100 m sprint
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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 eve ...
competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics 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 ...
for men and since 1928 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 TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...
. The reigning 100 m Olympic or world champion is often named "the fastest man or woman in the world". Fred Kerley and
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce OD, OJ (née Fraser; born December 27, 1986) is a Jamaican track and field sprinter competing in the 60 metres, 100 m and 200 m. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. On ...
are the reigning world champions; Marcell Jacobs 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 cham ...
are the men's and women's Olympic 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 s ...
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 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-ti ...
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 1 ...
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
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 s ...
. 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 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, the ...
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 huma ...
(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 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 10-second barrier, the vast majority of them being of
West African West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, ...
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) Frankie Fredericks 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 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 t ...
i-born naturalized Turkish Ramil Guliyev followed and in 2018, Filippo Tortu 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 ...
2015 Diamond League meet at Eugene, Su Bingtian 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 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. 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 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. Yupun's achievement also meant Sri Lanka 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
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-ti ...
of Jamaica, set at the 2009 World Athletics Championships final in
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...
,
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
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 1 ...
of the US, at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, Indiana, on 16 July 1988 breaking Evelyn Ashford'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 foot ...
was stripped of his medal and world record.
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 ...
,
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) W ...
and Charles Greene were the first to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m, all on 20 June 1968, the Night of Speed. 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.


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 times (equal or superior to 9.80). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: *
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, the ...
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 on 29 June 2008. * Obadele Thompson (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 on 18 June 2017, 9.74 (+2.9 m/s) during the Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on 21 August 2021, and 9.75 (+2.7 m/s) during the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon 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 (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 seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
on 30 March 2013. * Trayvon Bromell (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 List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
on 30 April 2022, 9.76 (+3.7 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 26 June 2015, and 9.77 (+4.2 m/s) in Lubbock, Texas 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 metre ...
(AHO) ran 9.76 (+6.1 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 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 Indianapolis on 16 July 1988 and 9.80 (+4.3 m/s) during the World Championships in
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on 24 August 1991. * Maurice Greene (USA) ran 9.78 (+3.7 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 31 May 2004. * Ronnie Baker (USA) ran 9.78 (+2.4 m/s) during the Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on 26 May 2018. * Fred Kerley (USA) ran 9.78 (+2.9 m/s) during the Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon 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 4 (four) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 3 and preceding 5. It i ...
(USA) ran 9.79 (+5.3 m/s) and (+4.5 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 16 June 1993. * Favour Ashe (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 ...
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 10 ...
(USA) ran 9.80 (+4.1 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon 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. Career ...
(USA) ran 9.80 (+2.7 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon 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 ...
on 27 June 2014. *
Terrance Laird Terrance Laird (born October 12, 1998) is an American track and field athlete specializing in the 100 meters and 200 meters sprints. Career Laird's freshman year was at Penn State in 2017-18, where he won the Men's Freshman of the Year award ...
(USA) ran 9.80 (+3.2 m/s) in
College Station, Texas College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, 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-n ...
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 t ...
(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 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. *
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 foot ...
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 ( 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 pharmaceutical company W ...
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 wind-assisted times (equal or superior to 10.81). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: *Assuming that the 10.49 run by
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 1 ...
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 vari ...
and 10.60 (+3.2 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis on 16 July 1988. * Blessing Okagbare (NGR) ran 10.63 (+2.7 m/s) in
Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...
on 17 June 2021, 10.72 (+2.7 m/s) in
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
on 31 March 2018 and 10.75 (+2.2 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon 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 st ...
on 24 April 2022. * Melissa Jefferson (USA) ran 10.69 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on 24 June 2022. * Tori Bowie (USA) ran 10.72 (+3.2 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on 26 June 2015 and 10.74 (+3.1 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon on 3 July 2016. * Tawanna Meadows (USA) ran 10.72 (+4.5 m/s) in Lubbock, Texas on 6 May 2017. * Aleia Hobbs (USA) ran 10.72 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on 24 June 2022, 10.80 (+3.3 m/s) during the Mt. SAC Relays in
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 ran 10.74 (+2.2 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 12 June 2021. * Twanisha Terry (USA) ran 10.74 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon on 24 June 2022, 10.77 (+3.3 m/s) during the Mt. SAC Relays in
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, and 10.79 (+2.2 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 12 June 2021. * Jenna Prandini (USA) ran 10.75 (+4.3 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 and 10.81 (+3.6 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon on 2 July 2016. * Marshevet Hooker (USA) ran 10.76 (+3.4 m/s) during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon 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 popu ...
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 Indianapolis on 16 July 1988. * Muna Lee (USA) ran 10.78 (+3.3 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 26 June 2009. * Tamari Davis ran 10.78 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon 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 exte ...
on 16 July 1980. * Pam Marshall (USA) ran 10.80 (+2.9 m/s) in Eugene, Oregon on 20 June 1986. * Daryll Neita (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 Tho ...
(USA) ran 10.80 (+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 st ...
on 24 April 2022. * Heike Drechsler (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 ...
on 5 July 1986. * Tamara Clark (USA) ran 10.81 (+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 st ...
on 24 April 2022 and 10.82 (+2.9 m/s) during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon 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 ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
. * 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 Mark Anthony Lewis-Francis, MBE (born 4 September 1982) is a retired British track and field athlete, specifically a sprinter, who specialised in the 100 metres and was an accomplished regular of GB 4 x 100m relay. A renowned junior, his great ...
recorded a time of 9.97 seconds on 4 August 2001 (age ), but the wind gauge malfunctioned. *Nigerian sprinter
Davidson Ezinwa Davidson Ezinwa (born 22 November 1971) is a former sprinter from Nigeria. He won a silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as a silver medal at the 1997 World Championships, both in 4 x 100 metres relay. He also won a 60 metres si ...
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). * Trayvon Bromell also ran 10.01 (2014), 10.02 (2014), 10.07 (2014). * Yoshihide Kiryu also ran 10.05 (2014). *
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 ...
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 Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic medication often used to treat high blood pressure and swelling due to fluid build-up. Other uses include treating diabetes insipidus and renal tubular acidosis and to decrease the risk of kidney stones in ...
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: * Tamari Davis also ran 10.91 (2022). * 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). * Twanisha Terry 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 also ran 11.09 (2021). * 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 Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic medication often used to treat high blood pressure and swelling due to fluid build-up. Other uses include treating diabetes insipidus and renal tubular acidosis and to decrease the risk of kidney stones in ...
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). * Tamari Davis also ran 11.15 (2020). * 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


See also

*
100-yard dash 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length&nb ...
*
List of 100 metres national champions (men) Below a list of all national champions in the men's 100 metres in track and field from several countries since 1970. Argentina *1970: Pedro Bassart *1971: Pedro Bassart *1972: Pedro Bassart *1973: Gustavo Dubarbier *1974: Pedro Bassart *19 ...
* List of 100 metres national champions (women) * Men's 100 metres world record progression * Women's 100 metres world record progression * 2018 in 100 metres * 2019 in 100 metres * 2020 in 100 metres


Notes


References


External links

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