(as of August 16, 2020)
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 2000 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 | 19.50 | Noah Lyles (adidas) ’19 |
| 400 | 43.45 | Jeremy Wariner (adidas) ’07 |
| 43.45 | Michael Norman (Nike) ’19 | |
| 800 | 1:42.34* | Donavan Brazier (Nike Oregon Project) ’19 |
| 1000 | 2:15.97 | David Krummenacker (adidas) ’02 |
| 1500 | 3:29.30* | Bernard Lagat (Nike) ’05 |
| Mile | 3:46.91* | Alan Webb (Nike) ’07 |
| Steeple | 8:00.45* | Evan Jager (Bowerman TC) ’15 |
| 3000 | 7:29.00* | Bernard Lagat (Nike) ’10 |
| 5000 | 12:53.60* | Bernard Lagat (Nike) ’11 |
| 10,000 | 26:44.36* | Galen Rupp (Nike) ’14 |
| 110 Hurdles | 12.80* | Aries Merritt (Reebok) ’12 |
| 400 Hurdles | 46.98 | Rai Benjamin (Nike) ’19 |
| 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 |
| 50K Walk | 3:50:46 | Curt Clausen (New York AC) ’01 |
| 4 x 100 | 37.10* | National Team ’19 |
| 4 x 400 | 2:55.39* | National Team ’08 |
| MEN’S FIELD | ||
| High Jump | 2.38 | 7-9¾i | Matt Hemingway (US West) ’00 |
| Pole Vault | 6.06 | 19-10½* | Sam Kendricks (Nike) ’19 |
| Long Jump | 8.74 | 28-8¼ | Dwight Phillips (Nike) ’09 |
| Triple Jump | 18.21 | 59-9* | Christian Taylor (Nike) ’15 |
| Shot | 22.91 | 75-2 | Joe Kovacs (Velaasa/New York AC) ’19 |
| 22.91 | 75-2 | Ryan Crouser (Nike) ’20 | |
| Discus | 69.90 | 229-4 | Jason Young (Nike) ’10 |
| Hammer | 80.99 | 265-8 | Lance Deal (New York AC) ’00 |
| 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 | 21.69 | Allyson Felix (Nike) ’12 |
| 400 | 48.70* | Sanya Richards-Ross (Nike) ’06 |
| 800 | 1:55.61* | Ajee’ Wilson (adidas) ’17 |
| 1000 | 2:34.19i | Jen Toomey (Nike) ’04 |
| 1500 | 3:54.99* | Shelby Houlihan (Bowerman TC) ’19 |
| Mile | 4:16.85i | Elle Purrier (New Balance) ’20 |
| Steeple | 9:00.35* | Courtney Frerichs (Bowerman TC) ’18 |
| 3000 | 8:25.70i | Karissa Schweizer (Nike Bowerman TC) ’20 |
| 5000 | 14:23.92* | Shelby Houlihan (Nike) ’20 |
| 10,000 | 30:13.17* | Molly Huddle (Saucony) ’16 |
| 100 Hurdles | 12.20* | Kendra Harrison (adidas) ’16 |
| 400 Hurdles | 52.16* | Dalilah Muhammad (Nike) ’19 |
| Half-Marathon | 67:25* | Molly Huddle (Saucony) ’18 |
| Marathon | 2:19:36* | Deena Kastor (Asics) ’06 |
| 20K Walk | 1:30:49* | Maria Michta-Coffey (Walk USA) ’14 |
| 1:30:49* | Michta-Coffey ’16 | |
| 50K Walk | 4:21:51* | Katie Burnett (unattached) ’18 |
| 4 x 100 | 40.82* | National Team ’12 |
| 4 x 400 | 3:16.87 | National Team ’12 |
| 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 | 14.84 | 48-8¼* | Tori Franklin (New York AC) ’18 |
| Shot | 20.63 | 67-8¼* | Michelle Carter (Nike) ’16 |
| Discus | 70.15 | 230-2* | Valarie Allman (Oiselle/New York AC) ’20 |
| Hammer | 78.24 | 256-8* | DeAnna Price (Nike) ’19 |
| Javelin | 66.67 | 218-8* | Kara Winger (Asics) ’10 |
| Heptathlon | 6735 | Hyleas Fountain (Nike) ’10 |