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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 2 mile (10,560 feet or 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 It has been largely superseded by the 3000 m (approximately 1.864 miles) and 5000 m, and by the 3200 m in NFHS American high school competitions (18.688m short of 2 miles).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.

The world best for men is 7:54.10 set by Jakob Ingebrigtsen on 9 June 2023 in Paris. The women's record is 8:58.58, set by Ethiopian Meseret Defar in Brussels, Belgium on 14 September 2007. Ingebrigtsen, along with previous record holder Daniel Komen, are the only people to have run the distance in under 8 minutes, and thus run two miles at a four-minute mile pace.

All-time top 25

  • Mx = mixed race

Men (outdoor)

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

Women (outdoor)

  • Correct as of May 2022.
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
3 9:06.74 Letesenbet Gidey  Ethiopia 20 August 2021 Eugene
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
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
11 9:14.71 Beatrice Chebet  Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene
12 9:15.74 Laura Galván  Mexico 27 May 2022 Eugene
13 9:16.62 Sylvia Kibet  Kenya 14 September 2007 Brussels
14 9:16.73 Konstanze Klosterhalfen  Germany 27 May 2022 Eugene
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
18 9:18.73 Elly Henes  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene
19 9:19.01 Edinah Jebitok  Kenya 27 May 2022 Eugene
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
22 9:20.19 Whittni Morgan  United States 27 May 2022 Eugene
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

Men (indoor)

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

Women (indoor)

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

World Best Performance Progression

Men

Outdoors

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
8:01.10  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

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

Outdoors

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

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

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.

TIME ATHLETE SCHOOL CITY DATE PLACE
(8:40.0i) Gerry Lindgren Rogers High School Spokane, Washington February 15, 1964 Cow Palace, Daly City, California
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
8:41.5 Steve Prefontaine Marshfield High School Coos Bay, Oregon April 25, 1969 Corvallis Invitational, Corvallis, Oregon
8:40.9 Craig Virgin Lebanon High School Lebanon, Illinois June 9, 1973 International Prep Invitational, Prospect, Illinois
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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