The 200 metres, or 200-meter dash, is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400-metre racetrack, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques is needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the '' stadion'' and run on a straight track, was the first recorded event at the

ancient Olympic Games The ancient Olympic Games (, ''ta Olympia''.), or the ancient Olympics, were a series of Athletics (sport), athletic competitions among representatives of polis, city-states and one of the Panhellenic Games of ancient Greece. They were held at ...

. The 200 m places more emphasis on speed endurance than shorter sprint distances as athletes predominantly rely on anaerobic energy system during the 200 m sprint. Similarly to other sprint distances, the 200 m begins from the starting blocks. When the sprinters adopt the 'set' position in the blocks they are able to adopt a more efficient starting posture and isometrically preload their muscles. This enables them to stride forwards more powerfully when the race begins and start faster. In the United States and elsewhere, athletes previously ran the 220-yard dash (201.168 m) instead of the 200 m (218.723 yards), though the distance is now obsolete. The standard adjustment used for the conversion from times recorded over 220 yards to 200 m times is to subtract 0.1 seconds, but other conversion methods exist. Another obsolete version of this race is the 200 metres straight, which was run on tracks that contained such a straight. Initially, when the International Amateur Athletic Association (now known as the International Association of Athletics Federations) started to ratify world records in 1912, only records set on a straight track were eligible for consideration. In 1951, the IAAF started to recognise records set on a curved track. In 1976, the straight record was discarded. The event has been on the Olympic athletics programme since 1900 for men and since

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

for women. The race attracts runners from other events, primarily the 100 metres, wishing to double up and claim both titles. This feat has been achieved by men eleven times at the

Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...

: by Archie Hahn in 1904, Ralph Craig in 1912, Percy Williams in 1928, Eddie Tolan in 1932,

Jesse Owens James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who made history at the Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics, 1936 Olympic Games by becoming the first person to win four gold meda ...

in 1936, Bobby Morrow in 1956, Valeriy Borzov in 1972, Carl Lewis in 1984, and most recently by Jamaica's

Usain Bolt Usain St. Leo Bolt (; born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican retired sprinter who is widely regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. He is an eight-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in the 100 metres, 200 metres, ...

in 2008, 2012, and 2016. The double has been accomplished by women eight times: by Fanny Blankers-Koen in 1948, Marjorie Jackson in 1952, Betty Cuthbert in 1956, Wilma Rudolph in 1960, Renate Stecher in 1972, Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988, and Elaine Thompson-Herah in 2016 and 2021. Marion Jones finished first in both races in 2000 but was later disqualified and stripped of her medals after admitting to taking performance-enhancing drugs. An Olympic double of 200 m and 400 m was first achieved by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, and later by Michael Johnson from the United States and Marie-José Pérec of France both in 1996.

is the only man to repeat as Olympic champion, Bärbel Wöckel (née Eckert), Veronica Campbell-Brown and Elaine Thompson-Herah are the three women who have repeated as Olympic champion. The men's world record holder is

of Jamaica, who ran 19.19 s at the 2009 World Championships. The women's world record holder is Florence Griffith-Joyner of the United States, who ran 21.34 s at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

. The reigning Olympic champions are Letsile Tebogo (BOT) and Gabrielle Thomas (USA). The reigning World Champions are Noah Lyles (USA) and Shericka Jackson (JAM). Races run with an aiding wind measured over 2.0 metres per second are not acceptable for record purposes.

Continental records

*Updated 7 December 2024.

Notes

* Represents a mark set at a high altitude.

All-time top 25

Men (outdoor)

*Updated September 2024

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 19.70). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: * Kenny Bednarek ran 19.49 (+6.1 m/s) in Hobbs, New Mexico on 17 May 2019. * Andre De Grasse ran 19.58 (+2.4 m/s) in

Eugene, Oregon Eugene ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the southern end of the Willamette Valley, near the confluence of the McKenzie River (Oregon), McKenzie and Willamette River, Willamette rivers, ...

on 12 June 2015. * Tarsis Orogot ran 19.60 (+2.9 m/s) in

Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, United States, and the most populous city in North Central Florida, with a population of 145,212 in 2022. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gainesv ...

on 14 April 2023. * Robert Gregory ran 19.60 (+4.8 m/s) in

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

on 26 May 2023. * Leroy Burrell ran 19.61 (+4.1 m/s) in

College Station, Texas College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States, situated in East-Central Texas in the Brazos Valley, towards the eastern edge of the region known as the Texas Triangle. It is northwest of Houston and east-northeast of Austin, ...

on 19 May 1990. Until 1 August 1996, it was the best performance in any condition. * Terrance Laird ran 19.64 (+5.6 m/s) in Hobbs, New Mexico on 17 May 2019.

Women (outdoor)

*Updated June 2024

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 21.80). Only times that are superior to legal bests are shown: * Sha'Carri Richardson ran 21.61 (+2.6 m/s) in

on 8 July 2023. * Tamara Clark ran 21.72 (+3.1 m/s) in

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

on 26 March 2022. * Julien Alfred ran 21.73 (+2.5 m/s) in

on 10 June 2023 * Kimberlyn Duncan ran 21.80 (+3.2 m/s) in

Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

on 23 June 2013.

Men (indoor)

*Updated March 2025.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 20.27: *

Frankie Fredericks Frank "Frankie" Fredericks (born 2 October 1967) is a former track and field athlete from Namibia. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996), making him Namibia's o ...

also ran 20.10 (1999), 20.18 (1999) and 20.26 (1995). * Wallace Spearmon also ran 20.10 (2005), 20.19 (2008) and 20.21 (2005). * Divine Oduduru also ran 20.18 (2018) and 20.21 (2018). * Matthew Boling also ran 20.19 (2021) and 20.27 (2022). * Tarsis Orogot also ran 20.20 (2023 x 2). * Trayvon Bromell also ran 20.23 (2015). * Terrence Jones also ran 20.23 (2024). * Elijah Hall also ran 20.26 (2018). * Robert Gregory also ran 20.27 (2023). * Cameron Miller also ran 20.27 (2025).

Women (indoor)

*Updated March 2025.

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 22.45: * Irina Privalova also ran 22.15 (1993), 22.16 (1994), 22.26 (1992), 22.32 (1995), 22.36 (1992), 22.41 (1991) and 22.45 (1991). * Abby Steiner also ran 22.16 (2022), 22.37 (2022), 22.38 (2021), 22.41 (2021) and 22.45 (2022). * Julien Alfred also ran 22.16 (2024), 22.26 (2023), 22.28 (2024). * Favour Ofili also ran 22.20 (2023), 22.36 (2023) * Merlene Ottey also twice ran 22.24 (1991), 22.34 (1989) and 22.37 (1991). * JaMeesia Ford also ran 22.34 (2025), 22.36 (2024), 22.41 (2025), 22.42 (2025), 22.45 (2024). * Indya Mayberry also ran 22.41 (2025), 22.42 (2025). * Veronica Campbell-Brown also ran 22.43 (2004). * Autumn Wilson also ran 22.45 (2023).

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

World Indoor Championships medalists

Men

Women

* Known as the ''World Indoor Games''

Season's best

Men

Women

References

External links

IAAF list of 200-metres records in XML
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