The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the

sport of athletics Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing sports, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking ...

. It has been contested at the

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

since

1896 Events January–March * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end, as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports that Wil ...

for men and since

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

for women. The inaugural

World Championships A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

were in

1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to Internet protocol suite, TCP/IP is officially completed (this is consid ...

. The reigning 100 m Olympic or world champion is often named "the fastest man or woman in the world".

Fred Kerley Fredrick Lee Kerley (born May 7, 1995) is an American track and field sprinter known primarily for competing in the 400 meters distance but more recently the 100 meters and 200 meters. He has earned several medals at the World Championships in ...

and

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Order of Distinction, OD, Order of Jamaica , OJ (née Fraser; born December 27, 1986) is a Jamaican track and field Sprint (running), sprinter competing in the 60 metres, 60 metres, 100 metres, 100 m and 200 m ...

are the reigning

world champions A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

;

Marcell Jacobs Lamont Marcell Jacobs Jr. (born 26 September 1994) is an Italian track and field sprinter and former long jumper. He is the 2020 Olympic 100 metres champion, the 2022 60 metres world champion, the 2022 European 100 metres champion, and a memb ...

and

Elaine Thompson-Herah Elaine Sandra-Lee Thompson-Herah OD (née Thompson; born June 28, 1992) is a Jamaican sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 metres and 200 metres. Regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time, she is a five-time Olympic champi ...

are the men's and women's

Olympic Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

champions. On an outdoor 400-metre

running track An all-weather running track is a rubberized, artificial running surface for track and field athletics. It provides a consistent surface for competitors to test their athletic ability unencumbered by adverse weather conditions. Historically, v ...

, the 100 m is held on the

home straight {{about, the element of a track, , Straight (disambiguation) In many forms of racing, a straight or stretch is a part of the race track in which the competitors travel in a straight line for any significant time, as opposed to a bend or curve. The ...

, with the start usually being set on an extension to make it a straight-line race. There are three instructions given to the runners immediately before and at the beginning of the race: "on your marks," "set," and the firing of the

starter's pistol A starting pistol or starter pistol is a blank handgun that is fired to start track and field races, as well as competitive swimming races at some meets. Starter guns cannot fire real ammunition without first being extensively modified: Blank ...

. The runners move to the

starting blocks Starting blocks are a device used in the sport of track and field by sprint athletes to brace their feet against at the start of a race so they do not slip as they stride forward at the sound of the starter's pistol. The blocks also enable the sp ...

when they hear the 'on your marks' instruction. The following instruction, to adopt the 'set' position, allows them to adopt a more efficient starting posture and isometrically preload their muscles: this will help them to start faster. A race-official then fires the starter's pistol to signal the race beginning and the sprinters stride forwards from the blocks. Sprinters typically reach top speed after somewhere between 50 and 60 m. Their speed then slows towards the finish line. The

10-second barrier The 10-second barrier is the physical and psychological barrier of completing the 100 metres sprint in under ten seconds. The achievement is traditionally regarded as the hallmark of a world-class male sprinter. Its significance has become less i ...

has historically been a barometer of fast men's performances, while the best female sprinters take eleven seconds or less to complete the race. The current men's

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...

is 9.58 seconds, set by Jamaica's

Usain Bolt Usain St. Leo Bolt, , (; born 21 August 1986) is a retired Jamaican sprinter, widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time. He is the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and 4 × 100 metres relay. An eight- ...

in 2009, while the women's world record of 10.49 seconds set by American

Florence Griffith-Joyner Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner (born Florence Delorez Griffith; December 21, 1959 – September 21, 1998), also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete. She set world records in 1988 for the 100 m and 200 m. During the late ...

in 1988 remains unbroken. US athletes have won the men's Olympic 100 metres title more times than any other country, 16 out of the 28 times that it has been run. US women have also dominated the event, winning 9 out of 21 times.

Race dynamics

Start

At the start, some athletes play psychological games such as trying to be last to the

. At high level meets, the time between the gun and first kick against the starting block is measured electronically, via sensors built in the gun and the blocks. A reaction time less than 0.1 s is considered a

false start In sports, a false start is a disallowed start, usually due to a movement by a participant before (or in some cases after) being signaled or otherwise permitted by the rules to start. Depending on the sport and the event, a false start can result ...

