The 300 metres is an uncommon (meaning not on an Olympic or World Championship program) sprinting event in track and field competitions. The race starts on a straight and therefore comprises two straights and one bend.

The imperial distance analogue to the event is the 300 yards (270 m), which is slightly shorter than the 300 m (330 yd) distance and was contested at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships from 1906 to 1932.

Start (green) and end (red) points of a 300-metre race, marked on a running track.
Start (green) and end (red) points of a 300-metre race, marked on a running track.

All-time top 25

Tables show data for two definitions of "Top 25" - the top 25 300m times and the top 25 athletes:
- denotes top performance for athletes in the top 25 300m times
- denotes lesser performances, still in the top 25 300m times, by repeat athletes
- denotes top performance (only) for other top 25 athletes who fall outside the top 25 300m times

Men (outdoor)

  • Correct as of February 2025.
Ath.#Perf.#Time (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1130.69 ALetsile TebogoBotswana17 February 2024Pretoria
2230.81Wayde van NiekerkSouth Africa28 June 2017Ostrava
3330.85 AMichael JohnsonUnited States24 March 2000Pretoria
4430.97Usain BoltJamaica27 May 2010Ostrava
531.03van Niekerk #211 June 2016Kingston
5631.23LaShawn MerrittUnited States11 June 2016Kingston
731.30Merritt #27 June 2009Eugene
831.31Merritt #38 August 2006Eugene
6931.44Isaac MakwalaBotswana28 June 2017Ostrava
71031.48Roberto HernándezCuba3 September 1990Jerez de la Frontera
Danny EverettUnited States
91231.52Steven GardinerBahamas12 May 2022Ponce
1231.52 ATebogo #218 February 2023Pretoria
1431.53Merritt #21 August 2015Atlanta
1531.56Johnson #222 July 1994Salamenca
101531.56Douglas WalkerGreat Britain19 July 1998Gateshead
1731.59Gardiner #217 March 2023Carolina
111831.61Anthuan MaybankUnited States13 July 1996Durham
Clarence MunyaiSouth Africa28 June 2017Ostrava
2031.63van Niekerk #37 June 2015Birmingham
132131.64Tony McQuayUnited States11 June 2016Kingston
142231.67John RegisGreat Britain17 July 1992Gateshead
2331.69Hernández #220 June 1990Bratislava
152431.70Kirk BaptisteUnited States18 August 1984London
2531.72Johnson #330 July 1993Gateshead
162531.72Jeremy WarinerUnited States12 June 2008Ostrava
1731.73Thomas JeffersonUnited States22 August 1987London
1831.74Gabriel TiacohIvory Coast6 August 1986A Coruña
1931.77Tyler ChristopherCanada20 May 2004Sainte Anne
2031.80Pavel MaslákCzech Republic28 June 2017Ostrava
2131.81Gil RobertsUnited States11 June 2016Kingston
22Vernon NorwoodUnited States12 May 2022Ponce
2331.82Steve LewisUnited States17 July 1992Gateshead
2431.83 AUdeme OkonSouth Africa8 February 2025Pretoria
2531.87Mark RichardsonGreat Britain19 July 1998Gateshead
Jonathan BorléeBelgium5 July 2012Liège

Men (indoor)

  • Correct as of January 2026.
Ath.#Perf.#Time (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1131.56Steven GardinerBahamas27 January 2022Columbia
2231.87 ANoah LylesUnited States3 March 2017Albuquerque
3331.88Wallace SpearmonUnited States9 February 2006Fayetteville
4431.92 APaul DedewoUnited States3 March 2017Albuquerque
5531.94Kerron ClementUnited States9 February 2006Fayetteville
66LaShawn MerrittUnited States9 February 2006Fayetteville
7731.97Bralon TaplinGrenada13 February 2017Ostrava
8831.99Jacory PattersonUnited States14 January 2022Clemson
932.06Gardiner #214 January 2022Birmingham
91032.10Jereem RichardsTrinidad & Tobago9 February 2018Boston
Sidi NjieUnited States10 January 2026Clemson
Garrett KaalundUnited States16 January 2026Spokane
1332.14Richards #224 January 2026Boston
121432.15Pavel MaslákCzech Republic8 February 2014Gent
1532.15Lyles #224 January 2026Boston
1632.16Lyles #34 March 2017Albuquerque
1732.18Patterson #231 January 2025Clemson
131832.19Robson Caetano da SilvaBrazil23 February 1989Karlsruhe
1932.19Maslák #214 February 2017Ostrava
142032.21Rai BenjaminUnited States2 February 2025Boston
152132.22Tyson WilliamsUnited States-10 January 2026Columbia
2232.26Gardiner #316 February 2019Columbia
2332.28Patterson #317 January 2020Blacksburg
162432.32Torrin LawrenceUnited States21 January 2010Blacksburg
172532.34Auhmad RobinsonUnited States10 January 2025College Station
1832.36Frank FredericksNamibia27 February 2003Karlsruhe
Brian FaustUnited States13 January 2024Clemson
Josiah WriceUnited States10 January 2026Columbia
2132.37Lalonde GordonTrinidad & Tobago3 February 2017New York
Judson Lincoln IVUnited States6 December 2024Clemson
2332.38Greg NixonUnited States9 February 2009Liévin
Takudzwa ChiyangwaZimbabwe25 January 2025Clemson
Vernon NorwoodUnited States24 January 2026Boston

