Two miles
Uncommon middle distance race

Athletics
Two miles
World records
Men Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 7:54.10 (2023)
Women Meseret Defar (ETH) 8:58.58 (2007)
Short track world records
Men Josh Kerr (GBR) 8:00.67 (2024)
Women Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 9:00.48 (2014)

The 2 mile (3,520 yards, 10,560 feet, or 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 It has been largely superseded by the 3000 m and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions. 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 Norwegian 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 on 14 September 2007.

Continental Bests

  • Correct as of October 2024. Source: World Athletics[1]

Key

  • WB = World best
  • i = Indoor performance
Area Men Women
Time Athlete Nation Time Athlete Nation
Africa (records) 7:58.61 Daniel Komen  Kenya 8:58.58 WB Meseret Defar  Ethiopia
Asia (records) 8:13.16 Rashid Ramzi  Bahrain 9:13.85 Mimi Belete  Bahrain
Europe (records) 7:54.10 WB Jakob Ingebrigtsen  Norway 9:04.84 i Laura Muir  United Kingdom
North, Central America
and Caribbean (records) 		8:03.62 i Grant Fisher  United States 9:09.70 i Alicia Monson  United States
Oceania (records) 8:03.50 Craig Mottram  Australia 9:13.94 i Kimberly Smith  New Zealand
South America (records) 8:21.67 Hudson de Souza  Brazil none

All-time top 25

  • Mx = mixed race

Men (outdoor)

  • Correct as of June 2023.
Rank Result Athlete Nationality Date Place Ref
1 7:54.10 Jakob Ingebrigtsen  Norway 9 June 2023 Paris [2]
2 7:58.61 Daniel Komen  Kenya 19 July 1997 Hechtel
3 8:01.08 Haile Gebrselassie  Ethiopia 31 May 1997 Hengelo
4 8:03.50 Craig Mottram  Australia 10 June 2007 Eugene
5 8:04.83 Tariku Bekele  Ethiopia 10 June 2007 Eugene
6 8:07.07 Matt Tegenkamp  United States 10 June 2007 Eugene
7 8:07.54 Joshua Cheptegei  Uganda 30 June 2019 Stanford [3]
8 8:07.59 Paul Chelimo  United States 30 June 2019 Stanford [3]
9 8:07.68 Eliud Kipchoge  Kenya 4 June 2005 Eugene
10 8:07.75 Mo Farah  Great Britain 24 August 2014 Birmingham
11 8:08.69 Selemon Barega  Ethiopia 30 June 2019 Stanford [3]
12 8:09.01 Moses Kiptanui  Kenya 30 July 1994 Hechtel
13 8:09.23 Ishamel Rokitto Kipkurui  Kenya 9 June 2023 Paris [4]
14 8:10.16 Jacob Kiplimo  Uganda 21 August 2021 Eugene
15 8:10.34 Lamecha Girma  Ethiopia 9 June 2023 Paris [4]
16 8:10.59 Benjamin Limo  Kenya 28 May 2006 Eugene
17 8:10.98 Khalid Boulami  Morocco 6 July 1996 Hechtel
18 8:11.04 Berihu Aregawi  Ethiopia 21 August 2021 Eugene
19 8:11.09 Grant Fisher  United States 21 August 2021 Eugene
20 8:11.48 Alan Webb  United States 4 June 2005 Eugene
21 8:11.55 Joe Klecker  United States 21 August 2021 Eugene
22 8:11.59 Bob Kennedy  United States 19 July 1997 Hechtel
23 8:11.62 Boaz Cheboiywo  Kenya 4 June 2005 Eugene
24 8:11.73 Smail Sghir  Morocco 6 July 1996 Hechtel
25 8:11.74 Dathan Ritzenhein  United States 10 June 2007 Eugene

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 8:07.46:

Women (outdoor)

