The 2 mile (3,520 yards,[1] 10,560 feet, or exactly 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 It has been largely superseded by the 3000 m (approximately 1.864 miles) and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions (18.688m short of 2 miles). The IAAF no longer keeps official world records for this distance; they are called world best instead.

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 world best for men is 7:54.10 set by 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, Belgium on 14 September 2007.

Continental Bests

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  • Correct as of October 2024. Source: World Athletics[2]
  • 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

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  • Mx = mixed race

Men (outdoor)

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  • Correct as of June 2023.
Rank Result Athlete Nationality Date Place Ref
1 7:54.10 Jakob Ingebrigtsen   Norway 9 June 2023 Paris [3]
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 [4]
8 8:07.59 Paul Chelimo   United States 30 June 2019 Stanford [4]
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 [4]
12 8:09.01 Moses Kiptanui   Kenya 30 July 1994 Hechtel
13 8:09.23 Ishamel Rokitto Kipkurui   Kenya 9 June 2023 Paris [5]
14 8:10.16 Jacob Kiplimo   Uganda 21 August 2021 Eugene
15 8:10.34 Lamecha Girma   Ethiopia 9 June 2023 Paris [5]
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

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

Women (outdoor)

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  • Correct as of May 2022.[6]
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 [7]
3 9:06.74 Letesenbet Gidey   Ethiopia 20 August 2021 Eugene [8]
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 [9][10]
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 [8]
11 9:14.71 Beatrice Chebet   Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
12 9:15.74 Laura Galván   Mexico 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
13 9:16.62 Sylvia Kibet   Kenya 14 September 2007 Brussels
14 9:16.73 Konstanze Klosterhalfen   Germany 27 May 2022 Eugene [11]
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 [7]
18 9:18.73 Elly Henes   United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
19 9:19.01 Edinah Jebitok   Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
20 9:19.56 Sonia O'Sullivan   Ireland 27 June 1998 Cork City
21 9:20.17 Eleanor Fulton   United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
22 9:20.19 Whittni Morgan   United States 27 May 2022 Eugene [7]
23 9:20.25 Shannon Rowbury   United States 31 May 2014 Eugene
24 9:20.81 Alemitu Haroye   Ethiopia 24 August 2014 Birmingham
25 9:21.35 Amy Rudolph   United States 27 June 1998 Cork City

Notes

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

Men (indoor)

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  • 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 [14]
7 8:05.73 Geordie Beamish   New Zealand 11 February 2024 New York City [15]
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 [16]
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 [16]
25 8:13.16 Mohammed Ahmed   Canada 11 February 2017 New York City

Women (indoor)

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  • 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 [17]
3 9:06.26 Meseret Defar   Ethiopia 26 February 2009 Prague
4 9:07.12 Melknat Wudu   Ethiopia 11 February 2024 New York City [18]
5 9:09.70 Alicia Monson   United States 11 February 2024 New York City [19]
6 9:10.28 Elinor Purrier   United States 13 February 2021 New York City [20]
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 [20]
12 9:15.80 Nikki Hiltz   United States 11 February 2024 New York City [21]
13 9:16.76 Nozomi Tanaka   Japan 11 February 2024 New York City [21]
14 9:18.29 Emily Mackay   United States 11 February 2024 New York City [21]
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 [20]
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 [21]
22 9:24.71 Courtney Wayment   United States 11 February 2024 New York City [21]
23 9:26.87 Emily Lipari   United States 13 February 2021 New York City [20]
24 9:26.95 Helen Schlachenhaufen   United States 13 February 2021 New York City [20]
25 9:27.45 Katrina Coogan   United States 13 February 2021 New York City [20]

Notes

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

World Best Performance Progression

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Outdoors

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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

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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

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Outdoors

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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

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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

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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.[22]

Time Athlete School City Date Place
(8:40.0i) Gerry Lindgren Rogers High School Spokane, Washington February 15, 1964 Cow Palace, Daly City, California[23]
8:57.8 Mike Ryan Wilcox High School Santa Clara, California 1965
8:48.3 Rick Riley Ferris High School Spokane, Washington May 28, 1966 Washington State Championships[24]
8:41.5 Steve Prefontaine Marshfield High School Coos Bay, Oregon April 25, 1969 Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis, Oregon[24]
8:40.9 Craig Virgin Lebanon High School Lebanon, Illinois June 9, 1973 International Prep Invitational, Prospect, Illinois[24]
8:36.3 Jeff Nelson Burbank High School Burbank, California May 6, 1979 Pepsi Invitational, Westwood, Los Angeles, California
8:34.23 German Fernandez Riverbank High School Riverbank, California June 20, 2008 Nike Outdoor Nationals, Greensboro, North Carolina video
8:29.46 Lukas Verzbicas Carl Sandburg High School Orland Hills, Illinois June 4, 2011 Prefontaine Classic, Eugene, Oregon video

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ It has always been customary to give horizontal distances in yards and vertical distances in feet.
  2. ^ "Two Miles - men - senior - all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  3. ^ Jon Mulkeen (9 June 2023). "Kipyegon, Girma and Ingebrigtsen make history in Paris". World Athletics. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b "Two Miles Results" (PDF). sportresult.com. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "Defar breaks world record in two miles". Reuters. 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  10. ^ "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.
  11. ^ "2 Miles Results". World Athletics. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  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. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Two Miles Results". www.branchsportstech.com. 16 February 2013. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  17. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ a b c d e "Two Miles Result". World Athletics. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  22. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ^ "Track & Field News – The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948". www.trackandfieldnews.com. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  24. ^ a b c "Running_Shots_25". runningentertainment.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
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