The 2 mile (3,520 yards, 10,560 feet, or exactly 3,218.688 metres) is a historic running distance. Like the mile run, it is still contested at some invitational meets due its historical chronology in the United States and United Kingdom. It has been largely superseded by the 3000 m (approximately 1.864 miles) and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions (18.688m short of 2 miles). The IAAF no longer keeps official world records for this distance; they are called world best instead.
The world best for men is 7:54.10 set by Jakob Ingebrigtsen on 9 June 2023 in Paris. Ingebrigtsen, along with previous world best holder Daniel Komen, are the only people to have run the distance in under 8 minutes, and thus covered two miles at an average sub-four-minute mile pace. The women's record is 8:58.58, set by Ethiopian Meseret Defar in Brussels, Belgium on 14 September 2007.
Continental Bests
- Correct as of October 2024. Source: World Athletics
Key
- WB = World best
- (i) = Indoor performance
All-time top 25
- Mx = mixed race
Men (outdoor)
- Correct as of June 2023.
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 8:07.46:
- Daniel Komen also ran 7:58.91 (1998), 8:03.54 (1996).
- Haile Gebrselassie also ran 8:01.72 (1999), 8:01.86 (1999), 8:07.46 (1995).
Women (outdoor)
- Correct as of May 2022.
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:14.55:
- Francine Niyonsaba also ran 9:00.75 (2021).
- Meseret Defar also ran 9:10.47 (2007)
- Mercy Cherono also ran 9:13.27 (2014).
Men (indoor)
- Correct as of February 2024.
Women (indoor)
- Correct as of February 2024.
Notes
Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:13.94:
- Meseret Defar also ran 9:06.26 (2009), 9:10.50 (2008)
World Best Performance Progression
Men
Outdoors
Indoors
Women
Outdoors
Indoors
US high school boys progression
Note: this list only covers boys because the history of 2 mile running largely occurred before Title IX, before high school girls were allowed to compete, which occurred about the same time as conversion to metric distances.
See also
- Long-distance track event
- World records in athletics
Notes
External links
- World Record progression in men's running events
- World Records Set in Britain
- World Records and Best Performances
- Track and Field all-time Performances Homepage – Men's 2 miles
- Track and Field all-time Performances Homepage – Women's 2 miles
