(as of August 25, 2024)
There are those who think that the sport would have been better off if WA (then the IAAF) had listened to proposals to create a set of “new millennium” World Records starting with the ’00 season. We hasten to note that creating a new set of all-time bests wouldn’t have to mean throwing the old ones out. There would simply be records for the 1900s and another set for the 2000s.
Had they done so, what those World Records would look like is linked here.
To take the concept one step farther, here’s what the American Records look like if they had started anew as well (including indoor marks for “absolute” recognition, a concept USATF no longer recognizes). * = is the ratified AR.
| MEN’S TRACK | ||||
| 100 | 9.69* | Tyson Gay | (adidas) | ’09 |
| 200 | 19.31 | Noah Lyles | (adidas) | ’22 |
| 400 | 43.40 | Quincy Hall | (adidas) | ’24 |
| 800 | 1:41.67* | Bryce Hoppel | (adidas) | ’24 |
| 1000 | 2:15.73 | Clayton Murphy | (Nike) | ’22 |
| 1500 | 3:27.65* | Cole Hocker | (Nike) | ’24 |
| Mile | 3:43.97* | Yared Nuguse | (On AC) | ’22 |
| Steeple | 8:00.45* | Evan Jager | (Bowerman TC) | ’15 |
| 3000 | 7:25.47* | Grant Fisher | (Nike Bowerman TC) | ’23 |
| 5000 | 12:46.96* | Grant Fisher | (Nike Bowerman TC) | ’22 |
| 10,000 | 26:33.84* | Grant Fisher | (Nike Bowerman TC) | ’22 |
| 110 Hurdles | 12.80* | Aries Merritt | (Reebok) | ’12 |
| 400 Hurdles | 46.17 | Rai Benjamin | (Nike) | ’21 |
| Half-Marathon | 59:43* | Ryan Hall | (Asics) | ’07 |
| Marathon | 2:05:38* | Khalid Khannouchi | (New Balance) | ’02 |
| 20K Walk | 1:22.02 | Tim Seaman | (New York AC) | ’04 |
| 35K Walk | 2:38:16* | Nick Christie | (Decathlon USA) | ’21 |
| 4 x 100 | 37.10* | National Team | ’19 | |
| 4 x 400 | 2:54.43* | National Team | ’24 | |
| MEN’S FIELD | ||||
| High Jump | 2.38 | 7-9¾i | Matt Hemingway | (US West) | ’00 |
| Pole Vault | 6.07 | 19-11* | KC Lightfoot | (Puma) | ’23 |
| Long Jump | 8.74 | 28-8¼ | Dwight Phillips | (Nike) | ’09 |
| Triple Jump | 18.21 | 59-9* | Christian Taylor | (Nike) | ’15 |
| Shot | 23.56 | 77-3¾* | Ryan Crouser | (Nike) | ’23 |
| Discus | 69.90 | 229-4 | Jason Young | (Nike) | ’10 |
| Hammer | 82.71 | 271-4 | Rudy Winkler | (Tracksmith/New York AC) | ’21 |
| Javelin | 91.29 | 299-6* | Breaux Greer | (adidas) | ’07 |
| Decathlon | 9045* | Ashton Eaton | (Oregon TC) | ’15 |
| WOMEN’S TRACK | ||||
| 100 | 10.64 | Carmelita Jeter | (Nike) | ’09 |
| 200 | 21.60 | Gabby Thomas | (New Balance) | ’23 |
| 400 | 48.70* | Sanya Richards-Ross | (Nike) | ’06 |
| 800 | 1:54.97* | Athing Mu | (Nike) | ’23 |
| 1000 | 2:34.09i | Nikki Hiltz | (lululemon) | ’24 |
| 1500 | 3:54.99* | Shelby Houlihan | (Bowerman TC) | ’19 |
| Mile | 4:16.35 | Nikki Hiltz | (lululemon) | ’23 |
| Steeple | 8:57.77* | Courtney Frerichs | (Nike Bowerman TC) | ’212 |
| 3000 | 8:20.87i | Elle St. Pierre | (New Balance) | ’24 |
| 5000 | 14:19.45* | Alicia Monson | (On AC) | ’23 |
| 10,000 | 30:03.82* | Alicia Monson | (On AC) | ’23 |
| 100 Hurdles | 12.20* | Keni Harrison | (adidas) | ’16 |
| 400 Hurdles | 50.37* | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone | (New Balance) | ’24 |
| Half-Marathon | 66:25* | Weini Kelati | (Under Armor/Dark Sky) | ’24 |
| Marathon | 2:18:29* | Emily Sisson | (New Balance) | ’22 |
| 20K Walk | 1:30:49* | Maria Michta-Coffey | (Walk USA) | ’14 |
| 1:30:49* | Maria Michta-Coffey | (Walk USA) | ’16 | |
| 35K Walk | 2:49:29* | Robyn Stevens | (Newfeel) | ’22 |
| 4 x 100 | 40.82* | National Team | ’12 | |
| 4 x 400 | 3:15.27 | National Team ’ | ’24 | |
| WOMEN’S FIELD | ||||
| High Jump | 2.05 | 6-8¾* | Chaunté Lowe | (Nike) | ’10 |
| Pole Vault | 5.03 | 16-6i | Jenn Suhr | (adidas) | ’16 |
| Long Jump | 7.31 | 23-11¾ | Brittney Reese | (Nike) | ’16 |
| Triple Jump | 15.12 | 49-7¼(A)i* | Jasmine Moore | (Florida) | ’23 |
| Shot | 20.76 | 68-1½* | Chase Jackson | (Nike) | ’23 |
| Discus | 71.46 | 234-5* | Valarie Allman | (Asics) | ’22 |
| Hammer | 80.31 | 263-6* | DeAnna Price | (Nike/New York AC) | ’21 |
| Javelin | 68.11 | 223-5* | Kara Winger | (Tracksmith/New York AC) | ’22 |
| Heptathlon | 6988 | Anna Hall | (adidas) | ’23 |