60 metres, or 60-meter dash, is a sprint event in track and field. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At indoor events, the 60 metres is run on lanes set out in the middle of the 'field', as is the hurdles event over the same distance, thus avoiding some of the effects of the banked track encircling the venue, upon which other track events in indoor events are run. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes. The format of the event is similar to other sprint distances. The sprinters follow three initial instructions: 'on your marks', instructing them to take up position in the starting blocks; 'set', instructing them to adopt a more efficient starting posture, which also isometrically preloads their muscles. This will enable them to start faster. The final instruction is the firing of the starter's pistol. Upon hearing this the sprinters stride forwards from the blocks.
The 60 metres was an Olympic event in the 1900 and 1904 Summer Games but was removed from the schedule thereafter. American Christian Coleman currently holds the men's world record in the 60 metres with a time of 6.34 seconds,
In the past, it was common for athletes to compete in the 60 yards (54.86 m) race. This is not part of the lineage of the 60 metres, but is the predecessor of the 55 metres race. 60 metres is 65.6168 yards.
Area records
- Indoor results only.
- Updated 19 May 2026.
{| class="wikitable defaultleft col-5center col6center"
|-
!scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2| Area
!scope="colgroup" colspan=3| Men
!scope="colgroup" colspan=3| Women
|-
!scope="col"| Time<br>(s)
!scope="col"| Season
!scope="col"| Athlete
!scope="col"| Time<br>(s)
!scope="col"| Season
!scope="col"| Athlete
|-
!scope="row"| World
| 6.34 || 2018 ||
| 6.92 || 1995 ||
|-
!colspan=7| Area records
|-
!scope="row" rowspan=2| Africa
| 6.45 || 1999 ||
|rowspan=2| 6.97 ||rowspan=2| 2018 ||rowspan=2|
|-
| 6.45 ||style="text-align:center;"| 2026 ||
|-
!scope="row"| Asia
| 6.42 || 2018 ||
| 7.09 || 1999 ||
|-
!scope="row"| Europe
| 6.41 || 2022 ||
| 6.92 || 1995 ||
|-
!scope="rowgroup" rowspan=2| North, Central America<br>and Caribbean
|rowspan=2| 6.34 ||rowspan=2| 2018 ||rowspan=2|
|rowspan=2| 6.94 ||rowspan=2| 2023 ||
|-
|
|-
!scope="row"| Oceania
| 6.50 || 2025 ||
| 7.06 || 2024 ||
|-
!scope="row"| South America
| 6.52 || 2009 ||
| 7.09 || 2026 ||
|}
All-time top 25
Indoor results only
{| style="wikitable"
|Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 60m times and the top 25 athletes:
|-
| style="background: #f6F5CE" |- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 60m times
|-
|- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 60m times, by repeat athletes
|-
| style="background: #CCFFCC" |- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 60m times
|}
Men
Updated March 2026.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! !! !! Time (s) !! Athlete !! Nation !! Date !! Place !! class="unsortable" |
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|1 || align=center|1 || 6.34 || Christian Coleman || || 18 February 2018 || Albuquerque ||
|-
| rowspan=2| || rowspan=2 align=center|2 || rowspan=2|6.37 || Coleman #2 || rowspan=2| || 19 January 2018 || Clemson ||
|-
| Coleman #3 || 3 March 2018 || Birmingham ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | || rowspan="2" align="center" |8 || rowspan="2"|6.41 || Coleman #4 || rowspan="2" | || 19 March 2022 || Belgrade ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|4 || align=center|8 || 6.41 || Jordan Anthony || || 20 March 2026 || Toruń ||
|-
| || align="center" |14 || 6.42 || Greene #5|| || 7 March 1999 || Maebashi ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align="center" |7 || align="center" |14 || 6.42 || Dwain Chambers|| || 7 March 2009 || Turin ||
|-
| || align="center" |14 || 6.42 || Coleman #6|| || 18 February 2018 || Albuquerque ||
|-bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| Trayvon Bromell
|
|10 February 2023
|Clemson
