Top 5 Fastest Mile Times: Records for Men and Women

While you might be preparing a quick meal in the microwave, top-tier athletes have already completed a mile-long race—and still have seconds to spare. Even more remarkable, these runners keep proving that human potential knows no bounds by consistently reducing the fastest mile time by mere fractions.

To uncover more about these extraordinary accomplishments, we examined the official records from World Athletics, the global governing body for track and field. Below, we highlight the men and women who have set mile-running records.

5 Fastest Mile Times for Women

The top five fastest mile times for female athletes all clocked in under 4 minutes and 15 seconds.

5. Ciara Mageean

On July 21, 2023, Ciara Mageean completed the women's mile race in 4:14.58 during the Diamond League event held at Stade Louis II in Monaco.

Although she didn’t secure first place in the race (that title went to another competitor on this list), she surpassed the long-standing Irish record set by Sonia O'Sullivan in 1994, which was 4:17.26. Mageean also outperformed her previous personal best of 4:19.03, achieved in 2019.

4. Genzebe Dibaba

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba completed a mile in 4:13.31 at the Globe Arena in Stockholm on February 17, 2016. On that day, she surpassed the indoor mile world record previously held by Romania's Doina Melinte since 1990. (Dibaba has also broken several other indoor world records.)

One of her key advantages was her familiarity with the track. "I am well-acquainted with this track, and it suits me perfectly," Dibaba remarked at the time. "The only challenge was the arena's cold conditions, which made it feel quite chilly."

3. Svetlana Masterkova

Russian athlete Svetlana Masterkova ran a mile in 4:12.56 on August 14, 1996, in Zürich. She achieved this remarkable time just 18 months after giving birth to her first child. "I was determined to return to running after having my baby, and I did so within two months," she stated in 1996.

Her world record remained unbroken until 2019.

2. Sifan Hassan

On July 12, 2019, at Stade Louis II in Monaco, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan completed a mile in 4:12.33. Although she didn’t achieve her goal of improving her personal best (4:14.71) by "three or four seconds," she still made history and claimed the title of world champion in the mile run.

1. Faith Kipyegon

Faith Kipyegon set a world record on July 21, 2023, during the Diamond League race, finishing the mile in 4:07.64—nearly five seconds faster than Sifan Hassan’s time.

The Kenyan runner, coached by Patrick Sang, remarked: "I truly enjoyed the race. That was my goal. I aimed to break the world record, and thank God, it was an incredible experience."

5 Fastest Mile Times for Men

The five fastest mile times for men were all achieved in either Italy or Oregon.

5. Noureddine Morceli

In 1993, Algerian runner Noureddine Morceli secured a world championship title with a time of 3:44.39 during a race in Rieti, Italy. He maintained this record until 1999.

He outpaced his competitors by 11 seconds, attributing his success to ideal conditions. "I had come close three times this season, but the atmospheric conditions were never favorable," Morceli explained.

4. Yared Nuguse

On September 16, 2023, American runner Yared Nuguse completed a mile in 3:43.97 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Nuguse started running during his freshman year in high school. After clocking an impressive mile time in his PE class, his coach, Tim Holman, was eager to recruit him for the track team.

"I initially said, 'No, I’m not really into sports, sorry,'" Nuguse recalled. "But [Holman] kept pushing and wouldn’t let it go, so I finally agreed. It turned out to be an incredibly fun track season and a huge learning experience."

3. Jakob Ingebrigtsen

Competing against Nuguse and other elite runners, Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen achieved a time of 3:43.73 on September 16, 2023, in Oregon. He hails from a family deeply rooted in running.

2. Noah Ngeny

Kenyan athlete Noah Ngeny ran a mile in 3:43.40 on July 7, 1999, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

1. Hicham El Guerrouj

Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj holds the men's mile record with a time of 3:43.13, set on July 7, 1999, in Rome. His record remains unbroken to this day.

What's a Good Mile Time for a Nonprofessional Runner?

For intermediate adult runners (those faster than 50 percent of their peers), average mile times typically range between 6:37 and 10:21. These times vary based on factors such as age, gender, and fitness level.