  • Correct as of June 2025.[5]
Rank Result Athlete Nationality Date Place Ref
1 8:58.58 Meseret Defar  Ethiopia 14 September 2007 Brussels
2 8:59.08 Francine Niyonsaba  Burundi 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
3 9:06.74 Letesenbet Gidey  Ethiopia 20 August 2021 Eugene [7]
4 9:11.49 Mercy Cherono  Kenya 24 August 2014 Birmingham
5 9:11.97 Mx Regina Jacobs  United States 12 August 1999 Los Gatos [8][9]
6 9:12.59 Viola Kibiwott  Kenya 24 August 2014 Birmingham
7 9:12.90 Irene Jelagat  Kenya 24 August 2014 Birmingham
8 9:13.85 Mimi Belete  Bahrain 31 May 2014 Eugene
9 9:14.09 Priscah Cherono  Kenya 14 September 2007 Brussels
10 9:14.55 Hellen Obiri  Kenya 20 August 2021 Eugene [7]
11 9:14.71 Beatrice Chebet  Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
12 9:15.74 Laura Galván  Mexico 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
13 9:16.62 Sylvia Kibet  Kenya 14 September 2007 Brussels
14 9:16.73 Konstanze Klosterhalfen  Germany 27 May 2022 Eugene [10]
15 9:16.78 Jenny Simpson  United States 27 April 2018 Des Moines
16 9:16.95 Betsy Saina  Kenya 24 August 2014 Birmingham
17 9:17.62 Helen Schlachenhaufen  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
18 9:17.75 Jane Hedengren  United States 8 June 2025 Renton [11]
19 9:18.73 Elly Henes  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
20 9:19.01 Edinah Jebitok  Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
21 9:19.56 Sonia O'Sullivan  Ireland 27 June 1998 Cork City
22 9:20.17 Eleanor Fulton  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
23 9:20.19 Whittni Morgan  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [6]
24 9:20.25 Shannon Rowbury  United States 31 May 2014 Eugene
25 9:20.81 Alemitu Haroye  Ethiopia 24 August 2014 Birmingham

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:14.55:

Men (indoor)

  • Correct as of February 2024.
Rank Result Athlete Nationality Date Place Ref
1 8:00.67 Josh Kerr  Great Britain 11 February 2024 New York City [12]
2 8:03.40 Mo Farah  Great Britain 21 February 2015 Birmingham
3 8:03.62 Grant Fisher  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [13]
4 8:04.35 Kenenisa Bekele  Ethiopia 16 February 2008 Birmingham
5 8:04.69 Haile Gebrselassie  Ethiopia 21 February 2003 Birmingham
6 8:05.70 Cole Hocker  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [13]
7 8:05.73 Geordie Beamish  New Zealand 11 February 2024 New York City [13]
8 8:06.48 Paul Koech  Kenya 16 February 2008 Birmingham
9 8:06.61 Hicham El Guerrouj  Morocco 23 February 2003 Liévin
10 8:07.39 Eliud Kipchoge  Kenya 18 February 2012 Birmingham
11 8:07.41 Galen Rupp  United States 24 January 2014 Boston
12 8:08.16 Moses Kipsiro  Uganda 18 February 2012 Birmingham
13 8:08.27 Tariku Bekele  Ethiopia 18 February 2012 Birmingham
14 8:08.39 Markos Geneti  Ethiopia 20 February 2004 Birmingham
15 8:09.49 Bernard Lagat  United States 16 February 2013 New York City [14]
16 8:09.66 Hailu Mekonnen  Ethiopia 18 February 2001 Birmingham
17 8:10.78 Arne Gabius  Germany 18 February 2012 Birmingham
18 8:11.33 Ben True  United States 11 February 2017 New York City
19 8:11.56 Ryan Hill  United States 11 February 2017 New York City
20 8:12.01 Morgan McDonald  Australia 11 February 2024 New York City
21 8:12.10 Million Wolde  Ethiopia 18 February 2001 Birmingham
22 8:12.63 Andrew Butchart  Great Britain 11 February 2017 New York City
23 8:12.80 Girma Tola  Ethiopia 18 February 2001 Birmingham
24 8:13.02 Andrew Bumbalough  United States 16 February 2013 New York City [14]
25 8:13.16 Mohammed Ahmed  Canada 11 February 2017 New York City

Women (indoor)