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |
| align="center"|14 || 6.42 || Bromell #2 || rowspan="2" | ||20 March 2026 || Toruń ||
|-
| align="center" |20 || 6.43 || Greene #6 || 1 February 1998 || Stuttgart ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|10 || align="center" |20 || 6.43 || Tim Harden || || 7 March 1999 || Maebashi ||
|-
| | || align=center|20 || 6.43 || Su #2 || || 6 February 2018 || Düsseldorf ||
|-bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
|align=center|10
|align=center|20
|6.43
|Noah Lyles
|
|17 February 2024
|Albuquerque
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|
|rowspan="3" align="center"|20
|rowspan="3"|6.43
|Coleman #7
|rowspan="3"|
|1 March 2024
|Glasgow
|
|-
|Anthony #3
|20 March 2026
|Toruń
|
|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| Marvin Bracy || || 19 March 2022 || Belgrade ||
|-bgcolor=#CCFFCC
|Ackeem Blake
|
|4 February 2024
|Boston
|
|-bgcolor=#CCFFCC
|Kayinsola Ajayi
|
|26 February 2026
|College Station
|
|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|Jeremiah Azu
|
|20 March 2026
|Toruń
|
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Malachi Snow || || 28 February 2026 || Lubbock ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Jelani Watkins || || 13 March 2026 || Fayetteville ||
|}
Note: The following athletes have had their performances annulled due to doping offences:
{| class="wikitable"
!Time (s)
!Athlete
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
| 6.41 || Ben Johnson || || 7 March 1987 || align=left|Indianapolis ||
|}
Outdoor best performances
<small>+ = en route to 100 m mark</small>
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank
!Time<br/>(s)
!Wind<br/>(m/s)
!Athlete
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
!1
|6.29 (calculated)
| +0.9
|Su Bingtian
|
|1 August 2021
|Tokyo
|
|-
!2
|6.31 (calculated)
| +0.9
|Usain Bolt
|
|16 August 2009
|Berlin
|
|-
!rowspan=6|3
|rowspan=6|6.32 (calculated)
| +1.7
|Asafa Powell
|
|9 September 2007
|Rieti
|
|-
| +1.7
|Usain Bolt
|
|31 May 2008
|New York City
|
|-
| ±0.0
|Usain Bolt
|
|16 August 2008
|Beijing
|
|-
| +0.2
|Asafa Powell
|
|2 September 2009
|Lausanne
|
|-
| +0.6
|Christian Coleman
|
|28 September 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!rowspan=2|9
|rowspan=2|6.33 (calculated)
| −0.2
|Maurice Greene
|
|5 August 2001
|Edmonton
|
|-
| −0.1
|Yohan Blake
|
|23 August 2012
|Lausanne
|
|-
!11
|6.34 (calculated)
| +0.9
|Justin Gatlin
|
|23 August 2015
|Beijing
|
|}
Note: The following athletes have had their associated 100 m performances annulled due to doping offences:
{| class="wikitable"
!Time<br/>(s)
!Wind<br/>(m/s)
!Athlete
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
|6.33 (calculated)
| +1.1
|Ben Johnson
|
|24 September 1988
|Seoul
|
|}
Women
Updated February 2026.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! !! !! Time (s) !! Athlete !! Nation !! Date !! Place !! class="unsortable" |
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|1 || align=center|1 || 6.92 || Irina Privalova || || 11 February 1993 || Madrid ||
|-
| rowspan=3| || align=center| 1 || 6.92 || Privalova #2 || rowspan=3| || 9 February 1995 || Madrid ||
|-
| align=center|3 || 6.93 || Privalova #3 || 13 February 1994 || Liévin ||
|-
| align=center|4 || 6.94 || Privalova #4 || 19 February 1995 || Liévin ||
|-bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| rowspan="2" align="center" |2
| rowspan="2" align="center" |4
| rowspan="2"|6.94
|Aleia Hobbs
|
|18 February 2023
|Albuquerque
|
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
|Julien Alfred
|
|11 March 2023
|Albuquerque
|
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align="center" |4 || align="center" |6 || 6.95 || Gail Devers || || 12 March 1993 || Toronto ||
|-
| rowspan=2| || rowspan=2 align=center|6 || rowspan="2"|6.95 || Privalova #5 || rowspan=2| || 6 February 1994 || Vienna ||
|-
