List of Olympic records in athletics#Men's records
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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, shot put, pole vault, high, long and triple jumps), road events (such as walks and the marathon) and combined events (the heptathlon and the decathlon). Women compete in 23 athletics events during the Games,{{Cite web | url = http://www.iaaf.org/OLY08/news/kind=100/newsid=46357.html | title = Evolution of Olympic Women's Athletics, 1928 to the present day | access-date = 3 September 2008 | date = 25 July 2008 | publisher = International Association of Athletics Federations | author = Mel Watman | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024101737/http://www.iaaf.org/OLY08/news/kind=100/newsid=46357.html | archive-date = 24 October 2012 | url-status = live }} 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.{{Cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409003731/http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=AT |archive-date= 9 April 2009|url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/programme/disciplines_uk.asp?DiscCode=AT | title = Athletics | work = Official website of the Olympic Movement | access-date = 16 August 2011}}
Some Olympic records have been broken but later rescinded by the IOC.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.{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/27/newsid_2539000/2539525.stm | access-date = 3 September 2008 | publisher = BBC | title = 1988: Johnson stripped of Olympic gold | date = 27 September 1988 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120402192224/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/27/newsid_2539000/2539525.stm | archive-date = 2 April 2012 | url-status = live }} 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".{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3591592.stm | title = Fazekas takes discus gold | access-date = 2 September 2008 | date = 23 August 2004 | publisher = BBC Sport | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120726225320/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3591592.stm | archive-date = 26 July 2012 | url-status = live }}{{Cite web|url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_860.pdf |access-date=2 September 2008 |title=International Olympic Committee Executive Board Decision regarding Mr Robert Fazekas, born on 18 August 1975, athlete, Hungary, Men's Discus Throw |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320005755/http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_860.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2009 }}
The longest standing modern Olympic athletics record is Bob Beamon's achievement in the men's long jump at the 1968 Summer Olympics. The jump, at {{convert|8.90|m|ftin|abbr=on|sigfig=3}}, also broke the existing world record by {{convert|55|cm|in|abbr=on}}, 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.{{cite news | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE4DB1131F932A0575BC0A967958260 | work = New York Times | access-date = 6 September 2008 | date = 31 August 1991 | title = Track and field; Back in Miami, Beamon Remains Down to Earth | author = Gerald Eskenazi | archive-date = 30 December 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201230011457/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/31/sports/track-and-field-back-in-miami-beamon-remains-down-to-earth.html | url-status = live }}
Note, only those events currently competed for and recognised by the IOC as Summer Olympic events are listed.{{Cite web | url = http://www.olympic.org/athletics | title = Athletics | access-date = 8 August 2012 | publisher = International Olympic Committee | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120806055005/http://www.olympic.org/athletics | archive-date = 6 August 2012 | url-status = live }}
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Key
{{legend2|pink|No longer contested at the Summer Olympics|border=solid 1px #AAAAAA}}
Men's records
File:Usain Bolt Olympics Celebration.jpg currently holds three Olympic records; two individually in the 100m & 200m, and one with the Jamaican 4 × 100 metres relay team.|alt=Usain Bolt in a yellow running vest and green shorts just completing a race]]
File:Kenenisa Bekele 2014 Paris Marathon t084500.jpg holds the Olympic record in the 5,000 m.]]
♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record. Statistics are correct as of August 5, 2024.
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Women's records
File:Isinbayeva Berlin 2009.jpg set the Olympic record in the pole vault in Beijing in 2008.]]
♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record. Statistics are correct as of August 9, 2024.
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Mixed records
♦ denotes a performance that is also a current world record. Statistics are correct as of August 7, 2024.
