compiled for Track & Field News by Bill Mallon, with help from Richard Hymans & Dave Johnson
(in reverse-chrono order, right to left, recent & upcoming Games first)
Event | Gender | 2008 – A / B | 2012 – A / B | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | |
100 metres | M | 10.21 / 10.28 | 10.18 / 10.24 | 10.16 | 10.05 | 10.00 | |
200 metres | M | 20.59 / 20.75 | 20.55 / 20.65 | 20.50 | 20.24 | 20.16 | |
400 metres | M | 45.55 / 45.95 | 45.30 / 45.90 | 45.40 | 44.90 | 45.00 | |
800 metres | M | 1:46.00 / 1:47.00 | 1:45.60 / 1:46.30 | 1:46.00 | 1:45.20 | 1:44.70 | |
1500 metres | M | 3:36.60 / 3:39.00 | 3:35.50 / 3:38.00 | 3:36.20 | 3:35.00 | 3:33.50 / 3:50.40y | |
5000 metres | M | 13:21.50 / 13:28.00 | 13:20.00 / 13:27.00 | 13:25.00 | 13:13.50 | 13:05.00 | |
10,000 metres | M | 27:50.00 / 28:10.00 | 27:45.00 / 28:05.00 | 28:00.00 | 27:28.00 | 27:00.00 | |
Marathon | M | 2:15:00 / 2:18:00 | 2:15:00 / 2:18:00 | 2:19:00 | 2:11:30 | 2:08:10 | |
110 metre hurdles | M | 13.55 / 13.72 | 13.52 / 13.60 | 13.47 | 13.32 | 13.27 | |
400 metre hurdles | M | 49.2 / 49.5 | 49.50 / 49.80 | 49.40 | 48.90 | 48.70 | |
3000 metre steeplechase | M | 8:24.60 / 8:32.00 | 8:23.10 / 8:32.00 | 8:30.00 | 8:22.00 | 8:15.00 | |
4×100 metre relay | M | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | Top 8 at World Relays + 8 from top lists | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | |
4×400 metre relay | M | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | Top 8 at World Relays + 8 from top lists | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | |
20 km walk | M | 1:23:00 / 1:24:30 | 1:22:30 / 1:24:30 | 1:24:00 | 1:21:00 | 1:20:10 | |
50 km walk | M | 4:00:00 / 4:07:00 | 3:59:00 / 4:09:00 | 4:06:00 | 3:50:00 | — | |
High Jump | M | 2.30 / 2.27 | 2.31 / 2.28 | 2.29 | 2.33 | 2.33 | |
Pole Vault | M | 5.70 / 5.55 | 5.72 / 5.60 | 5.70 | 5.80 | 5.82 | |
Long Jump | M | 8.20 / 8.05 | 8.20 / 8.10 | 8.15 | 8.22 | 8.27 | |
Triple Jump | M | 17.10 / 16.80 | 17.20 / 16.85 | 16.85 | 17.14 | 17.22 | |
Shot Put | M | 20.30 / 19.80 | 20.50 / 20.00 | 20.50 | 21.10 | 21.50 | |
Discus Throw | M | 64.50 / 62.50 | 65.00 / 63.00 | 65.00 | 66.00 | 67.20 | |
Hammer Throw | M | 78.50 / 74.00 | 78.00 / 74.00 | 77.00 | 77.50 | 78.20 | |
Javelin Throw | M | 81.80 / 77.80 | 82.00 / 79.50 | 83.00 | 85.00 | 85.50 | |
Decathlon | M | 8000 / 7700 | 8200 / 7950 | 8100 | 8350 | 8460 | |
100 metres | F | 11.32 / 11.42 | 11.29 / 11.38 | 11.32 | 11.15 | 11.07 | |