. The 0.2-second interval accounts for the sum of the time it takes for the sound of the starter's pistol to reach the runners' ears, and the time they take to react to it. For many years a sprinter was disqualified if responsible for two false starts individually. However, this rule allowed some major races to be restarted so many times that the sprinters started to lose focus. The next iteration of the rule, introduced in February 2003, meant that one false start was allowed among the field, but anyone responsible for a subsequent false start was disqualified. This rule led to some sprinters deliberately false-starting to gain a psychological advantage: an individual with a slower

reaction time Mental chronometry is the scientific study of processing speed or reaction time on cognitive tasks to infer the content, duration, and temporal sequencing of mental operations. Reaction time (RT; sometimes referred to as "response time") is meas ...

might false-start, forcing the faster starters to wait and be sure of hearing the gun for the subsequent start, thereby losing some of their advantage. To avoid such abuse and to improve spectator enjoyment, the

IAAF World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation (from 1912 to 2001) and International Association of Athletics Federations (from 2001 to 2019, both abbreviated as the IAAF) is the international governing body for ...

implemented a further change in the 2010 season – a false starting athlete now receives immediate disqualification. This proposal was met with objections when first raised in 2005, on the grounds that it would not leave any room for innocent mistakes.

Justin Gatlin Justin Alexander Gatlin (born February 10, 1982) is a retired American sprinter who competed in the 60 meters, 100 meters, and 200 meters. He is the 2004 Olympic Champion in the 100 meters, the 2005 and 2017 World Champion in the 100 meters, ...

commented, "Just a flinch or a leg cramp could cost you a year's worth of work." The rule had a dramatic impact at the 2011 World Championships, when current world record holder Usain Bolt was disqualified.

Mid-race

Runners usually reach their top speed just past the halfway point of the race and progressively decelerate to the finish. Maintaining that top speed for as long as possible is a primary focus of training for the 100 m. Pacing and running tactics do not play a significant role in the 100 m, as success in the event depends more on pure athletic qualities and technique.

Finish

The winner, by IAAF Competition Rules, is determined by the first athlete with their

torso The torso or trunk is an anatomical term for the central part, or the core, of the body of many animals (including humans), from which the head, neck, limbs, tail and other appendages extend. The tetrapod torso — including that of a human � ...

(not including limbs, head, or neck) over the nearer edge of the finish line. There is therefore no requirement for the entire body to cross the finish line. When the placing of the athletes is not obvious, a

photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finis ...

is used to distinguish which runner was first to cross the line.

Climatic conditions

Climatic conditions, in particular air resistance, can affect performances in the 100 m. A strong head wind is very detrimental to performance, while a tail wind can improve performances significantly. For this reason, a maximum tail wind of 2.0 m/s is allowed for a 100 m performance to be considered eligible for records, or "wind legal". Furthermore, sprint athletes perform a better run at high altitudes because of the thinner air, which provides less air resistance. In theory, the thinner air would also make breathing slightly more difficult (due to the

partial pressure In a mixture of gases, each constituent gas has a partial pressure which is the notional pressure of that constituent gas as if it alone occupied the entire volume of the original mixture at the same temperature. The total pressure of an ideal gas ...

of oxygen being lower), but this difference is negligible for sprint distances where all the oxygen needed for the short dash is already in the muscles and bloodstream when the race starts. While there are no limitations on altitude, performances made at altitudes greater than 1000 m above sea level are marked with an "A".100 metres
IAAF

10-second barrier

The 10-second mark had been widely considered a barrier for the 100 metres in men's sprinting. The first man to break the 10 second barrier was

Jim Hines James Ray Hines (born September 10, 1946) is a retired American track and field athlete and NFL player, who held the 100-meter world record for 15 years. In 1968, he became the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100 me ...

at the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XIX Olimpiada) and commonly known as Mexico 1968 ( es, México 1968), were an international multi-sport eve ...

. Since then, numerous sprinters have run faster than 10 seconds.

Ethnicity

Only male sprinters have beaten the 100 m

, the vast majority of them being of

West African West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Ma ...

descent.

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

n (formerly

South-West Africa South West Africa ( af, Suidwes-Afrika; german: Südwestafrika; nl, Zuidwest-Afrika) was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990, after which it became modern-day Namibia. It bordered Angola (Portuguese colony before 1 ...

