A lot has changed in the health and fitness world over the 30 years since IMPACT was born. Better training, nutrition, equipment, coaching and therapies are taking athletes, both elite and weekend warriors, to new heights.
In 30 years, the women’s marathon world record has dropped more than seven minutes. The men’s marathon record is five minutes faster.
Here is a look at how world records have changed — or not — in key running disciplines over the past three decades.
| Event | 1991 | 2021 | Current Record Holder (Year of Record) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon Women | 2:21:06 | 2:14:04 | Brigid Kosgei, Kenya (2019) |
| Marathon Men | 2:06:50 | 2:01:39 | Eliud Kipchoge, Kenya (2018) |
| 10,000 m Women | 30:13.74 | 29:01.03 | Letesenbet Gidey, Ethiopia (2021) |
| 10,000 m Men | 27:08.23 | 26:11.00 | Joshua Cheptegai, Uganda (2020) |
| 5,000 m Women | 14:37.33 | 14:06.62 | Letesenbet Gidey, Ethiopia (2020) |
| 5,000 m Men | 12:58.39 | 12:35.36 | Joshua Cheptegai, Uganda (2020) |
| 1,500 m Women | 3:52.47 | 3:50.07 | Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopia (2015) |
| 1,500 m Men | 3:29.46 | 3:26.00 | Hicham El Guerrouj, Morocco (1998) |
| 800 m Women | 1:53.28 | 1:53.28 | Jarmila Kratochvilova, Czech Rep. (1983) |
| 800 m Men | 1:41.73 | 1:40.91 | David Rudisha, Kenya (2012) |
| 400 m Women | 47.60 | 47.60 | Marita Koch, East Germany (1985) |
| 400 m Men | 43.29 | 43.03 | Wayde van Niekerk, South Africa (2016) |
| 200 m Women | 21.34 | 21.34 | Florence Griffith-Joyner, U.S. (1988) |
| 200 m Men | 19.72 | 19.19 | Usain Bolt, Jamaica (2009) |
| 100 m Women | 10.49 | 10.49 | Florence Griffith-Joyner, U.S. (1988) |
| 100 m Men | 9.86 | 9.58 | Usain Bolt, Jamaica (2009) |
Read Other Stories in Our 30th Anniversary Digital Edition
Celebrate 30 years of Canada’s best health and fitness publication!
Explore future trends in health, fitness and food in this special 30th anniversary edition. Find our favourite tech and kitchen must-haves, then work out with two of IMPACT Magazine’s Canada’s Top Fitness Trainers before making one of our delicious plant-based recipes – all inside this issue!
