60 metres
Track and field sprint race
60 metres, or 60-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At indoor events, the 60 metres is run on lanes set out in the middle of the 'field', as is the hurdles event over the same distance, thus avoiding some of the effects of the banked track encircling the venue, upon which other track events in indoor events are run. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes. The format of the event is similar to other sprint distances. The sprinters follow three initial instructions: 'on your marks', instructing them to take up position in the starting blocks; 'set', instructing them to adopt a more efficient starting posture, which also isometrically preloads their muscles. This will enable them to start faster. The final instruction is the firing of the starter's pistol. Upon hearing this the sprinters stride forwards from the blocks.
The 60 metres was an Olympic event in the 1900 and 1904 Summer Games but was removed from the schedule thereafter. American Christian Coleman currently holds the men's world record in the 60 metres with a time of 6.34 seconds, while Russian Irina Privalova holds the women's world record at 6.92.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics semi-finals, Su Bingtian ran the fastest 60 m split of all-time and the fastest 60 m ever recorded under any conditions with a time of 6.29 seconds.
In the past, it was common for athletes to compete in the 60 yards (54.86 m) race. This is not part of the lineage of the 60 metres, but is the predecessor of the 55 metres race. 60 metres is 65.6168 yards.
01Area records
- Indoor results only.
- Updated 1 August 2026.
| Area | Men | Women | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time (s) |
Season | Athlete | Time (s) |
Season | Athlete | |
| World | 6.34 A | 2018 | Christian Coleman (USA) | 6.92 | 1993 | Irina Privalova (RUS) |
| 1995 | ||||||
| Area records | ||||||
| Africa (records) | 6.45 A | 1999 | Leonard Myles-Mills (GHA) | 6.97 | 2018 | Murielle Ahouré (CIV) |
| 6.45 | 2026 | Kanyinsola Ajayi (NGR) | ||||
| Asia (records) | 6.42 | 2018 | Su Bingtian (CHN) | 7.09 | 1999 | Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) |
| Europe (records) | 6.41 | 2022 | Marcell Jacobs (ITA) | 6.92 | 1993 | Irina Privalova (RUS) |
| 1995 | ||||||
| North, Central America and Caribbean (records) |
6.34 A | 2018 | Christian Coleman (USA) | 6.94 A | 2023 | Aleia Hobbs (USA) |
| Julien Alfred (LCA) | ||||||
| Oceania (records) | 6.52 | 1999 | Matthew Shirvington (AUS) | 7.06 | 2024 | Zoe Hobbs (NZL) |
| South America (records) | 6.52 | 2009 | José Carlos Moreira (BRA) | 7.09 A | 2026 | Ana Carolina Azevedo (BRA) |
02All-time top 25
Indoor results only
| Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 60m times and the top 25 athletes: |
| - denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 60m times |
| - denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 60m times, by repeat athletes |
| - denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 60m times |
Men
Updated March 2026.
Note: The following athletes have had their performances annulled due to doping offences:
| Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.41 | Ben Johnson | Canada | 7 March 1987 | Indianapolis |
Outdoor best performances
+ = en route to 100 m mark
equal or superior to 6.34 seconds
| Rank | Time (s) |
Wind (m/s) |
Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.29+ (calculated) | +0.9 | Su Bingtian | China | 1 August 2021 | Tokyo | |
| 2 | 6.31+ (calculated) | +0.9 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 16 August 2009 | Berlin | |
| 3 | 6.32+ (calculated) | +1.7 | Asafa Powell | Jamaica | 9 September 2007 | Rieti | |
| +1.7 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 31 May 2008 | New York City | |||
| ±0.0 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 16 August 2008 | Beijing | |||
| +0.2 | Asafa Powell | Jamaica | 2 September 2009 | Lausanne | |||
| +1.5 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 5 August 2012 | London | |||
| +0.6 | Christian Coleman | United States | 28 September 2019 | Doha | |||
| 9 | 6.33+ (calculated) | −0.2 | Maurice Greene | United States | 5 August 2001 | Edmonton | |
| −0.1 | Yohan Blake | Jamaica | 23 August 2012 | Lausanne | |||
| 11 | 6.34+ (calculated) | +0.9 | Justin Gatlin | United States | 23 August 2015 | Beijing |
Note: The following athletes have had their associated 100 m performances annulled due to doping offences:
| Time (s) |
Wind (m/s) |
Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.33+ (calculated) | +1.1 | Ben Johnson | Canada | 24 September 1988 | Seoul |
Women
Updated February 2026.