200 metres | F | 23.00 / 23.20 | 23.10 / 23.30 | 23.20 | 22.80 | 22.57 | |
400 metres | F | 51.55 / 52.35 | 51.55 / 52.35 | 52.20 | 51.35 | 50.95 | |
800 metres | F | 2:00.00 / 2:01.30 | 1:59.90 / 2:01.30 | 2:01.50 | 1:59.50 | 1:59.30 | |
1500 metres | F | 4:07.00 / 4:08.00 | 4:06.00 / 4:08.90 | 4:07.00 | 4:04.20 | 4:02.50 / 4:20.90 | |
3000 / 5000 metres | F | 15:09.00 / 15:24.00 | 15:20.00 / 15:30.00 | 15:24.00 | 15:10.00 | 14:52.00 | |
10,000 metres | F | 31:45.00 / 32:20.00 | 31:45.00 / 32:10.00 | 32:15.00 | 31:25.00 | 30:40.00 | |
Marathon | F | 2:37:00 / 2:42.00 | 2:37:00 / 2:43:00 | 2;45:00 | 2:29:30 | 2:26:50 | |
100 metre hurdles | F | 12.96 / 13.11 | 12.96 / 13.15 | 13.00 | 12.84 | 12.77 | |
400 metre hurdles | F | 55.60 / 56.50 | 55.50 / 56.65 | 56.20 | 55.40 | 54.85 | |
3000 metre steeplechase | F | 9:46.00 / 9:55.00 | 9:43.00 / 9:48.00 | 9:45.00 | 9:30.00 | 9:23.00 | |
4×100 metre relay | F | top 16 teams | top 16 teams | Top 8 at World Relays + 8 from top lists | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | |
4×400 metre relay | F | top 16 teams | top 16 teams | Top 8 at World Relays + 8 from top lists | Top 16 teams | Top 16 teams | |
20 km walk | F | 1:33:30 / 1:38:00 | 1:33:30 / 1:38:00 | 1:36:00 | 1:31:00 | 1:29:20 | |
High Jump | F | 1.95 / 1.91 | 1.95 / 1.92 | 1.93 | 1.96 | 1.97 | |
Pole Vault | F | 4.45 / 4.30 | 4.50 / 4.40 | 4.50 | 4.70 | 4.73 | |
Long Jump | F | 6.72 / 6.60 | 6.75 / 6.65 | 6.70 | 6.82 | 6.86 | |
Triple Jump | F | 14.20 / 14.00 | 14.30 / 14.10 | 14.15 | 14.32 | 14.55 | |
Shot Put | F | 18.35 / 17.20 | 18.30 / 17.20 | 17.75 | 18.50 | 18.80 | |
Discus Throw | F | 61.00 / 59.00 | 62.00 / 59.50 | 61.00 | 63.50 | 64.50 | |
Hammer Throw | F | 69.50 / 67.00 | 71.50 / 69.00 | 71.00 | 72.50 | 74.00 | |
Javelin Throw | F | 60.50 / 56.00 | 61.00 / 59.00 | 62.00 | 64.00 | 64.00 | |
Heptathlon | F | 6000 / 5800 | 6150 / 5950 | 6200 | 6420 | 6480 |
Event | Gender | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 – A / B | 2000 – A / B | 2004 – A / B |
100 metres | M | 10.44 / 10.2h | 10.44 / 10.2h | 10.30 / 10.1h | 10.34 / 10.1h-10.54 / 10.3h | 10.27 / 10.40 | 10.21 / 10.28 |
200 metres | M | 20.94 / 20.7h | 20..84 / 20.6h | 20.80 / 20.6h | 20.84 / 20.6h-21.04 / 20.8h | 20.70 / 20.90 | 20.59 / 20.75 |
400 metres | M | 46.34 / 46.2h | 46.14 / 46.0h | 45.90 / 45.8h | 45.84 / 45.7h-46.44 / 46.3h | 45.80 / 46.20 | 45.55 / 45.95 |
800 metres | M | 1:47.00 | 1:47.8 | 1:46.20 | 1:46.50 / 1:47.50 | 1:46.30 / 1:47.20 | 1:46.00 / 1:47.00 |
