110 metres hurdles facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Athletics 110 metres hurdles
A 110 m hurdles heat of the Decathlon at Osaka 2007
World records
Men	Ja'Kobe Tharp (USA) 12.75 (2026)
Olympic records
Men	Liu Xiang (CHN) 12.91 (2004)
World Championship records
Men	Colin Jackson (GBR) 12.91 (1993)

The 110 metres hurdles is an exciting track and field race for men. It's a key event in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. For women, there's a similar race called the 100 metres hurdles.

In this race, athletes run over ten hurdles placed along a straight 110-metre track. Each hurdle is about 106.7 centimetres (42 in) tall. They are designed to fall over easily if a runner bumps them. While knocking a hurdle down doesn't cause a time penalty, the weight of the hurdle can slow a runner down. Just like the 100 metres sprint, the 110 metres hurdles starts from starting blocks.

The first hurdle is placed 13.72 metres (about 45 feet) from the starting line. The next nine hurdles are spaced 9.14 metres (about 30 feet) apart. After the last hurdle, runners sprint 14.02 metres (about 46 feet) to the finish line. The fastest hurdlers complete this race in about 13 seconds. Ja'Kobe Tharp from the United States holds the current world record of 12.75 seconds, set in June 2026.

The History of Hurdles Racing

How the Race Started

Hurdles races first began in England around 1830. Back then, athletes ran over simple wooden barriers placed along a 100-yard (about 91-metre) track. In 1864, standard rules were set in Oxford and Cambridge. The race distance became 120 yards (about 109.7 metres) with ten hurdles, each about 42 inches (106.7 cm) high. These measurements were often based on imperial units.

The 110-metre distance, which is used today, became standard worldwide after France adopted it in 1888. Hurdles racing has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Hurdles Design and Rules

Early hurdles were heavy and fixed. In 1895, lighter, T-shaped hurdles were introduced, which could be knocked over. For a while, runners were disqualified if they knocked down more than three hurdles. Records were only counted if all hurdles remained standing!

In 1935, L-shaped hurdles were invented. These hurdles fall forward easily when hit, which helps prevent injuries. However, they are weighted, so hitting them still slows a runner down.

The most common way to run the hurdles involves a special technique. Athletes take the first hurdle by lowering their upper body, almost running over it, instead of jumping high. Then, they use three steps between each of the next hurdles. This style was first used by Alvin Kraenzlein, an Olympic champion in 1900.

Women's Hurdles Races

Women also have a history in hurdles. From 1932 to 1968, they competed in an 80-metre hurdles race at the Olympics. Starting with the 1972 Summer Olympics, the women's race distance was increased to 100 metres.

Today, women also run the 110-metre distance in a special team event called the World Athletics Relays shuttle hurdle relay. This race includes two men and two women running together. It was first introduced in 2019.

Other Hurdles Events

In the early 1900s, the Olympics also featured a 200-metre hurdles event. This race was shorter and used lower hurdles. World records for the 200-metre hurdles were recognized until 1960.

Mastering Hurdles Technique

Hurdles sprinting is a very rhythmic race. Both men and women typically take three steps between each hurdle. This means they hit the ground four times between each barrier. The distance from the starting line to the first hurdle is always the same, whether racing indoors or outdoors. This helps hurdlers keep a consistent stride pattern.

Starting Strong: 7 or 8 Steps?

For many years, top male hurdlers used eight steps from the starting blocks to reach the first hurdle. Famous athletes like Harrison Dillard and Colin Jackson used this 8-step start.

However, in the 2000s, some coaches began teaching a faster 7-step start. This involves lengthening the first few strides out of the starting blocks. Cuban hurdler Dayron Robles used a 7-step start when he set his world record of 12.87 seconds in 2008. Chinese star Liu Xiang also switched to a 7-step approach after winning the 2004 Olympics with eight steps.

American hurdlers like Jason Richardson and Aries Merritt also changed to a 7-step start. Aries Merritt had an amazing season in 2012, winning the London 2012 Olympics and setting a world record of 12.80 seconds, all after switching to seven steps. Experts believe that the intense training needed for a 7-step start helps athletes build more power and speed, which improves their endurance throughout the race. This allows them to maintain top speed all the way to the finish line.

Hurdles for Young Athletes

A 110 m hurdles race at the 2021 Creekside Friday knight invite

For high school athletes in America and in many international Under-20 athletics competitions, the 110 metres hurdles race is very similar to the professional version. The main difference is the height of the hurdles. Junior-level hurdles are 99.1 centimetres (39 in) tall, while professional hurdles are 106.7 centimetres (42 in) tall.

This difference in height means young hurdlers need to adjust their technique as they get older. When moving to higher hurdles, everything becomes a bit more challenging. Junior hurdlers are used to a normal sprinting motion right after clearing a hurdle. But for professional hurdles, that extra height means they need to adjust their landing and stride more carefully.

Another key difference is the take-off distance. Junior hurdlers often focus on gaining as much speed as possible, taking off closer to the hurdle. For higher professional hurdles, athletes must learn to shorten their strides slightly. This allows them to take off from a bit farther away, giving them enough height to clear the taller barrier safely and efficiently.

