60 metres

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, 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 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 12 April 2025.''

All-time top 25

''Indoor results only''

Men

Updated March 2025.

		Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
1	1	6.34	Christian Coleman		18 February 2018	Albuquerque
	2	6.37	Coleman #2		19 January 2018	Clemson
	2	6.37	Coleman #3		3 March 2018	Birmingham
2	4	6.39	Maurice Greene		3 February 1998	Madrid
	4	6.39	Greene #2		3 March 2001	Atlanta
	6	6.40	Greene #3		27 February 1999	Atlanta
3	6	6.40	Ronnie Baker		18 February 2018	Albuquerque
4	8	6.41	Andre Cason		14 February 1992	Madrid
	8	6.41	Greene #4		1 February 1998	Stuttgart
5	8	6.41	Marcell Jacobs		19 March 2022	Belgrade
	8	6.41	Coleman #4		19 March 2022	Belgrade
	8	6.41	Coleman #5		1 March 2024	Glasgow
	13	6.42	Greene #5		7 March 1999	Maebashi
6	13	6.42	Dwain Chambers		7 March 2009	Turin
	13	6.42	Coleman #6		18 February 2018	Albuquerque
7	13	6.42	Su Bingtian		3 March 2018	Birmingham
7	13	6.42	Trayvon Bromell		10 February 2023	Clemson
	18	6.43	Greene #6		1 February 1998	Stuttgart
9	18	6.43	Tim Harden		7 March 1999	Maebashi
	18	6.43	Su #2		6 February 2018	Düsseldorf
10	18	6.43	Noah Lyles		17 February 2024	Albuquerque
	18	6.43	Coleman #7		1 March 2024	Glasgow
	23	6.44	Harden #2		27 February 1999	Atlanta
	23	6.44	Harden #3		11 March 2001	Lisbon
11	23	6.44	Asafa Powell		18 March 2016	Portland
	23	6.44	Powell #2		18 March 2016	Portland
	23	6.44	Baker #2		3 March 2018	Birmingham
	23	6.44	Baker #3		19 February 2020	Liévin
	23	6.44	Baker #4		21 February 2020	Madrid
12	23	6.44	Marvin Bracy		19 March 2022	Belgrade
	23	6.44	Lyles #2		4 February 2024	Boston
	23	6.44	Coleman #8		17 February 2024	Albuquerque
	23	6.44	Lyles #3		1 March 2024	Glasgow
13		6.45	Bruny Surin		13 February 1993	Liévin
13		6.45	Leonard Myles-Mills		20 February 1999	Colorado Springs
13		6.45	Terrence Trammell		17 February 2001	Pocatello
13		6.45	Justin Gatlin		1 March 2003	Boston
13		6.45	Ronald Pognon		13 February 2005	Karlsruhe
13		6.45	Trell Kimmons		26 February 2012	Albuquerque
13		6.45	Terrence Jones		15 January 2022	Lubbock
13		6.45	Ackeem Blake		4 February 2024	Boston
21		6.46	Jon Drummond		1 February 1998	Stuttgart
21		6.46	Marcus Brunson		30 January 1999	Flagstaff
21		6.46	Jason Gardener		7 March 1999	Maebashi
21		6.46	Tim Montgomery		11 March 2001	Lisbon
21		6.46	Leonard Scott		26 February 2005	Liévin
21		6.46	JC Stevenson		14 March 2025	Virginia Beach

Note: The following athletes have had their performances annulled due to doping offences:

Time	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
6.41	Ben Johnson		7 March 1987	Indianapolis

Outdoor best performances

+ = en route to 100 m mark

Rank	Time	Wind	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
1	6.29	+0.9	Su Bingtian		1 August 2021	Tokyo
2	6.31	+0.9	Usain Bolt		16 August 2009	Berlin
3	6.32	+1.7	Asafa Powell		9 September 2007	Rieti
3	6.32	+1.7	Usain Bolt		31 May 2008	New York City
3	6.32	0.0	Usain Bolt		16 August 2008	Beijing
3	6.32	+0.2	Asafa Powell		2 September 2009	Lausanne
3	6.32	+1.5	Usain Bolt		5 August 2012	London
3	6.32	+0.6	Christian Coleman		28 September 2019	Doha
9	6.33	−0.2	Maurice Greene		5 August 2001	Edmonton
9	6.33	−0.1	Yohan Blake		23 August 2012	Lausanne
11	6.34	+0.9	Justin Gatlin		23 August 2015	Beijing

Note: The following athletes have had their associated 100 m performances annulled due to doping offences:

Time	Wind	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref
6.33	+1.1	Ben Johnson		24 September 1988	Seoul