200m World Records
As for the 100m sprint, the 200m world record has improved significantly over time as track surfaces and running shoe design has improved, as well as the positive impact of advanced training methods and sports science research.
Early world records for the sprint events used only hand timing, which was generally only accurate to one-tenth of a second. Currently, photo finish technology enables the sprint times to be measured to 1/1000th of a second.
The men's world record holder is Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who ran 19.19 seconds at the 2009 World Championships. The women's world record holder is Florence Griffith-Joyner of the USA, who ran 21.34 s at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
The 200m race times can be affected by the wind, and any time that is recorded with an excess tailwind will not be considered a world record. Records set at altitude as also included, even though the thinner air is an advantage in this event. Before electronic timing was invented and became standard, record times were recorded using hand-held stopwatches. Race records from events over 220 yards (201.17 m) were also included with the 200m times. In earlier times, some 200m races were run in a straight line rather than the first 100m around a bend, though all recent records are for races on a standard oval outdoor track.
Men's 200m World Record Progression
The 200m World Record has had this progression (the more recent records are listed first).
| Time (seconds) | Athlete | Nation | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19.19 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | August 20, 2009 |
| 19.30 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | August 20, 2008 |
| 19.32 | Michael Johnson | USA | August 1, 1996 |
| 19.66 | Michael Johnson | USA | June 23, 1996 |
| 19.72 (at altitude) | Pietro Mennea | Italy | September 12, 1979 |
| 19.83 (at altitude) | Tommie Smith | USA | October 16, 1968 |
| 19.8 (200 yards) | Don Quarrie | Jamaica | June 7, 1975 |
| 19.8 (at altitude) | Don Quarrie | Jamaica | August 3, 1971 |
| 19.8 (at altitude) | Tommie Smith | USA | October 16, 1968 |
| 20.0 (200 yards) | Tommie Smith | USA | June 11, 1966 |
| 20.2 (200 yards) | Henry Carr | USA | April 4, 1964 |
| 20.3 (200 yards) | Henry Carr | USA | March 23, 1963 |
| 20.5 (200 yards) | Paul Drayton | USA | June 23, 1962 |
| 20.5 | Livio Berruti | Italy | September 3, 1960 |
| 20.5 | Livio Berruti | Italy | September 3, 1960 |
| 20.5 | Ray Norton | USA | July 2, 1960 |
| 20.5 | Stone Johnson | USA | July 2, 1960 |
| 20.5 (200 yards) | Peter Radford | UK | May 28, 1960 |
| 20.6 | Ray Norton | USA | April 30, 1960 |
| 20.6 (200 yards) | Ray Norton | USA | March 19, 1960 |
| 20.6 | Manfred Germar | West Germany | October 1, 1958 |
| 20.6 | Bobby Morrow | USA | November 27, 1956 |
| 20.6 | Thane Baker | USA | June 23, 1956 |
| 20.6 | Andy Stanfield | USA | June 28, 1952 |
| 20.6 (200 yards) | Andy Stanfield | USA | May 26, 1951 |
Women's 200m World Record Progression
The women's 200m World Record has had this evolution (the more recent records are listed first).
| Time (seconds) | Athlete | Nationality | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21.34 | Florence Griffith-Joyner | USA | September 29, 1988 |
| 21.56 | Florence Griffith-Joyner | USA | September 29, 1988 |
| 21.71 | Heike Drechsler | East Germany | August 29, 1986 |
| 21.71 | Heike Drechsler | East Germany | June 29, 1986 |
| 21.71 | Marita Koch | East Germany | July 21, 1984 |
| 21.71 | Marita Koch | East Germany | June 10, 1979 |
| 22.02 | Marita Koch | East Germany | June 3, 1979 |
| 22.06 | Marita Koch | East Germany | May 28, 1978 |
| 22.21 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | June 13, 1974 |
| 22.1 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | June 13, 1974 |
| 22.1 | Renate Stecher | East Germany | July 21, 1973 |
| 22.4 | Renate Stecher | East Germany | September 7, 1972 |
| 22.4 | Chi Cheng | Taiwan | July 12, 1970 |
| 22.5 (at altitude) | Irena Szewińska | Poland | October 18, 1968 |
| 22.7 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | August 8, 1965 |
| 22.9 (200 yards) | Margaret Burvill | Australia | February 22, 1964 |
| 22.9 | Wilma Rudolph | USA | July 9, 1960 |
| 23.2 (200 yards) | Betty Cuthbert | Australia | March 7, 1960 |
| 23.2 | Betty Cuthbert | Australia | September 16, 1956 |
| 23.4 | Marjorie Jackson | Australia | July 25, 1952 |
| 23.6 | Marjorie Jackson | Australia | July 25, 1952 |
| 23.6 | Stanislawa Walasiewicz | Poland | August 4, 1935 |
| 24.6 | Tollien Schuurman | Netherlands | August 13, 1933 |
| 25.4 | Eileen Edwards | UK | June 12, 1927 |
| 26 | Eileen Edwards | UK | October 3, 1926 |
| 26.2 (200 yards) | Eileen Edwards | UK | August 20, 1924 |
| 26.8 (200 yards) | Mary Lines | UK | September 23, 1922 |
| 27.8+ | Alice Cast | UK | August 20, 1922 |
Related Pages
- More Athletics Records
- Anthropometric measures of Olympic 100m champions
- Other sports and fitness records
- Sprint events at the Olympic Games
- Warming-up for Sprinting
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