)

Frankie Fredericks Frank "Frankie" Fredericks (born 2 October 1967) is a former track and field athlete from Namibia. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996), making him Namibia's only ...

became the first man of non-West African heritage to achieve the feat in 1991 and in 2003 Australia's Patrick Johnson (an

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

with Irish heritage) became the first sub-10-second runner without an African background. In 2010, French sprinter

Christophe Lemaitre Christophe Lemaitre (; born 11 June 1990) is a French sprinter who specialises in the 100 and 200 metres. In 2010, Lemaitre became the first white athlete to break the 10-second barrier in an officially timed 100 m event. Lemaitre has run a su ...

became the first Caucasian to break the 10-second barrier. In 2017,

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...

i-born naturalized Turkish

Ramil Guliyev Ramil Guliyev ( az, Ramil Eldar oğlu Quliyev; born 29 May 1990) is an Azerbaijani-born Turkish sprinter. He competes in the 100 metres and 200 metres. At the 2017 World Championships, Guliyev became the World Champion in the 200 metres ...

followed and in 2018,

Filippo Tortu Filippo Tortu (born 15 June 1998) is an Italian sprinter with a personal best in the 100 meters of 9.99, the first Italian in history to break the 10 seconds barrier. He won the gold medal in 100 metres at the 2017 European U20 Championships a ...

became the first Italian to run under 10s. In the

Prefontaine Classic The Prefontaine Classic, an Oregon Track Club event, is one of the premier track and field meets in the United States, held in Eugene, Oregon. Every year it draws a world caliber field to compete at Hayward Field on the campus of the University o ...

2015 Diamond League meet at Eugene,

Su Bingtian Su Bingtian (; born 29 August 1989) is a professional Chinese track and field athlete specializing in the 100 metres event. , he is the only sprinter of non-African descent to run the 100 m with sub-9.90 and sub-9.85, and the first ever Asian-b ...

of China ran a time of 9.99 seconds, becoming the first East Asian athlete to officially break the 10-second barrier. On 1 August 2021, Su improved his Asian record at the Olympic semifinal in Tokyo with a time of 9.83. On 9 September 2017,

Yoshihide Kiryū is a Japanese sprinter who specializes in the 100 metres. Born in Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Kiryū played football while at elementary school and became interested in track and field at junior high school, as his brother took part in the sp ...

became the first man from Japan to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres, running a 9.98 (+1.8) at an intercollegiate meet in

Fukui is a Japanese name meaning "fortunate" or sometimes "one who is from the Fukui prefecture". It may refer to: Places * Fukui Domain, a part of the Japanese han system during the Edo period * Fukui Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan located in ...

. British sprinter

Adam Gemili Adam Ahmed Gemili (born 6 October 1993) is a British sprinter. He is the 2014 European champion at 200 metres, and 4 x 100 metres relay, and part of the Great Britain team that won gold in the 2017 World Championships in the same event. He ...

, an athlete with an Iranian-Moroccan ethnic background, became the first sprinter of Middle-Eastern and North African ancestry to legally break the barrier on 7 June 2015, having done so earlier in the same season with an excessive wind reading. On 3 July 2022,

Yupun Abeykoon Abeykoon Mudiyansalage Yupun Priyadarshana, known as Yupun Abeykoon, also referred to as Yupun Priyadarshana (born 31 December 1994) is a Sri Lankan track and field athlete and a national record holder in men's 100m, men's 200m and in men's ind ...

became the first Sri Lankan as well as first South Asian sprinter in history ever to break 10 second barrier when he won the Resisprint International 2022 title in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. Yupun's achievement also meant

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

became the 32nd country in the world to have a sub-10 sprinter and Yupun also became the 167th member of the sub-10 club.

Record performances

Major 100 m races, such as at the Olympic Games, attract much attention, particularly when the world record is thought to be within reach. The men's world record has been improved upon twelve times since electronic timing became mandatory in 1977. The current men's world record of 9.58 s is held by

of Jamaica, set at the

2009 World Athletics Championships The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics () were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg ...

final in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

on 16 August 2009, breaking his own previous world record by 0.11 s. The current women's world record of 10.49 s was set by

of the US, at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

, Indiana, on 16 July 1988 breaking

Evelyn Ashford Evelyn Ashford (born April 15, 1957) is an American retired track and field athlete, the 1984 Olympic Games, Olympic champion in the 100-meter dash. She ran under the 11-second barrier over 30 times and was the first to run under 11 seconds in a ...

