Two miles
The 2 mile (10,560 feet or exactly 3,218.688 metres) is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets, perhaps because it provides an easier record to break for meet promoters (and corresponding bonus payment for participants), as well as its historical chronology. It is largely superseded by the 3000 m and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions.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.
The world best for men is 7:58.61 set by Kenyan Daniel Komen in Hechtel, Belgium on 19 July 1997. The women's record is 8:58.58, set by Ethiopian Meseret Defar in Brussels, Belgium on 14 September 2007.
All-time top 25
- i = indoor performance
- mx = mixed race
Men
- Correct as of February 2017.[1]
Rank | Result | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7:58.61 | Daniel Komen | Kenya | 19 July 1997 | Hechtel | |
2 | 8:01.08 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | 31 May 1997 | Hengelo | |
3 | 8:03.40 i | Mo Farah | United Kingdom | 21 February 2015 | Birmingham | |
4 | 8:03.50 | Craig Mottram | Australia | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
5 | 8:04.35 i | Kenenisa Bekele | Ethiopia | 16 February 2008 | Birmingham | |
6 | 8:04.83 | Tariku Bekele | Ethiopia | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
7 | 8:06.48i | Paul Koech | Kenya | 16 February 2008 | Birmingham | |
8 | 8:06.61i | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 23 February 2003 | Liévin | |
9 | 8:07.07 | Matt Tegenkamp | United States | 10 June 2007 | Eugene | |
10 | 8:07.39 | Eliud Kipchoge | Kenya | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
11 | 8:07.41 i | Galen Rupp | United States | 25 January 2014 | Boston | |
12 | 8:08.16i | Moses Kipsiro | Uganda | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
13 | 8:08.39i | Markos Geneti | Ethiopia | 20 February 2004 | Birmingham | |
14 | 8:09.01 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya | 30 July 1994 | Hechtel | |
15 | 8:09.49 i | Bernard Lagat | United States | 16 February 2013 | New York City | [2] |
16 | 8:09.66i | Hailu Mekonnen | Ethiopia | 18 February 2001 | Birmingham | |
17 | 8:10 59 | Benjamin Limo | Kenya | 28 May 2006 | Eugene | |
18 | 8:10.78i | Arne Gabius | Germany | 18 February 2012 | Birmingham | |
19 | 8:10.98 | Khalid Boulami | Morocco | 6 July 1996 | Hechtel | |
20 | 8:11.33 i | Ben True | United States | 11 February 2017 | New York City | [3] |
21 | 8:11.48 | Alan Webb | United States | 4 June 2005 | Eugene | |
22 | 8:11.56 i | Ryan Hill | United States | 11 February 2017 | New York City | |
23 | 8:11.59 | Bob Kennedy | United States | 19 July 1997 | Hechtel | |
24 | 8:11.62 | Boaz Cheboiywo | Kenya | 18 February 2012 | Eugene | |
25 | 8:11.73 | Ismaïl Sghyr | Morocco | 6 July 1996 | Hechtel |
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 May 2017.[4]
Rank | Result | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Place | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8:58.58 | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
2 | 9:00.48i | Genzebe Dibaba | Ethiopia | 15 February 2014 | Birmingham | |
3 | 9:11.49 | Mercy Cherono | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
4 | 9:11.97 mx | Regina Jacobs | United States | 12 August 1999 | Los Gatos | [5][6] |
5 | 9:12.23i | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
6 | 9:12.35i | Vivian Cheruiyot | Kenya | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
7 | 9:12.59 | Viola Kibiwott | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
8 | 9:12.68i | Sentayehu Ejigu | Ethiopia | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
9 | 9:12.90 | Irene Jelagat | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
10 | 9:13.85 | Mimi Belete | Bahrain | 31 May 2014 | Eugene | |
11 | 9:13.94i | Kim Smith | New Zealand | 26 January 2008 | Boston | |
12 | 9:14.09 | Priscah Cherono | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
13 | 9:16.62 | Sylvia Kibet | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
14 | 9:16.78 | Jennifer Simpson | United States | 27 April 2018 | Des Moines | [7][8] |
15 | 9:16.95 | Betsy Saina | Kenya | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
16 | 9:18.26 | Viola Kibiwott | Kenya | 14 September 2007 | Brussels | |
17 | 9:19.39i | Jessica Augusto | Portugal | 20 February 2010 | Birmingham | |
18 | 9:19.56 | Sonia O'Sullivan | Ireland | 27 June 1998 | Cork | |
19 | 9:20.25 | Shannon Rowbury | United States | 31 May 2014 | Eugene | |
20 | 9:20.81 | Alemitu Haroye | Ethiopia | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham | |
21 | 9:21.04i | Sally Kipyego | Kenya | 8 February 2014 | Boston | |
22 | 9:21.35 | Amy Rudolph | United States | 27 June 1998 | Cork | |
23 | 9:21.59i | Hiwot Ayalew | Ethiopia | 15 February 2014 | Birmingham | |
24 | 9:23.32 | Beleynesh Oljira | Ethiopia | 31 May 2014 | Eugene | |
25 | 9:23.52 | Susan Krumins | Netherlands | 24 August 2014 | Birmingham |
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:13.27:
- 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 Record Progression
Men
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 |
Indoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
8:09.66 | Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) | 2000-02-20 | Birmingham, United Kingdom |
8:04.69 | Haile Gebreselassie (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 |
Women
Outdoors
TIME | ATHLETE | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|
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
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.[9]
TIME | ATHLETE | SCHOOL | CITY | DATE | PLACE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[10] |
8:41.5 | Steve Prefontaine | Marshfield High School | Coos Bay, Oregon | April 25, 1969 | Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis, Oregon[10] |
8:40.9 | Craig Virgin | Lebanon High School | Lebanon, Illinois | June 9, 1973 | International Prep Invitational, Prospect, Illinois[10] |
(8:40.0i) | Gerry Lindgren | Rogers High School | Spokane, Washington | February 15, 1964 | Cow Palace, Daly City, California[11] |
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 |
See also
Notes
- ^ "All-time men's best Two miles". alltime-athletics.com. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ "Two Miles Results". www.branchsportstech.com. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
- ^ Jon Mulkeen (12 February 2017). "Wilson, Hassan and Okolo shine on night of world leads and records at Millrose Games". IAAF. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
- ^ "All-time women's best Two miles". alltime-athletics.com. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- ^ "Defar breaks world record in two miles". Reuters. 20 May 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "U.S. ALL-TIME LIST — WOMEN". Track and Field News. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ "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. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
- ^ http://www.cs.uml.edu/~phoffman/nats/gods.htm
- ^ a b c "Running_Shots_25". runningentertainment.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
- ^ "Track & Field News - The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Retrieved 12 April 2018.