1500 metres | M | 3:39.00 | 3:38.5 | 3:37.00 | 3:38.00 / 3:40.50 | 3:36.80 / 3:39.50 | 3:36.20 / 3:38.00 |
5000 metres | M | 13:35.00 | 13:33.0 | 13:27.30 | 13:29.00 / 13:38.00 | 13:29.00 / 13:34.00 | 13:21.50 / 13:25.40 |
10,000 metres | M | 28:25.00 | 28:20.0 | 28:07.00 | 28:10.00 / 28:30.00 | 28:10.00 / 28:28.00 | 27:49.00 / 28:06.00 |
Marathon | M | — | — | 2:14:00 | 2:16:00 / 2:25:00 | 2:14:00 / 2:20:00 | 2:15:00 / 2:18:00 |
110 metre hurdles | M | 14.04 / 13.8h | 13.94 / 13.7h | 13.80 / 13.6h | 13.84 / 13.6h-14.14 / 13.9h | 13.70 / 13.85 | 13.55 / 13.72 |
400 metre hurdles | M | 50.54 / 50.4h | 50.24 / 50.1h | 50.00 / 49.9h | 50.04 / 49.9h-50.54 / 50.4h | 49.90 / 50.20 | 49.20 / 49.50 |
3000 metre steeplechase | M | 8:30.00 | 8:28.0 | 8:29.00 | 8:30.00 / 8:35.00 | 8:27.00 / 8:30.70 | 8:24.60 / 8:32.00 |
4×100 metre relay | M | — | — | 40.30 | — | — | Top 16 teams |
4×400 metre relay | M | — | — | 3:10.00 | — | — | Top 16 teams |
20 km walk | M | — | — | 1:24.00 | 1:23:30 / 1:26:00 | — | — |
50 km walk | M | — | — | 4:05:00 | 4:00:00 / 4:10:00 | — | — |
High Jump | M | 2.22 | 2.25 | 2.28 | 2.27 / 2.23 | 2.28 / 2.25 | 2.30 / 2.27 |
Pole Vault | M | 5.35 | 5.45 | 5.50 | 5.60 / 5.40 | 5.60 / 5.45 | 5.65 / 5.55 |
Long Jump | M | 7.80 | 7.85 | 8.00 | 8.00 / 7.90 | 8.05 / 7.95 | 8.19 / 8.05 |
Triple Jump | M | 16.45 | 16.60 | 16.85 | 16.85 / 16.50 | 16.85 / 16.65 | 16.95 / 16.55 |
Shot Put | M | 19.40 | 19.50 | 19.85 | 19.50 / 19.00 | 19.70 / 19.30 | 20.30 / 20.00 |
Discus Throw | M | 61.00 | 61.50 | 63.20 | 62.00 / 60.00 | 63.50 / 62.00 | 64.00 / 62.55 |
Hammer Throw | M | 71.00 | 72.00 | 74.50 | 74.00 / 70.00 | 75.50 / 72.20 | 78.65 / 74.35 |
Javelin Throw | M | 82.00 | 76.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 / 75.00 | 82.00 / 77.50 | 81.80 / 77.80 |
Decathlon | M | 7600 / 7700h | 7600 / 7700h | 7850 | 7950 / 7700 | 8050 / 7800 | 8000 / 7700 |
100 metres | F | 11.54 / 11.3h | 11.54 / 11.3h | 11.40 / 11.2h | 11.44 / 11.2h-11.64 / 11.4h | 11.40 / 11.60 | 11.30 / 11.40 |
200 metres | F | 23.64 / 23.4h | 23.64 / 23.4h | 23.20 / 23.0h | 23.24 / 23.0h-23.54 / 23.3h | 23.20 / 23.50 | 22.97 / 23.13 |
400 metres | F | 52.74 / 52.6h | 52.74 / 52.6h | 52.00 / 51.9h | 52.34 / 52.2h-53.34 / 53.2h | 52.20 / 53.20 | 51.50 / 52.30 |
800 metres | F | 2:02.00 | 2:01.5 | 2:01.30 | 2:01.00 / 2:03.00 | 2:00.50 / 2:02.50 | 2:00.00 / 2:01.30 |
1500 metres | F | 4:09.00 | 4:09.0 | 4:10.20 | 4:10.00 / 4:14.00 | 4:08.00 / 4:12.00 | 4:05.80 / 4:07.15 |