's four-year-old world record by .27 seconds. The extraordinary nature of this result and those of several other sprinters in this race raised the possibility of a technical malfunction with the wind gauge which read at 0.0 m/s- a reading which was at complete odds to the windy conditions on the day with high wind speeds being recorded in all other sprints before and after this race as well as the parallel long jump runway at the time of the Griffith-Joyner performance. All scientific studies commissioned by the IAAF and independent organisations since have confirmed there was certainly an illegal tailwind of between 5 m/s – 7 m/s at the time. This should have annulled the legality of this result, although the IAAF has chosen not to take this course of action. The legitimate next best wind legal performance would therefore be Griffith-Joyner's 10.61s performance in the final the next day. Some records have been marred by prohibited drug use – in particular, the scandal at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

when the winner, Canadian

Ben Johnson Ben, Benjamin or Benny Johnson may refer to: In sports Association football *Ben Johnson (footballer, born 2000), English footballer * Ben Johnson (soccer) (born 1977), American soccer player Other codes of football *Ben Johnson (Australian footb ...

was stripped of his medal and world record.

Ronnie Ray Smith Ronald Ray Smith (March 28, 1949 – March 31, 2013) was an American athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He attended San Jose State College during the "Speed City" era, coached by Lloyd (Bud) Wi ...

and Charles Greene were the first to break the

in the 100 m, all on 20 June 1968, the

Night of Speed The Night of Speed was the rare occurrence when three men set the world record in the 100 metres in the same History On Thursday, June 20, 1968, two semi-final races were held as part of the AAU National Championships held at Hughes Stadium in ...

. Hines also recorded the first legal electronically timed sub-10 second 100 m in winning the 100 metres at the 1968 Olympics. Bob Hayes ran a wind-assisted 9.91 seconds at the 1964 Olympics.

Continental records

''Updated 16 July 2022''

Notes

* Represents a time set at a

high altitude Altitude or height (also sometimes known as depth) is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context ...

All-time top 25 men

Assisted marks

Any performance with a following wind of more than 2.0 metres per second is not counted for record purposes. Below is a list of

wind-assisted In track and field, wind assistance is the benefit that an athlete receives during a race or event as registered by a wind gauge. Wind is one of many forms of weather that can affect sport. Due to a tailwind helping to enhance the speed of the at ...

times (equal or superior to 9.80). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: *

ran 9.45 (+20 m/s) in 2011 on the Japanese TV show ''Kasupe!'' assisted by wind machines blowing at speeds over 25 metres per second. Due to the nature of the performance, World Athletics has not recognized it as a legitimate clocking. *

Tyson Gay Tyson Gay (born August 9, 1982) is an American track and field sprinter who competes in the 100 and 200 meters. His 100 m personal best of 9.69 seconds is the American record and makes him tied for the second fastest athlete over 100 m ...

(USA) ran 9.68 (+4.1 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast. As of the 2020 United States Census, Eu ...

on 29 June 2008. *

Obadele Thompson Obadele "Oba" Thompson BSS (born 30 March 1976) is a Barbados-born former sprinter, lawyer, author, and speaker. He won Barbados's first and only Olympic medal as an independent country by placing third in the 100 metres at the 2000 Sydney Olymp ...

(BAR) ran 9.69 (+5.7 m/s) at high altitude in

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...

on 13 April 1996, which stood as the fastest ever 100 metres time for 12 years. *

Andre De Grasse Andre De Grasse (born November 10, 1994) is a Canadian sprinter. A six-time Olympic medallist, De Grasse is the reigning Olympic champion in the 200 m, and also won the silver in the 200 m in 2016. He won a second silver in the 4×100 re ...

(CAN) ran 9.69 (+4.8 m/s) during the Diamond League in

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

on 18 June 2017, 9.74 (+2.9 m/s) during the Diamond League in

on 21 August 2021, and 9.75 (+2.7 m/s) during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 12 June 2015. * Richard Thompson (TTO) ran 9.74 (exact wind unknown) in

Clermont, Florida Clermont is a city in Lake County in central Florida, United States, about west of Orlando and southeast of Leesburg. The population was 43,021 in 2020. The city is residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, ...

on 31 May 2014. *

Darvis Patton Darvis "Doc" Darell Patton (born December 4, 1977) is a retired American track and field athlete who competed in sprinting events. He is a two-time US Champion in the 200-meter dash and won the silver medal in the event at the 2003 World Champi ...

