World Athletics Records: Fastest 100m, 200m and Marathon Times

Right now, Usain Bolt’s 100m record is 17 years old, and Florence Griffith Joyner’s is 38. Yet the marathon mark fell only months ago, when Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 in London. That mix of ancient and brand-new numbers makes World Athletics records a fascinating list. So who holds the fastest times in 2026, and how were they set? Here’s the full picture, with dates, places and context, so you can follow every number.

World Athletics Records at a Glance

Before the stories, here’s a quick reference. Because records can fall at any meet, the list below reflects reports as of October 2026. Still, these World Athletics records have stood firm for different lengths of time.

• Men’s 100m: Usain Bolt, 9.58 (Berlin, 2009)
• Men’s 200m: Usain Bolt, 19.19 (Berlin, 2009)
• Women’s 100m: Florence Griffith Joyner, 10.49 (Indianapolis, 1988)
• Women’s 200m: Florence Griffith Joyner, 21.34 (Seoul, 1988)
• Men’s marathon: Sabastian Sawe, 1:59:30 (London, 2026)
• Women’s marathon: Ruth Chepngetich, 2:09:56 (Chicago, 2024)

Notice, though, how the sprint marks are far older than the marathon marks. That gap tells its own story, and the next sections explain it. Because sprint times are quoted in seconds and marathon times in hours, minutes and seconds, the formats look different. Even so, every figure follows the same World Athletics records rules for timing and approval.

Fastest 100m Times Ever

Usain Bolt’s 9.58

First, Bolt ran 9.58 at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. That time still stands as the men’s world record. That run broke his own earlier mark of 9.69 from the Beijing Olympics. Since then, his record has lasted 17 years. Because that’s such a long stretch, it has become the benchmark for every young sprinter.

Still, maths shows how fast that run was. Bolt averaged about 10.4 metres per second, which works out to roughly 37.6 km/h. Meanwhile, Kishane Thompson ran 9.75 on 27 June 2025, the fastest time in a decade. As a result, he’s the closest active challenger. Even so, he’s still well short of the record.

Florence Griffith Joyner’s 10.49

Meanwhile, on the women’s side, the mark belongs to Florence Griffith Joyner. So she ran 10.49 at the US Olympic Trials in Indianapolis on 16 July 1988. It was a breezy day, but officials judged the wind legal. Because of that ruling, the time went into the books. Today, no woman has run it faster.

Fans often cite her nickname, Flo-Jo, and she died in 1998 at the age of 38. Since then, her records have become even more famous. So when a sprinter nears 10.6, the whole sport takes notice. For instance, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce owns a personal best of 10.60, which is one of the closest.

Fastest 200m Times Ever

Next, the 200m records come from the same two names. Bolt ran 19.19 in Berlin in 2009, just days after his 100m record. He averaged about 10.4 metres per second over the full lap of the bend. In other words, he held his top speed for twice the distance of the 100m. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles has a personal best of 19.31, which is a closer modern mark.

Then, Flo-Jo’s 200m record came at the Seoul Olympics. Later, on 29 September 1988, she ran 21.34 in the final. Remarkably, she had broken the old record in the semifinal about 100 minutes earlier. So she set two world records in one afternoon. Thirty-eight years later, that 21.34 still leads the list.

Marathon World Records

The Men’s Record: 1:59:30

Then Sawe’s 1:59:30 changed everything. He ran it at the London Marathon on 26 April 2026. As a result, he became the first person to break two hours in a record-eligible race. On that day, Yomif Kejelcha also finished under two hours. Before that, the previous record was Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 from the Chicago Marathon on 8 October 2023.

Still, Eliud Kipchoge also deserves a mention. He ran 1:59:40 in a 2019 exhibition, but it didn’t count because pacers rotated. Later, he set an official 2:01:09 in 2022. So the road to Sawe’s mark took several years and many attempts.

The Women’s Records: 2:09:56 and 2:15:41

Meanwhile, Ruth Chepngetich holds the overall women’s record. Because she ran 2:09:56 at the 2024 Chicago Marathon on 13 October 2024. However, World Athletics also tracks a separate women-only record. That mark needs a separate start, and no male pacers can take part. In London on 26 April 2026, Tigst Assefa ran 2:15:41. As a result, she improved her own record by nine seconds.