3000 / 5000 metres | F | 9:05.00 | 9:03.0 | 8:56.00 | 15:45.00 / 16:05.00 | 15:35.00 / 15:55.00 | 15:08.70 / 15;20.45 |
10,000 metres | F | — | 33:00.0 | 32:50.00 | 32:30.00 / 33:20.00 | 32:30.0 / 33:20.00 | 31:45.00 / 32:17.00 |
Marathon | F | — | — | 2:35:00 | 2:35:00 / 2:50:00 | 2:33:00 / 2:45:00 | 2:37:00 / 2;42:00 |
100 metre hurdles | F | 13.64 / 13.4h | 13.44 / 13.2h | 13.30 / 13.1h | 13.14 / 12.9h-13.54 / 13.3h | 13.10 / 13.40 | 12.96 / 13.11 |
400 metre hurdles | F | 58.64 / 58.5h | 58.04 / 57.9h | 56.50 / 56.4h | 56.14 / 56.0h-57.14 / 57.0h | 56.14 / 57.14 | 55.60 / 56.25 |
3000 metre steeplechase | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4×100 metre relay | F | — | — | 45.40 | — | — | top 16 teams |
4×400 metre relay | F | — | — | 3:38.00 | — | — | top 16 teams |
10 km walk | F | — | — | 48:00 | 45:30 / 48:00 | — | — |
High Jump | F | 1.86 | 1.88 | 1.92 | 1.92 / 1.87 | 1.93 / 1.88 | 1.95 / 1.91 |
Pole Vault | F | — | — | — | — | 4.30 / 4.20 | 4.40 / 4.25 |
Long Jump | F | 6.45 | 6.50 | 6.55 | 6.55 / 6.40 | 6.65 / 6.50 | 6.70 / 6.55 |
Triple Jump | F | — | — | — | 13.75 / 13.50 | 14.15 / 13.95 | 14.20 / 14.00 |
Shot Put | F | 16.80 | 16.90 | 17.40 | 18.00 / 17.10 | 18.30 / 17.95 | 18.55 / 17.15 |
Discus Throw | F | 57.00 | 57.50 | 59.00 | 60.00 / 57.00 | 61.00 / 58.00 | 61.00 / 57.70 |
Hammer Throw | F | — | — | — | — | 65.00 / 63.50 | 67.50 / 64.00 |
Javelin Throw | F | 56.00 | 56.50 | 61.40 | 60.00 / 57.00 | 60.00 / 57.00 | 60.50 / 56.00 |
Heptathlon | F | 5700 / 5750h | 5700 / 5750h | 5950 | 6000 / 5700 | 6000 / 5750 | 6050 / 5900 |
Event | Gender | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 |
100 metres | M | 10.4 | 10.4 / 9.5y | 10.3 | 10.3 / 9.4y | 10.44 / 10.2h | 10.44 / 10.2h |
200 metres | M | 21.3 | 21.0 / 21.1y | 21.0 | 20.9 / 21.0y | 21.04 / 20.8h | 21.04 / 20.8h |
400 metres | M | 47.3 | 47.0 / 47.3y | 46.8 | 46.4 / 46.7y | 46.54 / 46.4h | 46.54 / 46.4h |
800 metres | M | 1:49.2 | 1:48.8 / 1:49.4y | 1:48.0 | 1:47.6 / 1:48.3y | 1:47.4 | 1:47.4 |
1500 metres | M | 3:45.0 / 4:02.0 | 3:43.5 / 4:01.5y | 3:42.0 | 3:41.6 / 3:59.6y | 3:40.6 | 3:40.0 |
5000 metres | M | 14:10.0 | 14:02.0 / 13:34.0y | 13:50.0 | 13:48.0 / 13:21.0y | 13:40.0 | 13:35.0 |
10,000 metres | M | 29:40.0 | 29:25.0 / 28:30.0y | 29:00.0 | 28:50.0 / 27:55.0y | 28:40.0 | 28:30.0 |
Marathon | M | — | — | — | — | — | — |
110 metre hurdles | M | 14.4 | 14.2 / 14.2y | 14.1 | 14.0 / 14.0y | 14.04 / 13.8h | 14.04 / 13.8h |
400 metre hurdles | M | 52.2 | 51.8 / 52.1y | 51.0 | 50.6 / 50.9y | 50.64 / 50.5h | 50.64 / 50.5h |
