.73

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Shayla Mahan|USA}}

|Columbia

2013

|6.73

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Sheri-Ann Brooks|JAM}}

|Gainesville

2014

|6.75

|{{flagathlete|Staphanie Kalu|NGR}}

|Lubbock

2015

|6.75

|{{flagathlete|Tahesia Harrigan-Scott|IVB}}

|Gainesville

2016

|6.84 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Jerayah Davis|USA}}

|Laramie

2017

|6.73 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|align=left|{{flagathlete|Jerayah Davis|USA}}

|Laramie

2018

|6.73{{AthAbbr|+}}

|{{flagathlete|Tamari Davis|USA}}

|New York City

2019

|6.75 {{AthAbbr|A}}

|{{flagathlete|Jerayah Davis|USA}}

|Laramie

2023

|6.57{{AthAbbr|+}}

|{{flagathlete|Aleia Hobbs|USA}}

|New York City

2025

|6.53{{AthAbbr|+}}

|{{flagathlete|Jacious Sears|USA}}

|New York City

{{col-end}}

=Notes=

{{notelist}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Athletics events}}

Category:Events in track and field

Category:Indoor track and field

Category:Sprint running disciplines