(USA) ran 9.75 (+4.3 m/s) in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

on 30 March 2013. *

Trayvon Bromell Trayvon Jaquez Bromell (born July 10, 1995) is an American professional track and field athlete specializing in sprinting events. He was the first junior to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters with a time of 9.97 seconds, the former jun ...

(USA) ran 9.75 (+2.1 m/s) in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...

on 30 April 2022, 9.76 (+3.7 m/s) in

on 26 June 2015, and 9.77 (+4.2 m/s) in

Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northw ...

on 18 May 2014. *

Churandy Martina Churandy Thomas Martina (born 3 July 1984) is a Dutch sprinter from Curaçao, currently representing the Netherlands. Previously, he represented the Netherlands Antilles until its dissolution in 2010. His personal best time over 100 metres ...

(AHO) ran 9.76 (+6.1 m/s) at high altitude in

on 13 May 2006. *

Carl Lewis Frederick Carlton Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. His career spanned from 1979 to 1996, ...

(USA) ran 9.78 (+5.2 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 16 July 1988 and 9.80 (+4.3 m/s) during the World Championships in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

on 24 August 1991. * Maurice Greene (USA) ran 9.78 (+3.7 m/s) in

on 31 May 2004. * Ronnie Baker (USA) ran 9.78 (+2.4 m/s) during the Diamond League in

on 26 May 2018. *

(USA) ran 9.78 (+2.9 m/s) during the Diamond League in

on 21 August 2021. *

Andre Cason Andre Cason (born January 20, 1969) is an American former track and field sprinter. He was a member of the American 4 × 100 meters relay team that won the gold medal at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo with a world record time of 37.50&n ...

(USA) ran 9.79 (+5.3 m/s) and (+4.5 m/s) in

on 16 June 1993. *

Favour Ashe Favour Ashe (born 28 April 2002) is a Nigerian track and field athlete who competes in the short sprints. Ashe attended Otovwodo Grammar School in Ughelli, Nigeria before enrolling as a student at the University of Tennessee. Having only arrive ...

(NGR) ran 9.79 (+3.0 m/s) in

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of counties i ...

on 30 April 2022. *

Walter Dix Walter Dix (born January 31, 1986) is a retired American sprinter who specialized in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He is the sixth-fastest 200-meter runner ever with a best of 19.53 seconds, and has broken the 10-second barrier in the 100 ...

(USA) ran 9.80 (+4.1 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 29 June 2008. *

Mike Rodgers Michael Rodgers (born April 24, 1985) is an American professional track and field sprinter who specializes in the 100 m and the 60 m. He won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019. He is also the Pan-Am Games Champion. Caree ...

(USA) ran 9.80 (+2.7 m/s) in

on 31 May 2014 and 9.80 (+2.4 m/s) in

Sacramento, California ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento C ...

on 27 June 2014. *

Terrance Laird Terrance Laird (born October 12, 1998) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the 100 metres, 100 meters and 200 metres, 200 meters sprints. Career Laird's freshman year was at Pennsylvania State University, Penn State in 2017- ...

(USA) ran 9.80 (+3.2 m/s) in

College Station, Texas College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East-Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley, towards the eastern edge of the region known as the Texas Triangle. It is northwest of Houston and east-northeast of Austin. ...

on 15 May 2021. *

Marvin Bracy Marvin Bracy-Williams (born December 15, 1993) is an American sprinter, and a former American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles, and quit just prior to their 2013 national championship season to ...

(USA) ran 9.80 (+2.9 m/s) in

Montverde, Florida Montverde is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,655 at the 2020 census and an estimated 1,675 in 2018. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Montverde wa ...

on 4 June 2022.

Annulled marks

Tim Montgomery Timothy Montgomery (born January 28, 1975) is an American former track sprinter who specialized in the 100-meter dash. In 2005, he was stripped of his records—including a now-void men's 100-meter world record of 9.78 seconds set in 2002—a ...

ran 9.78 (+2.0 m/s) in Paris on 14 September 2002, which was at the time ratified as a world record. However, the record was rescinded in December 2005 following his indictment in the

BALCO scandal The BALCO scandal was a scandal involving the use of banned, performance-enhancing substances by professional athletes. The Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) was a San Francisco Bay Area business which supplied anabolic steroids to profes ...

on drug use and drug trafficking charges. The time had stood as the world record until Asafa Powell first ran 9.77. *

ran 9.79 (+1.1 m/s) at the Olympics in Seoul on 24 September 1988, but he was disqualified after he tested positive for

stanozolol Stanozolol (Abbreviation, abbrev. Stz), sold under many brand names, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication derived from dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is used to treat hereditary angioedema. It was developed by American pharmaceuti ...

after the race. He subsequently admitted to drug use between 1981 and 1988, and his time of 9.83 (+1.0 m/s) at the World Championships in Rome on 30 August 1987 was rescinded.

