Women's 100 metres world record progression

Women's 100 metres world record progression as ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. For greater legibility, times which equal the record in the same calendar year are not shown. Note *: The zero wind measurement is disputed.

The first world record in the 100 metres sprint for women was recognised by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale (FSFI) in 1922. The FSFI was absorbed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 1936. The current record is 10.49 seconds set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.

To June 21, 2009, the IAAF (and the FSFI before it) have ratified 43 world records in the event.[1]

Records 1922–1976

ratified
not ratified

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Wind" column indicates the wind assistance in metres per second, 2.0 m/s the current maximum allowable, a negative indicates the mark was set running into a wind; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th or 100th of a second, depending on the rules then in place. A "y" indicates a distance measured in yards and ratified as a world record in this event.

Time Wind Auto Athlete Nationality Location Date
13.6 Marie Mejzlíková  Czechoslovakia Prague, Czechoslovakia August 5, 1922[1]
12.8 Mary Lines  United Kingdom Paris, France August 20, 1922[1]
12.7
(110y) 		Emmi Haux  Germany Frankfurt, Germany May 21, 1923
12.8 Marie Mejzlíková  Czechoslovakia Prague, Czechoslovakia May 13, 1923
12.4 Leni Schmidt  Germany Leipzig, Germany August 30, 1925
12.2
(110y) 		Leni Junker  Germany Wiesbaden, Germany September 13, 1925
12.4 Gundel Wittmann  Germany Braunschweig, Germany August 22, 1926[1]
12.2 Leni Junker  Germany Hanover, Germany August 29, 1926
12.1
(110y) 		Gertrud Gladitsch  Germany Stuttgart, Germany July 3, 1927
12.2 Kinue Hitomi  Japan Osaka, Japan May 20, 1928[1]
12.0 Betty Robinson  United States Chicago, Illinois, United States June 2, 1928
12.0 Myrtle Cook  Canada Halifax, Canada July 2, 1928[1]
12.0 Leni Junker  Germany Magdeburg, Germany August 1, 1931
12.0 Tollien Schuurman  Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands August 31, 1930[1]
11.9 Tollien Schuurman  Netherlands Haarlem, Netherlands June 5, 1932[1]
11.9 Stanisława Walasiewicz[2]  Poland Los Angeles, United States August 1, 1932[1]
11.9 Hilda Strike  Canada Los Angeles, United States August 2, 1932
11.8 Stanisława Walasiewicz[2]  Poland Poznań, Poland September 17, 1933[1]
11.9 Käthe Krauß  Germany London, England August 11, 1934
11.7 Stanisława Walasiewicz[2]  Poland Warsaw, Poland August 26, 1934[1]
11.9 Helen Stephens  United States Fulton, United States April 10, 1935
11.8 Helen Stephens  United States Saint Louis, United States June 1, 1935
11.6 Helen Stephens  United States Kansas City, United States June 8, 1935[1]
11.5 Helen Stephens  United States Dresden, Germany August 10, 1936
11.6 Stanisława Walasiewicz[2]  Poland Berlin, Germany August 1, 1937[1]
11.5 Lulu Mae Hymes  United States Tuskegee May 6, 1939
11.5 Rowena Harrison  United States Tuskegee May 6, 1939
11.5 Fanny Blankers-Koen  Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands September 5, 1943
11.5 Fanny Blankers-Koen  Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands June 13, 1948[1]
11.5 1.7 11.65 Marjorie Jackson  Australia Helsinki, Finland July 22, 1952
11.4 1.7 Marjorie Jackson  Australia Gifu, Japan October 4, 1952[1]
11.3 1.4 Shirley Strickland  Australia Warsaw, Poland August 4, 1955
11.3 1.4 Vera Krepkina  Soviet Union Kyiv, Soviet Union September 13, 1958[1]
11.3 0.8 11.41 Wilma Rudolph  United States Rome, Italy September 2, 1960[1]
11.2 0.7 Wilma Rudolph  United States Stuttgart, West Germany July 19, 1961[1]
11.2 0.2 11.23 Wyomia Tyus  United States Tokyo, Japan October 15, 1964[1]
11.1 2.0 Ewa Kłobukowska  Poland Prague, Czechoslovakia July 9, 1965[note 1][3]: 247 
11.1 2.0 Irena Kirszenstein  Poland Prague, Czechoslovakia July 9, 1965[1]
11.1 0.2 Wyomia Tyus  United States Kyiv, Soviet Union July 31, 1965[1]
11.1 0.3 Barbara Ferrell  United States Santa Barbara, United States July 2, 1967[1]
11.1 Wyomia Tyus  United States Mexico City, Mexico April 21, 1968
11.1 0.0 Lyudmila Samotyosova  Soviet Union Leninakan, Soviet Union August 15, 1968[1]
11.1 Margaret Bailes  United States Aurora, Philippines August 18, 1968
11.1 Barbara Ferrell  United States Mexico City, Mexico October 14, 1968
11.1 1.8 11.20 Irena Szewińska  Poland Mexico City, Mexico October 14, 1968[1]
11.0 1.2 11.08
(adjusted) 		Wyomia Tyus  United States Mexico City, Mexico October 15, 1968[1]
11.0 1.9 11.22 Chi Cheng  Republic of China (Taiwan) Vienna, Austria July 18, 1970[1]
11.0 1.9 Renate Meißner  East Germany Berlin, East Germany August 2, 1970[1]
11.0 1.7 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Berlin, East Germany July 31, 1971[1]
11.0 −1.5 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Potsdam, East Germany June 3, 1972[1]
11.0 1.9 Ellen Strophal  East Germany Potsdam, East Germany June 15, 1972[1]
11.0 1.4 Eva Glesková  Czechoslovakia Budapest, Hungary July 1, 1972[1]
10.9 1.9 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Ostrava, Czechoslovakia June 7, 1973[1]
10.9 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Leipzig, East Germany June 30, 1973
10.8 1.8 11.07 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Dresden, East Germany July 20, 1973[1]

