2000 metres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athletics2000 metres |
|
|---|---|
| World records | |
| Men |  Jakob Ingebrigtsen 4:43.13 (2023) |
| Women |  Francine Niyonsaba 5:21.56 (2021) |
The 2000 metres or 2000-metre run is a track running event. In this race, athletes run a distance of 2000 meters, which is about 1.24 miles. If they are on an outdoor track, they usually complete five laps around a 400-meter track. For indoor races, they run ten laps on a smaller 200-meter track.
World Athletics, the main group that organizes track and field events around the world, officially recognizes world records for the 2000 metres. These records are also kept at the continental (like all of Europe) and national (like just one country) levels.
Currently, the men's world record is held by Jakob Ingebrigtsen from Norway. He ran the race in an amazing 4 minutes and 43.13 seconds in 2023. The women's world record belongs to Francine Niyonsaba from Burundi, who finished in 5 minutes and 21.56 seconds in 2021.
This race isn't often seen at big professional track meets. However, it's a popular event at smaller competitions, such as school sports days and youth tournaments. It's also used in Australia at the AFL Draft Combine to test how fit potential new players are. Even though it has world records, the 2000 metres has not yet been part of major world championships, either indoors or outdoors.
Records
Find out who holds the fastest times in the 2000 metres race!
World records
These are the fastest times ever recorded for the 2000 metres race.
| Division | Time | Athlete | Nation | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 4:43.13 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen |  Norway |
8 September 2023 | Brussels |
| Women | 5:21.56 | Francine Niyonsaba |  Burundi |
14 September 2021 | Zagreb |
Continental records
These tables show the fastest times for the 2000 metres in different parts of the world.
| Area | Men's time | Men's athlete | Men's nationality | Women's time | Women's athlete | Women's nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| African | 4:44.79 | Hicham El Guerrouj |  Morocco |
5:21.56 | Francine Niyonsaba | Burundi |
| Asian | 4:55.57 | Mohamed Suleiman |  Qatar |
5:29.41 | Wang Junxia |  China |
| European | 4:43.13 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway |
5:25.36 | Sonia O'Sullivan |  Ireland |
| North, Central American and Caribbean | 4:51.54 | Charles Philibert-Thiboutot |  Canada |
5:32.7 | Mary Slaney |  United States |
| Oceanian | 4:50.76 | Craig Mottram |  Australia |
5:37.71 | Benita Willis | Australia |
| South American | 5:03.34 | Hudson de Souza |  Brazil |
5:59.96 | Niusha Mancilla |  Bolivia |