All-time top 25 women

Assisted marks

Any performance with a following wind of more than 2.0 metres per second is not counted for record purposes. Below is a list of

times (equal or superior to 10.81). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: *Assuming that the 10.49 run by

was aided by a +6.0 m/s tailwind, her personal best is 10.61, she also ran 10.54 (+3.0 m/s) on 25 September 1988 at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

and 10.60 (+3.2 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 16 July 1988. *

Blessing Okagbare Blessing Oghnewresem Okagbare-Otegheri (born 9 October 1988) is a former Nigerian track and field athlete who specialized in Long jump and sprints. She is an Olympic and World Championships medalist in the long jump, and a world medalist in th ...

(NGR) ran 10.63 (+2.7 m/s) in

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the List of cities in Africa by population, second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national ca ...

on 17 June 2021, 10.72 (+2.7 m/s) in

on 31 March 2018 and 10.75 (+2.2 m/s) in

on 1 June 2013. *

Brittany Brown Brittany Brown is an American female professional wrestler, former promoter and current trainer. She competed in the Ladies Professional Wrestling Association, The Fabulous Moolah's Ladies International Wrestling Association, as well as in Kille ...

(USA) ran 10.66 (+3.2 m/s) during the Michael Johnson Invitational in

Waco, Texas Waco ( ) is the county seat of McLennan County, Texas, United States. It is situated along the Brazos River and I-35, halfway between Dallas and Austin. The city had a 2020 population of 138,486, making it the 22nd-most populous city in the ...

on 24 April 2022. * Melissa Jefferson (USA) ran 10.69 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 24 June 2022. *

Tori Bowie Frentorish "Tori" Bowie (born August 27, 1990) is an American track and field athlete, who primarily competes in the 100 m and the 200 m. She has a personal record of for the long jump, set in 2014. She is the 2017 100m world champion, a 2016 O ...

(USA) ran 10.72 (+3.2 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 26 June 2015 and 10.74 (+3.1 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 3 July 2016. * Tawanna Meadows (USA) ran 10.72 (+4.5 m/s) in

on 6 May 2017. *

Aleia Hobbs Aleia Hobbs (born February 24, 1996) is an American professional track and field athlete specializing in the sprints. She won four national collegiate titles in 2018, winning the 60 m at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships, the ...

(USA) ran 10.72 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 24 June 2022, 10.80 (+3.3 m/s) during the

Mt. SAC Relays The Mt. SAC Relays are an annual track and field festival held primarily at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mt. San Antonio College campus in Walnut, California. The Relays are held in mid-April each year since the first edition held on April 24-25, 1 ...

Walnut, California Walnut is a city in the eastern part of Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 29,172, and in 2019 the population was estimated at 29,685. The greater Walnut Valley is located betw ...

on 16 April 2022. *

Cambrea Sturgis Cambrea Sturgis (born March 27, 1999) is an American professional track and field athlete specializing in the sprints. She won two national titles in 2021, winning the 100 m and the 200 m at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Champions ...

ran 10.74 (+2.2 m/s) in

on 12 June 2021. *

Twanisha Terry Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry (born January 24, 1999) is an American sprinter specializing in the 100 meters distance. She earned two major medals as part of U.S. women's 4 × 100 m relays, including gold at the 2022 World Athletics Championshi ...

(USA) ran 10.74 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 24 June 2022, 10.77 (+3.3 m/s) during the

on 16 April 2022, and 10.79 (+2.2 m/s) in

on 12 June 2021. *

Jenna Prandini Jenna Elizabeth Prandini (born November 20, 1992) is an American track and field athlete, known for sprinting, but originally began her career doing jumping events. She is a two-time national champion at 200 meters ( 2015, 2018), a 2016 Olympia ...