Women (outdoor)

  • Correct as of August 2025.
Ath.#Perf.#Time (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1134.41Shaunae Miller-UiboBahamas20 June 2019Ostrava
2234.60 ABeatrice MasilingiNamibia18 February 2023Pretoria
3335.16Marileidy PaulinoDominican Republic17 March 2023Carolina
4435.30 AAna GuevaraMexico3 May 2003Mexico City
5535.46Kathy CookGreat Britain18 August 1984London
Chandra CheeseboroughUnited States18 August 1984London
Henriette JægerNorway22 May 2024Bergen
835.51Cook #29 September 1983London
8835.51Natalia BukowieckaPoland9 August 2025Białystok
1035.52Bukowiecka (Kaczmarek) #230 January 2024Potchefstroom
1135.56Jæger #23 June 2025Bergen
91235.70Irena SzewinskaPoland4 July 1975London
Léa SprungerSwitzerland25 May 2017Langenthal
111435.71Donna FraserGreat Britain28 August 2000Gateshead
121535.74Courtney OkoloUnited States23 July 2016Houston
131635.81Silke-Beate KnollWest Germany19 May 1990Olpe
141735.82Cydonie MothersilleCayman Islands14 September 2000Sydney
151835.85Salwa Eid NaserBahrain9 August 2025Białystok
161935.91Brittany BrownUnited States20 June 2019Ostrava
2035.92Guevara #219 August 2001Gateshead
172135.94Bassant HemidaEgypt9 August 2025Białystok
182235.99Merlene OtteyJamaica18 August 1984London
2235.99Bukowiecka (Kaczmarek) #331 August 2024Białystok
192436.00Katharine MerryGreat Britain28 August 2000Gateshead
LaTasha ColanderUnited States28 August 2000Gateshead
2136.01Michelle ScuttGreat Britain13 July 1980London
2236.05Julien AlfredSaint Lucia5 April 2025Miramar
2336.07Jearl Miles ClarkUnited States14 September 2000Sydney
2436.10Kaltouma NadjinaChad19 August 2001Gateshead
2536.12Jaide Stepter BaynesUnited States20 June 2019Ostrava
Jasmine Camacho-QuinnPuerto Rico5 July 2020Santa Fe

Women (indoor)

  • Correct as of February 2026.
Ath.#Perf.#Time (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef.
1135.45Irina PrivalovaRussia16 January 1993Moscow
Shaunae Miller-UiboBahamas2 February 2018New York
3335.54Abby SteinerUnited States10 February 2023New York
4435.69Patricia Hall-PritchettJamaica13 February 2012Liévin
5535.71Quanera HayesUnited States6 January 2017Clemson
635.71Miller-Uibo #211 February 2017New York
6735.73Gabby ThomasUnited States12 February 2021Staten Island
835.75Thomas #24 February 2024Boston
935.79Miller-Uibo #331 January 2026Clemson
1035.80Steiner #211 December 2021Louisville
71135.83 AMerlene OtteyJamaica13 March 1981Pocatello
35.83JaMeesia FordUnited States8 December 2023Clemson
1335.92Thomas #324 January 2021Fayetteville
91335.92Stacey-Ann WilliamsJamaica14 February 2026Fayetteville
101535.94Dejanea OakleyJamaica10 January 2026Clemson
111635.95Brittany BrownUnited States22 February 2019Staten Island
1735.96 AOttey #213 March 1981Pocatello
1835.98Thomas #423 February 2019New York
121935.99Lynna Irby-JacksonUnited States12 February 2021Staten Island
Favour OfiliNigeria4 February 2024Boston
2136.05Irby-Jackson #24 February 2024Boston
142236.08Talitha DiggsUnited States31 January 2025Clemson
2336.10Miller-Uibo #415 February 2014New York
152436.12Sydney McLaughlinUnited States7 December 2017Bloomington
2436.12Ford #230 January 2026Fayetteville
1636.15 APhyllis FrancisUnited States3 March 2017Albuquerque
1736.16Julien AlfredSaint Lucia2 February 2025Boston
1836.20Natalia KaczmarekPoland4 February 2022Spala
1936.24Mariah MaxwellUnited States17 January 2026Virginia Beach
2036.25Natasha HastingsUnited States13 February 2016Boston
2136.27Ashley SpencerUnited States10 February 2017New York
2236.30Olesya KrasnomovetsRussia6 January 2006Yekaterinburg
Elise CooperUnited States1 March 2025Philadelphia
Rhasidat AdelekeIreland14 February 2026Fayetteville
2536.33Allyson FelixUnited States8 February 2007Fayetteville
Amantle MontshoBotswana4 March 2010Liévin
Madison WhyteUnited States16 January 2026Spokane