| Ath.# | Perf.# | Time (s) | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 6.92 | Irina Privalova | Russia | 11 February 1993 | Madrid | |
| 1 | 6.92 | Privalova #2 | 9 February 1995 | Madrid | |||
| 3 | 6.93 | Privalova #3 | 13 February 1994 | Liévin | |||
| 4 | 6.94 | Privalova #4 | 19 February 1995 | Liévin | |||
| 2 | 4 | 6.94 A | Aleia Hobbs | United States | 18 February 2023 | Albuquerque | |
| Julien Alfred | Saint Lucia | 11 March 2023 | Albuquerque | ||||
| 4 | 6 | 6.95 | Gail Devers | United States | 12 March 1993 | Toronto | |
| 6 | 6.95 | Privalova #5 | 6 February 1994 | Vienna | |||
| Privalova #6 | 14 February 1995 | Moscow | |||||
| 4 | 6 | 6.95 | Marion Jones | United States | 7 March 1998 | Maebashi | |
| 6 | 10 | 6.96 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 14 February 1992 | Madrid | |
| 10 | 6.96 | Privalova #7 | 11 February 1993 | Madrid | |||
| 6 | 10 | 6.96 | Ekaterini Thanou | Greece | 7 March 1999 | Maebashi | |
| Mujinga Kambundji | Switzerland | 18 March 2022 | Belgrade | ||||
| 10 | 6.96 A | Alfred #2 | 10 March 2023 | Albuquerque | |||
| 15 | 6.97 | Privalova #8 | 14 February 1992 | Madrid | |||
| Privalova #9 | 12 March 1993 | Toronto | |||||
| Privalova #10 | 11 February 1994 | Madrid | |||||
| Privalova #11 | 12 February 1995 | Ghent | |||||
| Ottey #2 | 19 February 1995 | Liévin | |||||
| Ottey #3 | 10 March 1995 | Ghent | |||||
| 9 | 15 | 6.97 | LaVerne Jones-Ferrette | United States Virgin Islands | 6 February 2010 | Stuttgart | |
| Murielle Ahouré | Ivory Coast | 2 March 2018 | Birmingham | ||||
| 15 | 6.97 | Alfred #3 | 25 February 2023 | Lubbock | |||
| 24 | 6.98 | Privalova #12 | 27 February 1993 | Moscow | |||
| Devers #2 | 21 February 1999 | Liévin | |||||
| 11 | 24 | 6.98 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica | 9 March 2014 | Sopot | |
| Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica | 18 February 2017 | Birmingham | ||||
| 24 | 6.98 | Hobbs #2 | 28 January 2023 | Fayetteville | |||
| 11 | 24 | 6.98 | Ewa Swoboda | Poland | 2 March 2024 | Glasgow | |
| 24 | 6.98 | Alfred #4 | 2 March 2024 | Glasgow | |||
| 14 | 6.99 | Mikiah Brisco | United States | 18 March 2022 | Belgrade | ||
| Zaynab Dosso | Italy | 22 February 2026 | Toruń | ||||
| 16 | 7.00 | Nelli Cooman | Netherlands | 23 February 1986 | Madrid | ||
| Veronica Campbell-Brown | Jamaica | 14 March 2010 | Doha | ||||
| Dafne Schippers | Netherlands | 13 February 2016 | Berlin | ||||
| Barbara Pierre | United States | 12 March 2016 | Portland | ||||
| 20 | 7.01 | Savatheda Fynes | Bahamas | 7 March 1999 | Maebashi | ||
| Me'Lisa Barber | United States | 10 March 2006 | Moscow | ||||
| Lauryn Williams | United States | 10 March 2006 | Moscow | ||||
| Patrizia Van der Weken | Luxembourg | 22 February 2026 | Toruń | ||||
| 24 | 7.02 | Gwen Torrence | United States | 2 February 1996 | New York City | ||
| Christy Opara-Thompson | Nigeria | 12 February 1997 | Ghent | ||||
| Chioma Ajunwa | Nigeria | 22 February 1998 | Liévin | ||||
| Philomena Mensah | Canada | 7 March 1999 | Maebashi | ||||
| 7.02 A | Carmelita Jeter | United States | 28 February 2010 | Albuquerque | |||
| 7.02 | Tianna Madison | United States | 11 February 2012 | Fayetteville | |||
| 7.02 A | Javianne Oliver | United States | 18 February 2018 | Albuquerque | |||
| 7.02 | Marie Josée Ta Lou | Ivory Coast | 20 February 2019 | Düsseldorf | |||
| Jacious Sears | United States | 8 February 2025 | New York City |
Outdoor best performances
+ = en route to 100 m mark
equal or superior to 6.92 seconds
| Rank | Time (s) |
Wind (m/s) |
Athlete | Nation | Date | Place | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.81+ (calculated) | +0.1 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica | 29 September 2019 | Doha | |
| 2 | 6.85+ (calculated) | −0.1 | Marion Jones | United States | 22 August 1999 | Seville | |
| 3 | 6.87+ (calculated) | ±0.0 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States | 16 July 1988 | Indianapolis | |
| +0.9 | Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica | 21 August 2021 | Eugene | |||
| 5 | 6.91+ (calculated) | +0.1 | Dina Asher-Smith | Great Britain | 29 September 2019 | Doha |