(USA) ran 10.75 (+4.3 m/s) in

on 4 June 2022 and 10.81 (+3.6 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 2 July 2016. *

Marshevet Hooker Marshevet Hooker (born September 25, 1984) is a professional sprinter, competing internationally for the United States and sponsored by adidas. Hooker participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing, China, finishing 5th in the 200 metres ...

(USA) ran 10.76 (+3.4 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 27 June 2008. *

Gail Devers Yolanda Gail Devers ( ; born November 19, 1966) is an American retired track and field sprinter who competed in the 60 metres, 60 m hurdles, 100 m and 100 m hurdles. One of the greatest and most decorated female sprinters of all time, she was t ...

(USA) ran 10.77 (+2.3 m/s) in

San Jose, California San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popul ...

on 28 May 1994. *

Ekaterini Thanou Ekaterini Thanou ( el, Αικατερίνη Θάνου, ; born 1 February 1975), also known as Katerina Thanou, is a Greek former sprinter. She won numerous medals in the 100 metres, including an Olympic silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics ...

(GRE) ran 10.77 (+2.3 m/s) in

Rethymno Rethymno ( el, Ρέθυμνο, , also ''Rethimno'', ''Rethymnon'', ''Réthymnon'', and ''Rhíthymnos'') is a city in Greece on the island of Crete. It is the capital of Rethymno regional unit, and has a population of more than 30,000 inhabitants ( ...

on 29 May 1999. *

Gwen Torrence Gwendolyn Lenna Torrence (born June 12, 1965) is a retired American sprinter and Olympic gold medalist. She was born in Decatur, Georgia. She attended Columbia High School and the University of Georgia. She was offered a scholarship because of ...

(USA) ran 10.78 (+5.0 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in

on 16 July 1988. * Muna Lee (USA) ran 10.78 (+3.3 m/s) in

on 26 June 2009. *

Tamari Davis Tamari Davis (born February 15, 2003) is an American sprinter. A native of Gainesville, Florida, Davis attended Gainesville High School (Florida), Gainesville High School, and Oak Hall School. On January 30, 2020, at the age of 16, Tamari signed ...

ran 10.78 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 24 June 2022, *

Marlies Göhr Marlies Göhr (née Oelsner, born 21 March 1958 in Gera, Bezirk Gera) is a former East German track and field athlete, the winner of the 100 metres at the inaugural World Championships in 1983. She ranked in the top 10 of the 100 m world r ...

(GDR) ran 10.79 (+3.3 m/s) in

Cottbus Cottbus (; Lower Sorbian: ''Chóśebuz'' ; Polish: Chociebuż) is a university city and the second-largest city in Brandenburg, Germany. Situated around southeast of Berlin, on the River Spree, Cottbus is also a major railway junction with exten ...

on 16 July 1980. * Pam Marshall (USA) ran 10.80 (+2.9 m/s) in

on 20 June 1986. *

Daryll Neita Daryll Neita (born 29 August 1996) is a British sprinter. In 2022, she won her first individual international medals, with bronze in the 100 metres at both the European Championships and Commonwealth Games. Neita claimed bronze for the 60 metr ...

(GB) ran 10.80 (+3.8 m/s) in

Manchester, UK Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The two ...

on 25 June 2022. *

Gabrielle Thomas Gabrielle Lisa Thomas (born December 7, 1996) is an American track-and-field athlete, who specializes in the 100 and 200 meters sprint. She won an individual bronze medal and a team silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Career Th ...

(USA) ran 10.80 (+3.2 m/s) during the Michael Johnson Invitational in

on 24 April 2022. *

Heike Drechsler Heike Gabriela Drechsler (; ; born 16 December 1964) is a German former track and field athlete who represented East Germany and later Germany. One of the most successful long jumpers of all-time, she is a former world record holder and ranks ...

(GDR) ran 10.80 (+2.8 m/s) in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

on 5 July 1986. *Tamara Clark (USA) ran 10.81 (+3.2 m/s) during the Michael Johnson Invitational in

on 24 April 2022 and 10.82 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in

on 24 June 2022, Notes: *Sha'Carri Richardson ran 10.64 (+2.6 m/s) at the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon on 19 June 2021, but her result was later nullified due to a positive test for cannabis (drug), cannabis. *Kelli White (USA) ran 10.79 (+2.3 m/s) in Carson, California on 1 June 2001. This performance was annulled in 2003 after she tested positive for modafinil.

