600 metres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Athletics600 metres |
|
|---|---|
| World records | |
| Men |  Johnny Gray 1:12.81 (1986) |
| Women |  Mary Moraa 1:21.63 (2024) |
The 600 metres is a special running race in track and field sports. It's a middle-distance running event, meaning it's longer than a sprint but shorter than a long-distance race. You don't see this race very often. It's most common in high school indoor track meets. It's also a popular event at the famous Penn Relays competition.
Fastest Runners Ever in the 600 Metres
This section shows some of the fastest times recorded for the 600 metres race. These records are updated regularly.
Men's Top Times
The fastest time ever run by a man in the 600 metres was set by Johnny Gray from the United States. He ran it in 1 minute and 12.81 seconds in 1986. This is an amazing speed for this distance!
Other super-fast male runners include:
- David Rudisha from Kenya, who ran 1:13.10.
- Pierre-Ambroise Bosse from France, with a time of 1:13.21.
- Duane Solomon from the United States, who ran 1:13.28.
Sometimes, you might see special notes next to a time:
- i means the race happened indoors on a smaller track.
- A means the race was run at high altitude, where the air is thinner.
- h means the time was taken by hand instead of electronic sensors.
Women's Top Times
The fastest time for women in the 600 metres belongs to Mary Moraa from Kenya. She set a new world record in 2024, finishing in 1 minute and 21.63 seconds. That's incredibly fast!
Other top female athletes in this event include:
- Caster Semenya from South Africa, who ran 1:21.77.
- Ajee' Wilson from the United States, with a time of 1:22.39.
- Ana Fidelia Quirot from Cuba, who ran 1:22.63.