Many top American hurdlers started their careers in high school. For example, Aries Merritt set a high school record of 13.91 seconds. The world record for the 110m hurdles at the 99-cm height is 12.72 seconds, set by Sasha Zhoya in 2021.

Amazing Milestones in 110m Hurdles

Here are some key moments in the history of the 110m hurdles world record:

• First official IAAF world record: 15.0 seconds, Forrest Smithson (USA), 1908
• First under 15 seconds: 14.8 seconds, Earl Thomson (CAN), 1920
• First under 14 seconds: 13.7 seconds, Forrest Towns (USA), 1936
• First under 13.5 seconds: 13.4 seconds, Jack Davis (USA), 1956
• First under 13 seconds: 12.93 seconds, Renaldo Nehemiah (USA), 1981
• First under 12.9 seconds: 12.88 seconds, Liu Xiang (CHN), 2006
• First under 12.8 seconds: 12.75 seconds, Ja'Kobe Tharp (USA), 2026

Top Records Around the World

These are the fastest times recorded in different parts of the world, as of May 20, 2026.

Area	Time (s)	Wind (m/s)	Season	Athlete
World	12.75	+1.0	2026	Ja'Kobe Tharp (USA)
Area records
Africa (records)	13.11	+1.8	2017	Antonio Alkana (RSA)
Asia (records)	12.88	+1.1	2006	Liu Xiang (CHN)
Europe (records)	12.91	+0.5	1993	Colin Jackson (GBR)
North, Central America and Caribbean (records)	12.75	+1.0	2026	Ja'Kobe Tharp (USA)
Oceania (records)	13.29	+0.6	1995	Kyle Vander-Kuyp (AUS)
South America (records)	13.17	+0.4	2022	Rafael Pereira (BRA)

Fastest Hurdlers Ever

Here are some of the fastest times recorded in the 110m hurdles, as of June 2026. This list focuses on the top performances by different athletes.

Time (s)	Wind (m/s)	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place
12.75	+1.0	Ja'Kobe Tharp	United States	10 June 2026	Eugene
12.80	+0.3	Aries Merritt	United States	7 September 2012	Brussels
12.81	+1.8	Grant Holloway	United States	26 June 2021	Eugene
12.84	+1.6	Devon Allen	United States	12 June 2022	New York City
12.87	+0.9	Dayron Robles	Cuba	12 June 2008	Ostrava
12.87	+0.6	Cordell Tinch	United States	3 May 2025	Shaoxing
12.88	+1.1	Liu Xiang	China	11 July 2006	Lausanne
12.89	+0.5	David Oliver	United States	16 July 2010	Saint-Denis
12.90	+1.1	Dominique Arnold	United States	11 July 2006	Lausanne
12.90	+0.7	Omar McLeod	Jamaica	24 June 2017	Kingston

Wind-Assisted Records

Sometimes, a strong tailwind can help a runner achieve a very fast time. If the wind is blowing faster than 2.0 metres per second, the time doesn't count as an official record. Here are some incredibly fast times that were helped by a strong wind:

• Roger Kingdom (USA) ran 12.87 seconds with a +2.6 m/s wind in Barcelona on September 10, 1989.
• Liu Xiang (CHN) ran 12.87 seconds with a +2.4 m/s wind in Eugene, Oregon on June 2, 2012.
• Cordell Tinch (USA) ran 12.87 seconds with a huge +6.0 m/s wind in Pueblo, Colorado on May 27, 2023.
• David Oliver (USA) ran 12.89 seconds with a +3.2 m/s wind in Eugene, Oregon on July 6, 2008.
• Renaldo Nehemiah (USA) ran 12.91 seconds with a +3.5 m/s wind in Champaign, Illinois on June 1, 1979.
• Colin Jackson (GBR) ran 12.94 seconds with a +2.8 m/s wind in Sestriere on July 31, 1994.

Top Hurdlers with Multiple Wins

These athletes have won two or more major titles at the Olympic Games and World Championships:

• 5 wins:
  • Allen Johnson has won the most 110m hurdles titles. He won one Olympic gold (1996) and four World Championship golds (1995, 1997, 2001, 2003).

• 4 wins:
  • Grant Holloway has won one Olympic hurdle title (Paris 2024) and three World Championship titles (2019, 2022, 2023). He also won an Olympic silver medal in Tokyo 2020.

• 3 wins:
  • Greg Foster won three World Championship titles (1983, 1987, 1991). He also earned an Olympic silver medal in 1984.

• 2 wins:
  • Lee Calhoun (USA) won two Olympic gold medals (1956, 1960).
  • Roger Kingdom (USA) won two Olympic gold medals (1984, 1988).
  • Colin Jackson (GBR) won two World Championship titles (1993, 1999). He also won an Olympic silver medal in 1988.
  • Liu Xiang (CHN) won an Olympic gold (2004) and a World Championship gold (2007).
  • Omar McLeod (JAM) won an Olympic gold (2016) and a World Championship gold (2017).