On July 21, 2007, at a meet in Brasschaat, Belgium, Webb broke the American record in the mile. His time of 3:46.91 bested the 25-year-old record of 3:47.69 run by Steve Scott. Mary Slaney holds the Americans women mile record. |
Time | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
4:28 | Charles Westhall | ![]() | 26 July 1855 | London |
4:28 | Thomas Horspool | ![]() | 28 September 1857 | Manchester |
4:23 | Thomas Horspool | ![]() | 12 July 1858 | Manchester |
4:22¼ | Siah Albison | ![]() | 27 October 1860 | Manchester |
4:21¾ | William Lang | ![]() | 11 July 1863 | Manchester |
4:20½ | Edward Mills | ![]() | 23 April 1864 | Manchester |
4:20 | Edward Mills | ![]() | 25 June 1864 | Manchester |
4:17¼ | William Lang | ![]() | 19 August 1865 | Manchester |
4:17¼ | William Richards | ![]() | 19 August 1865 | Manchester |
4:16 1/5 | William Cummings | ![]() | 14 May 1881 | Preston |
4:12¾ | Walter George | ![]() | 23 August 1886 | London |
Amateurs[edit]
Time | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
4:55 | J. Heaviside | ![]() | 1 April 1861 | Dublin |
4:49 | J. Heaviside | ![]() | 27 May 1861 | Dublin |
4:46 | Matthew Greene | ![]() | 27 May 1861 | Dublin |
4:33 | George Farran | ![]() | 23 May 1862 | Dublin |
4:29 3/5 | Walter Chinnery | ![]() | 10 March 1868 | Cambridge |
4:28 4/5 | Walter Gibbs | ![]() | 3 April 1868 | London |
4:28 3/5 | Charles Gunton | ![]() | 31 March 1873 | London |
4:26 0/5 | Walter Slade | ![]() | 30 May 1874 | London |
4:24½ | Walter Slade | ![]() | 1 June 1875 | London |
4:23 1/5 | Walter George | ![]() | 16 August 1880 | London |
4:19 2/5 | Walter George | ![]() | 3 June 1882 | London |
4:18 2/5 | Walter George | ![]() | 21 June 1884 | Birmingham |
4:17 4/5 | Thomas Conneff | ![]() | 26 August 1893 | Cambridge, Mass. |
4:17 0/5 | Fred Bacon | ![]() | 6 July 1895 | London |
4:15 3/5 | Thomas Conneff | ![]() | 28 August 1895 | New York |
4:15 2/5 | John Paul Jones | ![]() | 27 May 1911 | Cambridge, Mass. |
As there was no recognized official sanctioning body until 1912, there are several versions of the mile progression before that year. One version starts with Richard Webster (GBR) who ran 4:36.5 in 1865, surpassed by Chinnery in 1868.[3]
Another variation of the amateur record progression pre-1862 is as follows:[4]
Time | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
4:52 | Cadet Marshall | ![]() | 2 September 1852 | Addiscome |
4:45 | Thomas Finch | ![]() | 3 November 1858 | Oxford |
4:45 | St. Vincent Hammick | ![]() | 15 November 1858 | Oxford |
4:40 | Gerald Surman | ![]() | 24 November 1859 | Oxford |
4:33 | George Farran | ![]() | 23 May 1862 | Dublin |
IAAF era[edit]
The first world record in the mile for men (athletics) was recognized by the International Amateur Athletics Federation, now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations, in 1913.
To June 21, 2009, the IAAF has ratified 32 world records in the event.[5]
Time | Auto | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4:14.4 | John Paul Jones | ![]() | 31 May 1913[5] | Allston, Mass. | |
4:12.6 | Norman Taber | ![]() | 16 July 1915[5] | Allston, Mass. | |
4:10.4 | Paavo Nurmi | ![]() | 23 August 1923[5] | Stockholm | |
4:09.2 | Jules Ladoumègue | ![]() | 4 October 1931[5] | Paris | |
4:07.6 | Jack Lovelock | ![]() | 15 July 1933[5] | Princeton, N.J. | |
4:06.8 | Glenn Cunningham | ![]() | 16 June 1934[5] | Princeton, N.J. | |
4:06.4 | Sydney Wooderson | ![]() | 28 August 1937[5] | Motspur Park | |
4:06.2 | Gunder Hägg | ![]() | 1 July 1942[5] | Gothenburg | |
4:06.2 | Arne Andersson | ![]() | 10 July 1942[5] | Stockholm | |
4:04.6 | Gunder Hägg | ![]() | 4 September 1942[5] | Stockholm | |
4:02.6 | Arne Andersson | ![]() | 1 July 1943[5] | Gothenburg | |
4:01.6 | Arne Andersson | ![]() | 18 July 1944[5] | Malmö | |
4:01.4 | Gunder Hägg | ![]() | 17 July 1945[5] | Malmö | |
3:59.4 | Roger Bannister | ![]() | 6 May 1954[5] | Oxford | |
3:58.0 | John Landy | ![]() | 21 June 1954[5] | Turku | |
3:57.2 | Derek Ibbotson | ![]() | 19 July 1957[5] | London | |
3:54.5 | Herb Elliott | ![]() | 6 August 1958[5] | Dublin | |
3:54.4 | Peter Snell | ![]() | 27 January 1962[5] | Wanganui | |
3:54.1 | 3:54.04 | Peter Snell | ![]() | 17 November 1964[5] | Auckland |
3:53.6 | Michel Jazy | ![]() | 9 June 1965[5] | Rennes | |
3:51.3 | Jim Ryun | ![]() | 17 July 1966[5] | Berkeley, Cal. | |
3:51.1 | Jim Ryun | ![]() | 23 June 1967[5] | Bakersfield, Cal. | |
3:51.0 | Filbert Bayi | ![]() | 17 May 1975[5] | Kingston | |
3:49.4 | John Walker | ![]() | 12 August 1975[5] | Gothenburg | |
3:49.0 | 3:48.95 | Sebastian Coe | ![]() | 17 July 1979[5] | Oslo |
3:48.8 | Steve Ovett | ![]() | 1 July 1980[5] | Oslo | |
3:48.53 | Sebastian Coe | ![]() | 19 August 1981[5] | Zürich | |
3:48.40 | Steve Ovett | ![]() | 26 August 1981[5] | Koblenz | |
3:47.33 | Sebastian Coe | ![]() | 28 August 1981[5] | Brussels | |
3:46.32 | Steve Cram | ![]() | 27 July 1985[5] | Oslo | |
3:44.39 |