Records from 1975

From 1975, the IAAF accepted separate automatically electronically timed records for events up to 400 metres. Starting January 1, 1977, the IAAF required fully automatic timing to the hundredth of a second for these events.[1]

Wyomia Tyus's 1968 Olympic gold medal performance and Renate Stecher's 1972 Olympic championship win, both in 11.07, were the fastest recorded fully electronic 100-metre races to that time and were ratified as world records. However, Tyus's 11.07 was later adjusted to 11.08.[1]

Time Wind Athlete Nationality Location Date
11.07 1.2 Wyomia Tyus  United States Mexico City, Mexico October 15, 1968[1]
11.07 0.2 Renate Stecher (née Meißner)  East Germany Munich, West Germany September 2, 1972[1]
11.04 0.6 Inge Helten  West Germany Fürth, West Germany June 13, 1976[1]
11.01 0.6 Annegret Richter  West Germany Montreal, Canada July 25, 1976[1]
10.88 2.0 Marlies Oelsner  East Germany Dresden, East Germany July 1, 1977[1]
10.88 1.9 Marlies Göhr  East Germany Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany July 9, 1982[1]
10.81 1.7 Marlies Göhr  East Germany Berlin, East Germany June 8, 1983[1]
10.79 0.6 Evelyn Ashford  United States US Air Force Academy, United States July 3, 1983[1]
10.76 1.7 Evelyn Ashford  United States Zürich, Switzerland August 22, 1984[1]
10.49 0.0* Florence Griffith-Joyner  United States Indianapolis, United States July 16, 1988[1]

*There is controversy over Griffith-Joyner's world record as questions have been raised as to whether the wind actually was zero, as indicated by the trackside anemometer. The triple-jump anemometer, some 10 metres away, read 4.3 m/s, more than double the acceptable limit.[4] Despite the controversy, the record was ratified by the IAAF.

Had this mark been ignored, the progression would have continued as follows:[3]: 250 

Time Wind Athlete Nationality Location Date
10.70 1.6 Florence Griffith-Joyner  United States Indianapolis, United States July 17, 1988[3]
10.61 1.2 Florence Griffith-Joyner  United States Indianapolis, United States July 17, 1988[3]
10.61 −0.6 Elaine Thompson-Herah  Jamaica Tokyo, Japan July 31, 2021[5]
10.54 0.9 Elaine Thompson-Herah  Jamaica Eugene, United States August 21, 2021[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Ewa Kłobukowska ran 11.1 to set a new world record along with teammate Irena Kirszenstein. But she was disqualified from competition in 1967 owing to a chromosome defect, and her world record was rescinded in 1970.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. pp. Pages 546, 640. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d Later identified as suffering from an inter-sex condition, and possible mosaicism.
  3. ^ a b c d Hymans, Richard; Matrahazi, Imre. "IAAF World Records Progression" (PDF) (2015 ed.). International Association of Athletics Federations. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  4. ^ "ESPN Classics". Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
  5. ^ "Athletics - Final results - Women's 100m". olympics.com. Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Archived from the original on 2021-07-31. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  6. ^ "Results - 100m Women" (PDF). eugene.diamondleague.com. Wanda Diamond League, Eugene 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-22.