  • Correct as of February 2024.
Rank Result Athlete Nationality Date Place Ref
1 9:00.48 Genzebe Dibaba  Ethiopia 15 February 2014 Birmingham
2 9:04.84 Laura Muir  United Kingdom 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
3 9:06.26 Meseret Defar  Ethiopia 26 February 2009 Prague
4 9:07.12 Melknat Wudu  Ethiopia 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
5 9:09.70 Alicia Monson  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
6 9:10.28 Elinor Purrier  United States 13 February 2021 New York City [16]
7 9:12.23 Tirunesh Dibaba  Ethiopia 20 February 2010 Birmingham
8 9:12.35 Vivian Cheruiyot  Kenya 20 February 2010 Birmingham
9 9:12.68 Sentayehu Ejigu  Ethiopia 20 February 2010 Birmingham
10 9:13.94 Kim Smith  New Zealand 26 January 2008 Boston
11 9:15.71 Emma Coburn  United States 13 February 2021 New York City [16]
12 9:15.80 Nikki Hiltz  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
13 9:16.76 Nozomi Tanaka  Japan 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
14 9:18.29 Emily Mackay  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
15 9:18.35 Jenny Simpson  United States 7 February 2015 Boston
16 9:19.39 Jessica Augusto  Portugal 20 February 2010 Birmingham
17 9:21.04 Sally Kipyego  Kenya 8 February 2014 Boston
18 9:21.59 Hiwot Ayalew  Ethiopia 15 February 2014 Birmingham
19 9:22.66 Julie-Anne Staehli  Canada 13 February 2021 New York City [16]
20 9:23.38 Regina Jacobs  United States 27 January 2002 Boston
21 9:23.58 Emily Infeld  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
22 9:24.71 Courtney Wayment  United States 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
23 9:26.87 Emily Lipari  United States 13 February 2021 New York City [16]
24 9:26.95 Helen Schlachenhaufen  United States 13 February 2021 New York City [16]
25 9:27.45 Katrina Coogan  United States 13 February 2021 New York City [16]

Notes

Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 9:13.94:

World Best Performance Progression

Men

Outdoors

Time Athlete Date Place
9:17.0  Alfred Shrubb (GBR) 1903-09-12 London, United Kingdom
9:08.4  Alfred Shrubb (GBR) 1904-06-11 Glasgow, United Kingdom
9:08.4  Edvin Wide (SWE) 1925-06-23 Kramfors, Sweden
9:01.4  Edvin Wide (SWE) 1926-09-12 Berlin, Germany
8:59.6  Paavo Nurmi (FIN) 1931-06-24 Helsinki, Finland
8:58.4  Don Lash (USA) 1936-06-13 Princeton, USA
8:57.4  Gunnar Höckert (FIN) 1936-09-24 Stockholm, Sweden
8:56.0  Miklós Szabó (HUN) 1937-09-30 Budapest, Hungary
8:53.2  Taisto Mäki (FIN) 1939-06-07 Helsinki, Finland
8:47.8  Gunder Hägg (SWE) 1942-06-03 Stockholm, Sweden
8:46.4  Gunder Hägg (SWE) 1944-06-25 Östersund, Sweden
8:42.8  Gunder Hägg (SWE) 1944-08-04 Stockholm, Sweden
8:40.4  Gaston Reiff (BEL) 1952-08-26 Paris, France
8:33.4  Sándor Iharos (HUN) 1955-05-30 London, United Kingdom
8:32.0  Albie Thomas (AUS) 1958-08-07 Dublin, Ireland
8:30.0  Murray Halberg (NZL) 1961-06-07 Jyväskylä, Finland
8:29.8  Jim Beatty (USA) 1962-06-08 Los Angeles, USA
8:29.6  Michel Jazy (FRA) 1963-06-06 Paris, France
8:26.4  Bob Schul (USA) 1964-08-29 Los Angeles, USA
8:22.6  Michel Jazy (FRA) 1965-06-23 Melun, France
8:19.8  Ron Clarke (AUS) 1967-07-27 Västerås, Sweden
8:19.6  Ron Clarke (AUS) 1968-08-24 London, United Kingdom
8:17.8  Emiel Puttemans (BEL) 1971-08-21 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
8:14.0  Lasse Virén (FIN) 1972-08-14 Stockholm, Sweden
8:13.8  Brendan Foster (GBR) 1973-08-27 London, United Kingdom
8:13.51  Steve Ovett (GBR) 1978-09-15 London, United Kingdom
8:13.45  Saïd Aouita (MAR) 1987-05-28 Turin, Italy
8:12.17  Khalid Skah (MAR) 1993-06-30 Hechtel, Belgium
8:09.01  Moses Kiptanui (KEN) 1994-06-30 Hechtel, Belgium
8:07.46  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1995-05-27 Kerkrade, Netherlands
8:03.54  Daniel Komen (KEN) 1996-07-14 Lappeenranta, Finland
8:01.08  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 1997-05-31 Hengelo, Netherlands
7:58.61  Daniel Komen (KEN) 1997-07-19 Hechtel, Belgium
7:54.10  Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 2023-06-09 Paris, France

