The World Athletics Championships is a biennial event which began in 1983. Organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the World Championships are a competition comprising track and field athletics events available to male and female athletes from any of the IAAF's 213 member federations. Championship records are set when an athlete achieves the best mark in an event at one of the editions of the Championships. World, area, and national records have been set at the championships over the course of its history.
Competitors at the World Championships come from around the globe and records have been broken by athletes from all six continents. The United States has been the most successful competitor at the World Championships in both medals and records.
Four athletes hold multiple records: Usain Bolt holds records in the 100 and 200 metres as well as the 4 × 100 relay Michael Johnson holds individual and relay records in the 400 metres Jackie Joyner-Kersee broke both the heptathlon and long jump records Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone holds records in the 400 meters, 400 metres hurdles as well as the 4 × 400 relay
Men
Key to tables:
Note: World records in bold are current world records, those in bold italics are former world records Statistics are correct as of September 2025 EventRecordNameLocationDateVideo 100 m 9.58 Berlin 16 August 2009 200 m 19.19 Berlin 20 August 2009 400 m 43.18 Sevilla 26 August 1999800 m1:41.86 Tokyo 20 September 2025 1500 m 3:27.65 Sevilla 24 August 1999 5000 m 12:52.79 Paris 31 August 2003 10,000 m 26:46.31 Berlin 17 August 2009 Marathon 2:05:36 Eugene 17 July 2022 110 m hurdles 12.91 WR Stuttgart 20 August 1993 400 m hurdles 46.29 Eugene 19 July 2022 3000 m steeplechase 8:00.43 Berlin 18 August 2009 High jump 2.41 m Moscow 15 August 2013 Pole vault 6.30 m WR Tokyo 15 September 2025 Long jump 8.95 m Tokyo 30 August 1991 Triple jump 18.29 m Gothenburg 7 August 1995Shot put23.51 m Budapest19 August 2023Discus throw71.46 m Budapest21 August 2023Hammer throw84.70 m Tokyo16 September 2025 Javelin throw 92.80 m Edmonton 12 August 2001Decathlon9045 pts Beijing28–29 August 2015 20 km walk (road) 1:17:21 Paris 23 August 200335 km walk (road)2:23:14 Eugene24 July 20224 × 100 m relay37.04 Nesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt Daegu4 September 20114 × 400 m relay2:54.29 Andrew Valmon Quincy WattsButch ReynoldsMichael Johnson Stuttgart22 August 1993Results – 4 X 400 METRES – Men – Final . IAAF (1993-08-22). Retrieved on 2009-05-08.
+ Key:World recordArea recordNational recordAthlete's personal best
Past events EventRecordNameLocationDate50 km walk (road)(defunct since 2019)3:33:12 London13 August 2017
Decathlon disciplines EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace100 m10.23Ashton Eaton28 August 20152015 World ChampionshipsBeijing, ChinaLong jump8.07 mTomáš Dvořák6 August 20012001 World ChampionshipsEdmonton, CanadaShot put17.54 mMike Smith5 August 19971997 World ChampionshipsAthens, GreeceHigh jump2.25 mChristian Schenk3 September 19871987 World ChampionshipsRome, Italy400 m45.00Ashton Eaton28 August 20152015 World ChampionshipsBeijing, China110 m hurdles13.55Frank Busemann6 August 19971997 World ChampionshipsAthens, GreeceDiscus throw56.15 mLeo Neugebauer21 September 20252025 World ChampionshipsTokyo, JapanPole vault5.50 mSébastien Levicq25 August 19991999 World ChampionshipsSeville, SpainJavelin throw79.05 mNiklas Kaul3 October 20192019 World ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar1500 m4:11.82Beat Gähwiler30 August 19911991 World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan
Women
Note: World records in bold are current world records, those in bold italics are former world records Statistics are correct as of September 2025 EventRecordNameLocationDateVideo100 m10.61 Tokyo14 September 2025200 m21.41 Budapest25 August 2023400 m47.78 Tokyo18 September 2025800 m1:54.62 Tokyo21 September 20251500 m3:51.95 Doha5 October 20195000 m14:26.72 Doha5 October 201910,000 m30:04.18 Paris23 August 2003100 m hurdles12.12 WR Eugene24 July 202212.06 Eugene24 July 2022400 m hurdles50.68 Eugene22 July 20223000 m steeplechase8:51.59 Tokyo17 September 2025Marathon2:18:11 Eugene18 July 2022High jump2.09 m Rome30 August 1987Pole vault5.01 m Helsinki12 August 2005Peters, Samuel (2005-08-12). 5.01m Pole Vault WORLD RECORD – Guess who?. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-05-08.Long jump7.36 m Rome4 September 1987Triple jump15.50 m Gothenburg10 August 1995Shot put21.24 m Rome5 September 1987 Daegu 29 August 2011Discus throw71.62 m Rome31 August 1987Hammer throw80.85 m Beijing27 August 2015Javelin throw71.70 m Helsinki14 August 200571.99 m Daegu2 September 2011Heptathlon7128 pts Rome31 August – 1 September 198720 km walk (road)1:25:41 Helsinki7 August 200535 km walk (road)2:38:40 Budapest24 August 20234 × 100 m relay41.03Tamari DavisTwanisha TerryGabrielle ThomasSha'Carri Richardson Budapest26 August 20234 × 400 m relay3:16.61Isabella WhittakerLynna Irby-JacksonAaliyah ButlerSydney McLaughlin-Levrone Tokyo21 September 2025
+ Key:World recordArea recordNational recordAthlete's personal best
Past events EventRecordNameLocationDate3000 m(defunct since 1993)8:28.71 Stuttgart16 August 199310,000 m walk (track)(defunct since 1997)42:55.49 Athens7 August 199710 km walk (road)(defunct since 1995)42:13 Gothenburg7 August 199550 km walk (road)(defunct since 2019)4:05:56 London13 August 2017
Heptathlon disciplines EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace100 m hurdles12.58 Kendell Williams2 October 20192019 World ChampionshipsDoha, QatarHigh jump1.95 mCarolina Klüft25 August 20072007 World ChampionshipsOsaka, JapanNafissatou Thiam5 August 20172017 World ChampionshipsLondon, United KingdomYorgelis Rodríguez5 August 20172017 World ChampionshipsLondon, United KingdomKatarina Johnson-Thompson2 October 20192019 World ChampionshipsDoha, QatarNafissatou ThiamNafissatou Thiam17 July 20222022 World ChampionshipsEugene, United StatesShot put17.03 mAustra Skujytė25 August 20072007 World ChampionshipsOsaka, Japan200 m22.84Dafne Schippers12 August 20132013 World ChampionshipsMoscow, RussiaLong jump7.14 mJackie Joyner-Kersee1 September 19871987 World ChampionshipsRome, ItalyJavelin throw59.57 mAnouk Vetter20 August 20232023 World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary800 m2:04.09Anna Hall20 August 20232023 World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary
Mixed Note: World records in bold are current world records, those in bold italics are former world records
EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace4 × 400 m relay3:08.80 WRJustin Robinson (44.47)Rosey Effiong (50.38)Matthew Boling (45.13)Alexis Holmes (48.82)19 August 20232023 World ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary3:08.80Bryce DeadmonLynna Irby-JacksonJenoah McKiverAlexis Holmes13 September 20252025 World ChampionshipsTokyo, Japan
See also List of world records in athletics List of Olympic records in athletics List of Commonwealth Games records in athletics List of European Athletics Championships records
References General Official record tables. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-06-17. Competition websites. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-05-09.
Specific