60 metres world record progression

The following table shows the world record progression in the men's and women's indoor 60 metres, as recognised by the IAAF. The IAAF have officially ratified world indoor records since 1 January 1987; previous to this, they were regarded as world indoor bests.

Men

Pre-IAAF

Time	Athlete	Date	Place
Pre-IAAF ratified bests (prior to 1966)
6.6	Jesse Owens (USA)	23 February 1935	New York City, United States
	Ben Johnson (USA)	23 February 1935
		26 February 1938
	Herbert Thompson (USA)	25 February 1939
	Barney Ewell (USA)	1942

World record progression: 1966–present

	Ratified
	Not ratified
	Ratified but later rescinded
	Pending ratification

Time	Athlete	Date	Place
IAAF ratified bests (1966–1986)
6.6	Barrie Kelly (GBR)	27 March 1966	Westfalenhalle, West Germany
6.6 [a]	Barrie Kelly (GBR)	27 March 1966	Westfalenhalle, West Germany
6.6	Heinz Erbstößer (GDR)	27 March 1966	Westfalenhalle, West Germany
6.6	Viktor Kassatkin (URS)	27 March 1966	Westfalenhalle, West Germany
6.6	Valeriy Borzov (URS)	14 March 1970	Vienna, Austria
6.6	Valeriy Borzov (URS)	13 March 1971	Sofia, Bulgaria
6.68	Hans-Joachim Zenk (GDR)	24 February 1973	Senftenberg, East Germany
6.62	Manfred Kokot (GDR)	24 February 1973	Senftenberg, East Germany
6.52	Zenon Nowosz (POL)	25 February 1973	Zabrze, Poland
IAAF ratified records (1987–present)
6.50	Ben Johnson (CAN) [b]	15 January 1986	Osaka, Japan
6.44	Ben Johnson (CAN)	15 January 1986	Osaka, Japan
6.52  [c]	Marian Woronin (POL)	21 February 1987	Liévin, France
6.51	Marian Woronin (POL)	21 February 1987	Liévin, France
6.41	Ben Johnson (CAN)	7 March 1987	Indianapolis, United States
6.50	Lee McRae (USA)	7 March 1987	Indianapolis, United States
6.48	Leroy Burrell (USA)	13 February 1991	Madrid, Spain
6.45	Andre Cason (USA)	29 January 1992	Ghent, Belgium
6.41	Andre Cason (USA)	14 February 1992	Madrid, Spain
6.41	Maurice Greene (USA)	1 February 1998	Stuttgart, Germany
6.39	Maurice Greene (USA)	3 February 1998	Madrid, Spain
6.39	Maurice Greene (USA)	3 March 2001	Atlanta, United States
6.37 [d]	Christian Coleman (USA)	20 January 2018	Clemson, United States[1]
6.34	Christian Coleman (USA)	18 February 2018	Albuquerque, United States

Women

The existing world indoor best, Nelli Cooman's 7.00 set in 1986, was deemed to be the inaugural world indoor record.^[2]

World bests

World bests 60 metres 1966–86

Athlete (Nation)	Time in s	Location	Date	Ref.
Margit Nemesházi (HUN)	7.2 h	Westfalenhalle, West Germany	27 March 1966
Annegret Richter (FRG)	7.2	Rotterdam, Netherlands	11 March 1973
Annegret Richter (FRG)	7.2[e]	Rotterdam, Netherlands	11 March 1973
Petra Kandarr (GDR)	7.2[e]	Rotterdam, Netherlands	11 March 1973
Irena Szewinska (POL)	7.24	Gothenburg, Sweden	10 March 1974
Mona-Lisa Pursiainen (FIN)	7.22	Gothenburg, Sweden	10 March 1974
Renate Stecher (GDR)	7.16	Gothenburg, Sweden	10 March 1974
Marlies Göhr (GDR)	7.12	Milan, Italy	12 March 1978
Marlies Göhr (GDR)	7.12	Berlin, East Germany	12 January 1980
Marlies Göhr (GDR)	7.10	Senftenberg, East Germany	26 January 1980
Marita Koch (GDR)	7.10	Senftenberg, East Germany	14 February 1981
Marita Koch (GDR)	7.08	Senftenberg, East Germany	29 January 1983
Marita Koch (GDR)	7.04	Senftenberg, East Germany	16 February 1985

World records

World records of 60 metres since 1987

Athlete (Nation)	Time in s	Location	Date	Ref.
Nelli Cooman (NED)	7.00	Madrid, Spain	23 February 1986
Merlene Ottey (JAM)	6.96	Madrid, Spain	14 February 1992
Irina Privalova (RUS)	6.92	Madrid, Spain	11 February 1993	[3]
Irina Privalova (RUS)	6.92	Madrid, Spain	9 February 1995	[4]

Notes

1. Kelly ran 6.6 in his semi-final at the European Indoor Games, and again in the final with Erbstößer and Kassatkin; the photofinish gave Kelly first, Erbstößer second and Kassatkin third, with each man being credited as having equalled the world record.
2. This time, along with his 6.44 on the same day and 6.41 in 1987, was rescinded in September 1989 after Johnson admitted to steroid use between 1981 and 1988.
3. Woronin's performances were not regarded as world indoor bests / records since Ben Johnson had run 6.50 and 6.44 in January 1986. Johnson ran ten times in the 6.41-6.50 range between 1986 and 1988, but all of these were rescinded after his admission to steroid use.
4. Time rejected as a record since starting blocks were not wired, and drug testing was not done immediately after the race.
5. Richter ran 7.27 in the final at the European Indoor Championships, with Kandarr second in 7.29; as these times were 7.2 to the tenth of a second, each woman was credited as having equalled the world record.