Indoors

Time Athlete Date Place
8:09.66  Hailu Mekonnen (ETH) 2000-02-20 Birmingham, United Kingdom
8:04.69  Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2003-02-21 Birmingham, United Kingdom
8:04.35  Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2008-02-16 Birmingham, United Kingdom
8:03.40  Mo Farah (GBR) 2015-02-21 Birmingham, United Kingdom
8:00.67  Josh Kerr (GBR) 2024-02-11 New York City, United States

Women

Outdoors

Time Athlete Date Place
10:07.0  Doris Brown (USA) 1971-07-10 Bakersfield, USA
9:55.9  Francie Larrieu (USA) 1972-06-04 Redwood City, USA
9:19.56  Sonia O'Sullivan (IRL) 1998-06-27 Cork, Ireland
9:10.47  Meseret Defar (ETH) 2007-05-20 Carson, USA
8:58.58  Meseret Defar (ETH) 2007-09-14 Brussels, Belgium

Indoors

Time Athlete Date Place
9:28.15  Lynn Jennings (USA) 1986-02-20 New York City, USA
9:23.38  Regina Jacobs (USA) 2002-01-27 Boston, USA
9:10.50  Meseret Defar (ETH) 2008-01-26 Boston, USA
9:06.26  Meseret Defar (ETH) 2009-02-26 Prague, Czech Republic
9:00.48  Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) 2014-02-15 Birmingham, United Kingdom

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.[17]

Time Athlete School City Date Place
(8:40.0 h i) Gerry Lindgren Rogers High School Spokane, Washington 15 February 1964 Cow Palace, Daly City, California[18]
8:57.8 h Mike Ryan Wilcox High School Santa Clara, California 1965
8:48.3 h Rick Riley Ferris High School Spokane, Washington 28 May 1966 Washington State Championships[19]
8:41.5 h Steve Prefontaine Marshfield High School Coos Bay, Oregon 25 April 1969 Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis, Oregon[19]
8:40.9 h Craig Virgin Lebanon High School Lebanon, Illinois 9 June 1973 International Prep Invitational, Prospect, Illinois[19]
8:36.3 h Jeff Nelson Burbank High School Burbank, California 6 May 1979 Pepsi Invitational, Westwood, Los Angeles, California
8:34.23 German Fernandez Riverbank High School Riverbank, California 20 June 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, North Carolina video
8:29.46 Lukas Verzbicas Carl Sandburg High School Orland Hills, Illinois 4 June 2011 Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Oregon video

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Two Miles – men – senior – all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  2. ^ Jon Mulkeen (9 June 2023). "Kipyegon, Girma and Ingebrigtsen make history in Paris". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Brian Russell (1 July 2019). "Hassan takes historic 3000m victory in Stanford – IAAF Diamond League". IAAF. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Two Miles Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. ^ "All-time men's best Two miles". alltime-athletics.com. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Cathal Dennehy (28 May 2022). "Mahuchikh and Taye triumph on opening night in Eugene". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b Mike Rowbottom (21 August 2021). "No world record but Hassan claims clear win in Eugene". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 22 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Defar breaks world record in two miles". Reuters. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  9. ^ "U.S. ALL-TIME LIST – WOMEN". Track and Field News. 17 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  10. ^ "2 Miles Results". World Athletics. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  11. ^ Keenan Gray. "Jane Hedengren Runs Another Mind-Boggling Record For 2-Mile At Brooks PR Invitational". brooksprinvitational.runnerspace.com. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  12. ^ Singh, Nancy (11 February 2024). "Josh Kerr Shatters 9-Year Record to Beat American Record Holder on New York". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  13. ^ a b c "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Two Miles Results". branchsportstech.com. 16 February 2013. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Taylor Dutch (14 February 2021). "Three American Records and 10 National Records Fall at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix". runnersworld.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ^ "Track & Field News – The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948". trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  19. ^ a b c "Running_Shots_25". runningentertainment.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Running.
  • 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
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