3000 metre steeplechase | M | 8:55.0 | 8:46.0 | 8:45.0 | 8:38.00 | 8:32.0 | 8:35.0 |
4×100 metre relay | M | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4×400 metre relay | M | — | — | — | — | — | — |
20 km walk | M | — | — | — | — | — | — |
50 km walk | M | — | — | — | — | — | — |
High Jump | M | 2.05 | 2.06 | 2.09 | 2.15 | 2.18 | 2.18 |
Pole Vault | M | 4.40 | 4.60 | 4.80 | 5.10 | 5.20 | 5.25 |
Long Jump | M | 7.50 | 7.60 | 7.60 | 7.80 | 7.80 | 7.80 |
Triple Jump | M | 15.60 | 15.80 | 16.00 | 16.20 | 16.40 | 16.45 |
Shot Put | M | ? | 17.80 | 18.40 | 19.00 | 19.40 | 19.40 |
Discus Throw | M | 53.00 | 55.00 | 57.00 | 59.00 | 60.00 | 60.00 |
Hammer Throw | M | 62.00 | 63.00 | 64.00 | 66.00 | 69.00 | 70.00 |
Javelin Throw | M | 76.50 | 77.00 | 77.00 | 80.00 | 80.00 | 81.00 |
Decathlon | M | 6750 | 7000 | 7200 | 7600 | 7650 | 7450 |
100 metres | F | 11.7 / 10.8y | 11.6 | 11.5 | 11.64 / 11.4h | 11.54 / 11.3h | |
200 metres | F | 24.2 / 24.4y | 24.0 | 23.6 / 23.7y | 23.74 / 23.5h | 23.64 / 23.4h | |
400 metres | F | — | 55.5 / 55.9y | 55.0 | 54.0 / 54.3y | 53.64 / 53.5h | 52.74 / 52.6h |
800 metres | F | 2:08.0 / 2:09.0y | 2:06.0 | 2:05.0 / 2:05.8y | 2:04.0 | 2:02.8 | |
1,500 metres | F | — | — | — | 4:02.0 | 4:15.0 | 4:10.0 |
3,000 / 5,000 metres | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
10,000 metres | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Marathon | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
80 / 100 metre hurdles | F | 11.0 | 10.8 | 13.5 | 13.64 / 13.4h | 13.64 / 13.4h | |
400 metre hurdles | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3000 metre steeplechase | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4×100 metre relay | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4×400 metre relay | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
20 km walk | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
High Jump | F | 1.70 | 1.71 | 1.76 | 1.82 | 1.86 | |
Pole Vault | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Long Jump | F | 6.00 | 6.25 | 6.30 | 6.35 | 6.40 | |
Triple Jump | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Shot Put | F | 15.00 | 16.00 | 16.20 | 16.60 | 16.60 | |
Discus Throw | F | 50.00 | 52.00 | 55.00 | 56.00 | 56.00 | |
Hammer Throw | F | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Javelin Throw | F | 51.00 | 53.00 | 54.00 | 55.00 | 55.00 | |
Pentathlon | F | — | 4500 | 4600 | 4200 | 4300 | 4260 / 4300h |