3200 meters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athletics3200 meters |
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|---|---|
| World records | |
| Men |  Jakob Ingebrigtsen 7:51.35c (2023) |
| Women |  Meseret Defar 8:55.45c (2007) |
The 3200 meters is a running race in track and field. It's a bit longer than a middle-distance race and a bit shorter than a long-distance race. This event is 200 meters longer than the common 3,000 meter run. It's also a little shorter than the two-mile run.
This race is exactly eight laps around a standard 400-meter outdoor track. If it's run indoors on a 200-meter track, it's sixteen laps. The 3200 meters is mostly run in American high schools. It is the longest standard race in high school track meets. People often call it the "two-mile" race, even though it's slightly shorter than two miles.
When high school runners go to college, they usually switch to the 5,000-meter run. Sometimes, they might run the 3,000-meter run during the indoor season.
The organization World Athletics does not have an official world record for the 3200 meters. However, the two-mile run is very similar and can be used to estimate world-best times.
Contents
High School Records in the USA
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) keeps track of high school records.
Boys' High School Records
The current official male high school record holder for the 3200 meters is Simeon Birnbaum from South Dakota. He ran it in 8 minutes and 34.10 seconds in 2023.
However, some high school runners have run faster 3200-meter times during a two-mile race. Simeon Birnbaum himself ran 8:31.73 for 3200 meters while completing a two-mile race in 2023. Even faster was Lukas Verzbicas. He ran an equivalent 8:26.50 for 3200 meters in 2011. This happened during his high school two-mile record race of 8:29.46.
So, Birnbaum holds the record for the fastest 3200 meters run by itself against other high schoolers. Verzbicas holds the record for the fastest 3200 meters ever run by a high schooler, even if it was part of a two-mile race.
Top 13 Outdoor High School Boys' Times
| Time | Athlete | State | Date & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:34.10 | Simeon Birnbaum |  South Dakota |
(Rapid City Stevens) at Arcadia, CA, 4–8, 2023 |
| 8:34.23 | German Fernandez |  California |
(Riverbank) at Norwalk, CA, 2008 |
| 8:41.10 | Dathan Ritzenhein |  Michigan |
(Rockford), 2000 |
| 8:43.32 | Dathan Ritzenhein | Michigan |
(Rockford), 2001 |
| 8:44.95 | Eric Mastalir | California |
(Sacramento Jesuit), 1986 |
| 8:46.08 | Jeramy Elkaim |  New Jersey |
(Livingston), 2010 |
| 8:46.40 | Luke Puskedra |  Utah |
(Slt. Lk. Cty. Judge Memorial), 2008 |
| 8:46.47 | Andrew Bumbalough |  Tennessee |
(Brentwood Academy), 2004 |
| 8:46.70 | Scott Fry |  Ohio |
(Sandusky Perkins), 1985 |
| 8:47.30 | Caleb Webb | California |
(Big Bear), 2015 |
| 8:47.40 | Rheinhardt Harrison |  Florida |
(Ponte Vedra Beach Nease), 2021 |
| 8:48.55 | Joe Rosa | New Jersey |
(West Windsor-Plainsboro North), 2010 |
| 8:49.88 | Eric Reynolds | California |
(Camarillo), 1983 |
Girls' High School Records
The current official female high school record holder for the 3200 meters is Katelyn Touhy from New York. She ran it in 9 minutes and 47.88 seconds in 2018.
In 2024, Elizabeth Leachman ran faster than Touhy's record twice. She first ran 9:45.57 on February 1. Then, she ran 9:43.74 on February 15. The NFHS is still reviewing these times to make them official records.
In 2020, Dalias Frias ran an equivalent 9:47.27 for 3200 meters. This happened during her high school two-mile record of 9:50.70. This was also faster than Touhy's record, but slower than Leachman's new times.
Once Elizabeth Leachman's 9:43.74 time is officially approved, it will be the outdoor high school girls' 3200-meter record.
On June 8, 2025, Jane Hedengren ran 9:17.75 for the two miles. This time converts to a 9:14.65 for 3200 meters. Since this 3200-meter time was a split during a two-mile race, it cannot be an official NFHS 3200-meter record.
If we look at indoor tracks, Mary Cain's two-mile time of 9:38.68 from 2013 converts to a 9:35.32 for 3200 meters. This is the fastest 3200-meter split ever recorded for a high school girl indoors.
Top 19 Outdoor High School Girls' Times
| Time | Athlete | State | Date & Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:43.74 | Elizabeth Leachman |  Texas |
(Boerne), 2-15, 2024 |
| 9:45.57 | Elizabeth Leachman | Texas |
(San Antonio), 2-1, 2024 |
| 9:47.88 | Katelyn Touhy |  New York |
(Thiells North Rockland) at White Plains, NY, 5-11, 2018 |
| 9:48.59 | Kimberly Mortensen | California |
(Thousand Oaks) at Norwalk, CA, 1996 |
| 9:52.13 | Jordan Hasay | California |
(San Luis Obispo Mission Prep), 2008 |
| 9:52.51 | Laurynne Chetelat | California |
(Davis), 2008 |
| 9:53.79 | Destiny Collins | California |
(Great Oak), 2015 |
| 9:56.96 | Kayla Beattie |  Illinois |
(Woodstock), 2011 |
| 9:58.74 | Allie Ostrander |  Alaska |
(Kenai Central), 2015 |
| 9:58.77 | Brynn Brown | Texas |
(Denton Guyer), 2021 |
| 10:01.14 | Fiona O'Keeffe | California |
(Davis), 2015 |
| 10:03.07 | Erin Keogh |  Virginia |
(McLean Langley), 1987 |
| 10:04.03 | Christine Babcock | California |
(Irvine Woodbridge), 2008 |
| 10:04.04 | Jordan Hasay | California |
(San Luis Obispo Mission Prep), 2007 |
| 10:04.20 | Cory Schubert | California |
(San Jose Del Mar), 1983 |
| 10:05.29 | Jordan Hasay | California |
(San Luis Obispo Mission Prep), 2009 |
| 10:05.58 | Erin Keogh | Virginia |
(McLean Langley), 1986 |
| 10:07.33 | Claudia Lane | California |
(Malibu), 2017 |
| 10:07.56 | Jordan Hasay | California |
(San Luis Obispo Mission Prep), 2006 |
World Best Times (Equivalent)
Since there's no official world record for the 3200 meters, these times are "equivalent" bests. They are converted from the two-mile run, which is a very similar distance.
Outdoor World Bests
Jakob Ingebrigtsen ran a time that is like a 7:51.35 for 3200 meters. This was part of his 2023 world best of 7:54.10 in the two-mile run.
Meseret Defar ran a time that is like an 8:55.46 for 3200 meters. This was part of her 2007 world best of 8:58.58 in the two-mile run.
Indoor World Bests
Josh Kerr ran a time that is like a 7:57.88 for 3200 meters. This was part of his 2024 world best of 8:00.67 in the two-mile run.
Genzebe Dibaba ran a time that is like an 8:57.35 for 3200 meters. This was part of her 2014 world best of 9:00.48 in the two-mile run.
Relays
When people talk about a "3200 meter relay," they usually mean the 4x800 meter relay. In this race, four runners each run 800 meters.
See also