Season's bests

Men

Women

Top 25 junior (under-20) men

Notes

*Trayvon Bromell's junior world record is also the age-18 world record. He also recorded the fastest wind-assisted (+4.2 m/s) time for a junior or age-18 athlete of 9.77 seconds on 18 May 2014 (age ). *Yoshihide Kiryu's time of 10.01 seconds matched the junior world record set by Darrel Brown and Jeff Demps, but was not ratified because of the type of wind gauge used. *British sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis recorded a time of 9.97 seconds on 4 August 2001 (age ), but the wind gauge malfunctioned. *Nigerian sprinter Davidson Ezinwa recorded a time of 10.05 seconds on 4 January 1990 (age ), but with no wind gauge. Below is a list of all other legal times equal or superior to 10.06: *Letsile Tebogo also ran 9.94 (2022), 9.96 (2022). *

also ran 10.01 (2014), 10.02 (2014), 10.07 (2014). *Yoshihide Kiryu also ran 10.05 (2014). *

also ran 10.06 (2012). *Abdul Hakim Sani Brown also ran 10.06 (2×2017).

Top 24 junior (under-20) women

Notes

*Briana Williams ran 10.94 s at the Jamaican Championships on 21 June 2019, which would have made her the fourth fastest junior female of all-time. However, she tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide during the competition. She was determined to be not at fault and received no period of ineligibility to compete, but her results from the Jamaican Championships were nullified. Below is a list of all other legal times equal or superior to 11.11: *

also ran 10.91 (2022). *Tina Clayton (athlete), Tina Clayton also ran 10.96 (2022), 11.09 (2021) *Briana Williams also ran 10.98 (2021), 11.00 (2021), 11.01 (2021), 11.02 (2019, 2021), 11.09 (2021), 11.10 (2019) and 11.11 (2019). *Sha'Carri Richardson also ran 10.99 (2×2019). *

also ran 11.03 (2018) and 11.08 (2018). *Marlies Gohr also ran 11.07 (1977) and 11.10 (1977). *Candace Hill also ran 11.07 (2016), 11.08 (2015) and 11.09 (2016). *Silke Gladisch-Moeller also ran 11.08 (1983). *Bianca Knight also ran 11.09 (2008) and 11.11 (2×2008). *Ángela Tenorio also ran 11.09 (2×2015) and 11.10 (2015). *Tina Clayton (athlete), Tina Clayton also ran 11.09 (2021). *Angela Williams (sprinter born 1980), Angela Williams (USA) also ran 11.11 (1998). *Kiara Grant also ran 11.11 (2019).

Top 22 Youth (under-18) boys

Notes

Below is a list of all other legal times equal or superior to 10.20: *Puripol Boonson also ran 10.12 (2022), 10.20 (2022).

Top 17 Youth (under-18) girls

Notes

*Briana Williams ran 10.94 s at the Jamaican Championships on 21 June 2019, which would have been a world under-18 best time. However, she tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide during the competition. She was determined to be not at fault and received no period of ineligibility to compete, but her results from the Jamaican Championships were nullified. Below is a list of all other legal times equal or superior to 11.24: *Briana Williams also ran 11.10 (2019), 11.11 (2019), 11.13 (2018), 11.21 (2018). *

also ran 11.15 (2020). *Tina Clayton (athlete), Tina Clayton also ran 11.17. *Kevona Davis also ran 11.24 (2017).

100 metres per age category

The best performances by 5- to 19-year-old athletes

Boys

Girls

Para world records men

''Updated September 2022''

Para world records women

''Updated June 2022''

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

Notes

References

External links

*
IAAF list of 100-metres records in XMLOlympics 100 m – MenOlympics 100 m – Women
{{DEFAULTSORT:100 Metres 100 metres, Events in track and field Sprint (running) Summer Olympic disciplines in athletics Articles containing video clips

Race dynamics

Start

Mid-race

Finish

Climatic conditions

10-second barrier

Ethnicity

Record performances

Continental records

Notes

All-time top 25 men

Assisted marks

Annulled marks

All-time top 25 women

Assisted marks

Season's bests

Men

Women

Top 25 junior (under-20) men

Notes

Top 24 junior (under-20) women

Notes

Top 22 Youth (under-18) boys

Notes

Top 17 Youth (under-18) girls

Notes

100 metres per age category

Boys

Girls

Para world records men

Para world records women

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

See also

Notes

References

External links