Best performances en-route to 400 metres result

Men (outdoor)

Correct as of September 2025.

RankTime (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef
131.04+Wayde van NiekerkSouth Africa14 August 2016Rio de Janeiro
231.20+Kirani JamesGrenada
LaShawn MerrittUnited States
431.33+Busang KebinatshipiBotswana18 September 2025Tokyo
531.35+Matthew Hudson-SmithGreat Britain7 August 2024Saint-Denis
631.42+Jereem RichardsTrinidad and Tobago7 August 2024Saint-Denis
731.55+Michael JohnsonUnited States9 August 1995Göteborg
831.58+Jeremy WarinerUnited States31 August 2007Osaka
931.59+Zakithi NeneSouth Africa18 September 2025Tokyo
1031.65+Rusheen McDonaldJamaica18 September 2025Tokyo
1131.81+Quincy HallUnited States7 August 2024Saint-Denis
1231.88+Angelo TaylorUnited States31 August 2007Osaka
1331.91+Chris BrownBahamas31 August 2007Osaka
Muzala SamukongaZambia6 August 2024Saint-Denis

Men (indoor)

Correct as of March 2025.

RankTime (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef
132.50+Jimy SoudrilFrance21 March 2025Nanjing
232.65+Attila MolnárHungary8 March 2025Apeldoorn
332.73+Karsten WarholmNorway2 March 2024Glasgow
432.75+Rusheen McDonaldJamaica21 March 2025Nanjing
532.76+Christopher BaileyUnited States22 March 2025Nanjing
632.77+Brian FaustUnited States21 March 2025Nanjing
732.80+Jacory PattersonUnited States21 March 2025Nanjing
832.86+Maksymilian SzwedPoland7 March 2025Apeldoorn
932.88+Alexander DoomBelgium2 March 2024Glasgow
1032.90+Matheus LimaBrazil21 March 2025Nanjing

Women (outdoor)

Correct as of September 2025.

RankTime (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef
134.14+Marita KochEast Germany6 October 1985Canberra
234.78+Marileidy PaulinoDominican Republic9 August 2024Saint-Denis
334.87+Sydney McLaughlin-LevroneUnited States18 September 2025Tokyo
434.95+Jarmila KratochvílováCzechoslovakia18 August 1982Zürich
535.00+Marie-José PérecFrance27 August 1991Tokyo
Salwa Eid NaserBahrain18 September 2025Tokyo
735.01+Olga BryzginaUkraine6 October 1985Canberra
835.24+Tatána KocembováCzechoslovakia10 August 1983Helsinki
935.29+Nickisha PryceJamaica20 July 2024London
1035.37+Lieke KlaverNetherlands12 July 2024Monaco

Women (indoor)

Correct as of March 2025.

RankTime (s)AthleteNationDatePlaceRef
136.04+Femke BolNetherlands10 February 2024Liévin
Amandine BrossierFrance10 February 2024Liévin
336.32+Lieke KlaverNetherlands8 March 2025Apeldoorn
436.38+Alexis HolmesUnited States22 March 2025Nanjing
536.42+Henriette JægerNorway8 March 2025Apeldoorn
636.54+Amber AnningGreat Britain22 March 2025Nanjing
736.83+Paula SevillaSpain8 March 2025Apeldoorn
836.88+Martina WeilChile22 March 2025Nanjing
936.93+Lurdes Gloria ManuelCzech Republic8 March 2025Apeldoorn
1037.17+Rosey EffiongUnited States22 March 2025Nanjing