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+List of mixed Olympic records in athletics !scope="col" width=12%|Event !scope="col" class="unsortable" width=5%|Record !scope="col" width=15%|Athlete(s) !scope="col" width=15%|Nation !scope="col" width=10%|Games !scope="col" width=5%|Date !scope="col" class="unsortable" width=3%|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"|Mixed 4 × 400 metres relay
|align=right|♦3:07.41 |Vernon Norwood |{{flagIOCteam|USA}} |{{dts|2024|08|02}} |
|---|
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Combined event bests
The International Olympic Committee maintains a list of the best Olympic results in each decathlon and heptathlon discipline.{{cite web | title=Athletics Records | website=Olympics.com| url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/records/athletics | archive-url=https://archive.today/20240802171951/https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/records/athletics | archive-date=2024-08-02| access-date=2024-08-02}}
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+List of men's Olympic decathlon bests !scope="col" width=12%|Event !class="unsortable" width=5%|Record !scope="col" width=10%|Athlete(s) !scope="col" width=15%|Nation !scope="col" width=10%|Games !scope="col" width=5%|Date !scope="col" class="unsortable" width=3%|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00100|100 metres}}
|align=right|10.12 |{{sortname|Damian|Warner}} |{{flagIOCteam|CAN|2020 Summer}} |{{sort|2020|2020 Tokyo}} |{{dts|2021|08|03}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Long jump
|align=right|8.24 m |{{sortname|Damian|Warner}} |{{flagIOCteam|CAN|2020 Summer}} |{{sort|2020|2020 Tokyo}} |{{dts|2021|08|03}} |
| scope="row"| Shot put
|align=right|16.97 m |{{sortname|Michael|Smith|Michael Smith (decathlete)}} |{{flagIOCteam|CAN|1996 Summer}} |{{sort|1996|1996 Atlanta}} |{{dts|1996|07|30}} |
| scope="row"| High jump
|align=right|2.27 m |{{sortname|Christian|Schenk}} |{{flagIOCteam|GDR|1988 Summer}} |{{sort|1988|1988 Seoul}} |{{dts|1988|09|27}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00400|400 metres}}
|align=right|45.68 |{{sortname|Bill|Toomey}} |{{flagIOCteam|USA|1968 Summer}} |{{sort|1968|1968 Mexico City}} |{{dts|1968|10|17}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00110|110 metre hurdles}}
|align=right|13.46 |{{sortname|Damian|Warner}} |{{flagIOCteam|CAN|2020 Summer}} |{{sort|2020|2020 Tokyo}} |{{dts|2021|08|04}} |
| scope="row"| Discus throw
|align=right|53.91 m |{{sortname|Lindon|Victor}} |{{flagIOCteam|GRN|2024 Summer}} |{{sort|2024|2024 Paris}} |{{dts|2024|08|03}} |
| scope="row"| Pole vault
|align=right|5.70 m |{{sortname|Tim|Bright}} |{{flagIOCteam|USA|1988 Summer}} |{{sort|1988|1988 Seoul}} |{{dts|1988|09|28}} |
| scope="row"| Javelin throw
|align=right|77.78 m |{{sortname|Niklas|Kaul}} |{{flagIOCteam|GER|2024 Summer}} |{{sort|2024|2024 Paris}} |{{dts|2024|08|03}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|01500|1500 metres}}
|align=right|4:05.90 |{{sortname|Leonid|Lytvynenko}} |{{flagIOCteam|URS|1972 Summer}} |{{sort|1972|1972 Munich}} |{{dts|1972|09|08}} |
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+List of women's Olympic heptathlon bests !scope="col" width=12%|Event !class="unsortable" width=5%|Record !scope="col" width=10%|Athlete(s) !scope="col" width=15%|Nation !scope="col" width=10%|Games !scope="col" width=5%|Date !scope="col" class="unsortable" width=3%|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00100|100 metre hurdles}}
|align=right|12.54 |{{sortname|Jessica|Ennis-Hill}} |{{flagIOCteam|GBR|2012 Summer}} |{{sort|2012|2012 London}} |{{dts|2012|08|02}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| High jump
|align=right|1.98 m |{{sortname|Katarina|Johnson-Thompson}} |{{flagIOCteam|GBR|2016 Summer}} |{{sort|2016|2016 Rio de Janeiro}} |{{dts|2016|08|11}} |
| scope="row"| Shot put
|align=right|17.31 m |{{sortname|Austra|Skujyte}} |{{flagIOCteam|LTU|2012 Summer}} |{{sort|2012|2012 London}} |{{dts|2012|08|02}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00200|200 metres}}
|align=right|22.56 |{{sortname|Jackie|Joyner-Kersee}} |{{flagIOCteam|USA|1988 Summer}} |{{sort|1988|1988 Seoul}} |{{dts|1988|09|22}} |
| scope="row"| Long jump
|align=right|7.27 m |{{sortname|Jackie|Joyner-Kersee}} |{{flagIOCteam|USA|1988 Summer}} |{{sort|1988|1988 Seoul}} |{{dts|1988|09|23}} |
| scope="row"| Javelin throw
|align=right|56.96 m |{{sortname|Sofia|Ifantidou}} |{{flagIOCteam|GRE|2012 Summer}} |{{sort|2012|2012 London}} |{{dts|2012|08|03}} |
| scope="row"| {{sort|00800|800 metres}}
|align=right|2:03.60 |{{sortname|Olga|Nemogayeva}} |{{flagIOCteam|URS|1988 Summer}} |{{sort|1980|1980 Moscow}}{{efn|Before 1984, women competed in the pentathlon instead of the heptathlon.}} |{{dts|1980|07|23}} |
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See also
{{Portal bar|Athletics|Olympics}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Cite web | url = http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/records/results_uk.asp | publisher = International Olympic Committee | access-date = 5 September 2008 | title = Olympic and World records | archive-date = 19 March 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319095952/http://www.olympic.org/sports | url-status = live }}
- {{Cite web | url = http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/index.html | title = Statistics – Records by event | publisher = International Association of Athletics Federations | access-date = 5 September 2008 | archive-date = 19 September 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120919230312/http://iaaf.org/statistics/records/index.html | url-status = live }}
{{Lists of Olympic records}}
{{Athletics at the Summer Olympics}}
{{Records in athletics}}
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