60 metres, or 60-meter dash, is a
sprint event in
track and field
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-meter dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, the dash is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at ...
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
Starting blocks are a device used in the sport of track and field by Sprint (running), sprint athletes to brace their feet against at the start of a race so they do not slip as they stride forward at the sound of the starter's pistol. The 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
As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15 ...
and
1904
Events
January
* January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''.
* January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system.
* ...
Summer Games but was removed from the schedule thereafter. American
Christian Coleman
Christian Coleman (born March 6, 1996) is an American professional track and field sprinter who competes in the 60 metres, 100 m and 200 m. The 2019 world champion in the 100 meters, he also won gold as part of men's 4 × 100-meter relay. He ...
currently holds the men's world record in the 60 metres with a time of 6.34 seconds,
while Russian
Irina Privalova holds the women's world record at 6.92.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics semi-finals,
Su Bingtian ran the fastest 60 m split of all-time and the fastest 60 m ever recorded under any conditions with a time of 6.29 seconds.
In the past, it was common for athletes to compete in the
60 yards
The 60-yard dash is a sprint (running), sprint covering 60 yards (54.86 m, sometimes recognized as '55 metres, 55-m dash'). It is primarily run to evaluate the speed and acceleration of American Major League Baseball players. It is also sometimes ...
(54.86 m) race. This is not part of the lineage of the 60 metres, but is the predecessor of the
55 metres
55 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a relatively uncommon non-championship event for indoor track and field. The history of the event lies in the 60-yard dash, which is about 5 inches shorter than 55 metres. Since the 1960s alm ...
race. 60 metres is 65.6168 yards.
Area records
''Indoor results only''
''Updated 12 April 2025.''
All-time top 25
''Indoor results only''
Men
Updated March 2025.
Note: The following athletes have had their performances annulled due to doping offences:
Outdoor best performances
+ = en route to 100 m mark
Note: The following athletes have had their associated 100 m performances annulled due to doping offences:
Women
Updated March 2025.
Outdoor best performances
+ = en route to 100 m mark
Olympic medalists
World Indoor Championships medalists
Men
a The event was known as the ''World Indoor Games'' in 1985.
b Ben Johnson of Canada originally won the gold medal, but he was disqualified in 1989 after admitting to steroid use between 1981 and 1988.
Medal table
Women
a The event was known as the ''World Indoor Games'' in 1985.
b Angella Issajenko of Canada originally won the silver medal, but she was disqualified in 1989 after admitting to steroid use between 1982 and 1988.
c Zhanna Block originally won the gold medal, but she was disqualified after her results from November 2002 onwards were deleted in 2011 for long-term drug use.
Medal table
Season's bests
''Indoor results only''
Men
Women
See also
Notes and references
External links
All-time men's best 60 metresfrom alltime-athletics.com
from alltime-athletics.com
{{Portal bar, Athletics
Events in track and field
Sprint running disciplines
Indoor track and field
Discontinued Summer Olympic disciplines in athletics