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Ratified but later rescinded |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 |
|
Notes
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Time rejected as a record since starting blocks were not wired, and drug testing was not done immediately after the race.
- 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.
Nelli Cooman (NED)
Merlene Ottey (JAM)
Irina Privalova (RUS)
Irina Privalova (RUS)