Half Marathon Marks Worth Knowing

Meanwhile, the half marathon sits between the sprints and the full marathon. First, Yomif Kejelcha holds the men’s record of 56:51, set in Buenos Aires in 2026. For women, though, Letesenbet Gidey ran 1:02:52 in Valencia in October 2021. Meanwhile, Agnes Jebet Ngetich holds the women-only half marathon record of 1:05:15, set in September 2026. So the distance keeps producing fast headlines.

Because the half marathon often predicts marathon form, many fans track it closely. In fact, Kejelcha’s 2026 half marathon mark and his sub-two marathon show how quickly the top runners are improving. Both belong on any list of current World Athletics records.

Speed in Context: Sprint Versus Marathon

Comparing speeds helps explain why each record feels special. Bolt’s 100m average of about 37.6 km/h is nearly 1.8 times Sawe’s marathon speed. Meanwhile, Flo-Jo’s 10.49 works out to roughly 34.3 km/h. Sawe, by contrast, held about 21.2 km/h for two hours. So the sprinters win on raw speed, but the marathoner wins on endurance. Both types of World Athletics records test the limits of the human body.

How Long World Athletics Records Last

Age tells you how hard a record is to beat, so here’s how the oldest World Athletics records compare. Flo-Jo’s marks have lasted 38 years, which is the longest of the set. Bolt’s sprint records follow at 17 years. By contrast, Kiptum’s marathon record survived about two and a half years before Sawe broke it. Chepngetich’s 2:09:56 is two years old this month. So the sprint list changes slowly, while the marathon list moves fast. Meanwhile, marathon marks have fallen more often in recent years.

Can the Sprint Records Fall?

Fans love to ask whether any of today’s World Athletics records could fall soon, and whether anyone will catch Bolt. Thompson’s 9.75 is the best recent step, yet it still leaves a gap of 0.17 seconds. In sprinting, that’s enormous. One report also called 2026 the deepest men’s 100m season ever. Even so, the record still stands. For the women, the 10.49 and 21.34 marks look just as hard. Still, every new season brings fresh hope, so the debate never fades.

How World Athletics Records Get Approved

However, not every fast time counts. For the sprints, for instance, wind assistance must stay within the legal limit of 2.0 metres per second. Likewise, for the marathon, the course must measure 42.195 km. Our explainer on the marathon distance shows how that number came to be. After that, World Athletics must ratify the mark. Because of these rules, every one of the World Athletics records stands on firm ground.

Where World Athletics Records Meet Indian Athletics

Of course, Indian athletes chase the same lists. For instance, Gurindervir Singh set a national 100m record of 10.09 on 23 May 2026 in Ranchi. So that’s about half a second behind Bolt. Meanwhile, in the marathon, Sawan Barwal’s national mark of 2:11:37 sits about 12 minutes behind Sawe. Our guide to Indian marathon records covers those marks in detail.

Many of the fastest marathon times also come from a small set of races. In particular, the World Marathon Majors have produced most of the headline results. Because those races attract the best fields, they’re where new records usually appear. So anyone following World Athletics records should keep an eye on that calendar.

Key Takeaways

• Sprint records: Bolt owns 9.58 and 19.19, both set in Berlin in 2009.
• Oldest marks: Flo-Jo’s 10.49 and 21.34 date from 1988.
• Marathon: Sawe ran 1:59:30 in London on 26 April 2026.
• Women’s marathon: Chepngetich holds 2:09:56; Assefa holds the women-only mark of 2:15:41.
• Approval: Wind limits and a 42.195 km course keep records fair.

FAQs

Who holds the men’s 100m world record?

Usain Bolt holds it with 9.58, set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.

Who holds the women’s 200m world record?

Florence Griffith Joyner holds it with 21.34, set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

What is the men’s marathon world record?

Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 at the London Marathon on 26 April 2026.

What is the women’s marathon world record?

Ruth Chepngetich holds it with 2:09:56 from the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

What is the women-only marathon record?

Tigst Assefa ran 2:15:41 at the London Marathon on 26 April 2026.

Conclusion

World Athletics records mix old legends with new breakthroughs. Bolt and Flo-Jo still own the sprints, while Sawe has rewritten the marathon in 2026. Because the sprint marks have lasted so long, any challenge to them will draw huge attention. Meanwhile, the marathon list keeps moving fast. Together, the current World Athletics records show how far human speed can stretch.