03Olympic medalists
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Paris |
Alvin Kraenzlein (USA) | Walter Tewksbury (USA) | Stan Rowley (AUS) |
| 1904 St. Louis |
Archie Hahn (USA) | William Hogenson (USA) | Fay Moulton (USA) |
04World Indoor Championships medalists
Men
a The event was known as the World Indoor Games in 1985.
b Ben Johnson of Canada originally won the gold medal, but he was disqualified in 1989 after admitting to steroid use between 1981 and 1988.
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States (USA) | 11 | 9 | 4 | 24 |
| 2 | Great Britain (GBR) | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 |
| 3 | Canada (CAN) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Italy (ITA) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Nigeria (NGR) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |
| 6 | Greece (GRE) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Cuba (CUB) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Jamaica (JAM) | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Australia (AUS) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| China (CHN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Ghana (GHA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Namibia (NAM) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Russia (RUS) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 15 | Qatar (QAT) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 16 | Antigua and Barbuda (ATG) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Barbados (BAR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Belgium (BEL) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| South Africa (RSA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (19 entries) | 22 | 23 | 21 | 66 | |
Women
a The event was known as the World Indoor Games in 1985.
b Angella Issajenko of Canada originally won the silver medal, but she was disqualified in 1989 after admitting to steroid use between 1982 and 1988.
c Zhanna Block originally won the gold medal, but she was disqualified after her results from November 2002 onwards were deleted in 2011 for long-term drug use.
Medal table
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States (USA) | 7 | 8 | 5 | 20 |
| 2 | Jamaica (JAM) | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| 3 | Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Switzerland (SUI) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | Ivory Coast (CIV) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Italy (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Saint Lucia (LCA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | East Germany (GDR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Greece (GRE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Soviet Union (URS) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 12 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Belgium (BEL) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 14 | Bulgaria (BUL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Germany (GER) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Poland (POL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Russia (RUS) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 18 | Canada (CAN) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 20 | Belarus (BLR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| British Virgin Islands (IVB) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cuba (CUB) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Gabon (GAB) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Luxembourg (LUX) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Slovenia (SLO) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Ukraine (UKR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (26 entries) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 66 | |
05World leading times
Indoor results only
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “60 metres”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Start women 60 m Doha 2010.jpg by Erik van Leeuwen, attribution: Erik van Leeuwen (bron: Wikipedia)., GFDL
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