| Privalova #6 || 14 February 1995 || Moscow ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|4 || align="center" |6 || 6.95 || Marion Jones || || 7 March 1998 || Maebashi ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|6 || align="center" |10 || 6.96 || Merlene Ottey || || 14 February 1992 || Madrid ||
|-
| || align=center|10 || 6.96 || Privalova #7 || || 11 February 1993 || Madrid ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| rowspan="2" align="center" |6 || rowspan="2" align="center" |10 || rowspan="2"|6.96 || Ekaterini Thanou || || 7 March 1999 || Maebashi ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| Mujinga Kambundji || || 18 March 2022 || Belgrade ||
|-
| rowspan="7" |
|align=center|10
|6.96
|Alfred #2
| rowspan="7" |
|10 March 2023
|Albuquerque
|
|-
| rowspan="6" align="center" |15 || rowspan="6"|6.97 || Privalova #8 || 14 February 1992 || Madrid ||
|-
| Privalova #9 || 12 March 1993 || Toronto ||
|-
| Privalova #10 || 11 February 1994 || Madrid ||
|-
| Privalova #11 || 12 February 1995 || Ghent ||
|-
| Ottey #2 || 19 February 1995 || Liévin ||
|-
| Ottey #3 || 10 March 1995 || Ghent ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| rowspan="2" align="center" |9 || rowspan="2" align="center" |15 || rowspan="2"|6.97 || LaVerne Jones-Ferrette || || 6 February 2010 || Stuttgart ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| Murielle Ahouré || || 2 March 2018 || Birmingham ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |
|align="center"|15
|6.97
|Alfred #3
| rowspan="3" |
|25 February 2023
|Lubbock
|
|-
| rowspan="2" align="center" |24 || rowspan="2"|6.98 || Privalova #12 || 27 February 1993 || Moscow ||
|-
| Devers #2 || 21 February 1999 || Liévin ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| rowspan="2" align="center" |11 || rowspan="2" align="center" |24 || rowspan="2"|6.98 || Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce || || 9 March 2014 || Sopot ||
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| Elaine Thompson-Herah || || 18 February 2017 || Birmingham ||
|-
|
|align="center" |24
|6.98
|Hobbs #2
|
|28 January 2023
|Fayetteville
|
|- bgcolor="#f6F5CE"
| align=center|11 || align=center|24 || 6.98 || Ewa Swoboda || || 2 March 2024 || Glasgow ||
|-
| || align=center|24 || 6.98 || Alfred #4 || || 2 March 2024 || Glasgow ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| rowspan="2" align="center" |14 || rowspan="19" | || rowspan="2" | 6.99 || Mikiah Brisco|| || 18 March 2022 || Belgrade
|
|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| rowspan="4" align="center" | 16
| rowspan="4" |7.00
| Nelli Cooman || || 23 February 1986 || Madrid ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Veronica Campbell-Brown || || 14 March 2010 || Doha ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
|Dafne Schippers
|
|13 February 2016
|Berlin
|
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
|Barbara Pierre
|
|12 March 2016
|Portland
|
|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| rowspan="4" align="center" | 20
| rowspan="4"|7.01
| Savatheda Fynes || || 7 March 1999 || Maebashi ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Me'Lisa Barber || || 10 March 2006 || Moscow ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Lauryn Williams || || 10 March 2006 || Moscow ||
|- bgcolor=#CCFFCC
| Patrizia Van der Weken|| || 22 February 2026 || Toruń||
|- bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|Jacious Sears
|
|8 February 2025
|New York City
|
|}
Outdoor best performances
<small>+ = en route to 100 m mark</small>
{| class="wikitable"
!Rank
!Time<br/>(s)
!Wind<br/>(m/s)
!Athlete
!Nation
!Date
!Place
!Ref
|-
!1
|6.81 (calculated)
| +0.1
|Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
|
|29 September 2019
|Doha
|
|-
!2
|6.85 (calculated)
| −0.1
|Marion Jones
|
|22 August 1999
|Seville
|
|-
!rowspan=2|3
|rowspan=2|6.87 (calculated)
| ±0.0
|Florence Griffith Joyner
|
|16 July 1988
|Indianapolis
|
|-
| +0.9
|Elaine Thompson-Herah
|
|21 August 2021
|Eugene
|
|-
!5
|6.91 (calculated)
| +0.1
|Dina Asher-Smith
|
|29 September 2019
|Doha
|