Building on the work done by Track and Field News with their list of the best all-round male sprinters (originally the top 100 but later reduced to 25), I’ve expanded it back up to 100 and, over the past few years, have tried to maintain and update it (with semi-regular frequency). I’ve also created an equivalent list for female sprinters.
It was no small task, but credit must go to Justin Clouder for collating the original set of stats and to Jim Rorick for maintaining the list for T&FN.
These lists are based on the World Athletics scoring tables and the most recent PBs of the athletes. Where electronically-timed PBs don’t exist for an athlete, I have included hand-timed performances, but – as per T&FN’s original list – 0.24 has been added for 100m & 200m hand-timed marks and 0.14 for 400m. These have been marked by an asterisk. Altitude-aided marks have been included, so too have indoor marks (which were scored with the World Athletics indoor scoring tables). Wind-assisted marks and relay splits have not been included.
The list is ‘sortable’ so, if you wish, you can rank athletes by nationality or one of their individual PBs.
Any amendments or additions, please get in touch!
Update – 20 Jul 2020
A lot has happened in the four years since this list was last updated.
Perhaps the biggest news is that Michael Norman’s 9.86 clocking for 100m is enough to move into the top three. His training partner Rai Benjamin is a new addition to the list, just outside the top 10 – despite being a hurdles specialist!
Other new additions include Kenny Bednarek (16th), Noah Lyles (21st), Akeem Bloomfield (29th), Justin Gatlin (31st), Divine Oduduru (42nd), Aaron Brown (44th), Zharnel Hughes (49th), Steven Gardiner (55th), Christopher Taylor (55th), Jereem Richards (60th), Alex Quinonez (64th), Fred Kerley (71st), Bernardo Baloyes (72nd) and Rasheed Dwyer (80th).
Because of all the new additions, the likes of Maurice Greene, Ato Boldon and Linford Christie have now been bumped out of the top 100.
| Pos | Score | Athlete | Nat | 100m | 200m | 400m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3867 | Usain Bolt | JAM | 09.58 (1356) | 19.19 (1351) | 45.28 (1160) |
| 2 | 3815 | Michael Johnson | USA | 10.09 (1176) | 19.32 (1329) | 43.18 (1310) |
| 3 | 3813 | Michael Norman | USA | 9.86 (1255) | 19.70 (1268) | 43.45 (1290) |
| 4 | 3793 | Wayde van Niekerk | RSA | 09.94 (1227) | 19.84 (1245) | 43.03 (1321) |
| 5 | 3790 | Tyson Gay | USA | 09.69 (1316) | 19.58 (1287) | 44.89 (1187) |
| 6 | 3745 | Yohan Blake | JAM | 09.69 (1316) | 19.26 (1339) | 46.32 (1090) |
| 7 | 3698 | Xavier Carter | USA | 10.00 (1206) | 19.63 (1279) | 44.53 (1213) |
| 8 | 3668 | Mike Marsh | USA | 09.93 (1231) | 19.73 (1263) | 45.08 (1174) |
| 9 | 3664 | Isaac Makwala | BOT | 10.20 (1138) | 19.77 (1256) | 43.72 (1270) |
| 10 | 3661 | Wallace Spearmon | USA | 09.96 (1220) | 19.65 (1276) | 45.22 (1165) |
| 11 | 3656 | Asafa Powell | JAM | 09.72 (1305) | 19.90 (1236) | 45.94 (1115) |
| 12 | 3646 | Rai Benjamin | USA | 10.03 (1196) | 19.99 (1222) | 44.31 (1228) |
| 13 | 3634 | Femi Ogunode | NGR | 09.91 (1238) | 19.97 (1225) | 45.12 (1171) |
| 14 | 3631 | Obadele Thompson | BAR | 09.87 (1252) | 19.97 (1225) | 45.38 (1154) |
| 15 | 3619 | Frank Fredericks | NAM | 09.86 (1255) | 19.68 (1271) | 46.28 (1093) |
| 16 | 3606 | Dennis Mitchell | USA | 09.91 (1238) | 20.09 (1206) | 45.26 (1162) |
| 16 | 3606 | Kenny Bednarek | USA | 10.14 (1159) | 19.82 (1248) | 44.73 (1199) |
| 18 | 3604 | Walter Dix | USA | 09.88 (1248) | 19.53 (1295) | 46.75 (1061) |
| 19 | 3601 | Robson da Silva | BRA | 10.02 (1199) | 19.96 (1226) | 45.06 (1176) |
| 19 | 3601 | Bruno Hortelano | ESP | 10.06 (1186) | 20.04 (1214) | 44.69 (1201) |
| 21 | 3597 | Noah Lyles | USA | 09.86 (1255) | 19.50 (1300) | 47.04 (1042) |
| 22 | 3592 | Francis Obikwelu | POR | 09.86 (1255) | 19.84 (1245) | 46.29 (1092) |
| 23 | 3591 | Jon Drummond | USA | 09.92 (1234) | 20.03 (1215) | 45.55 (1142) |
| 23 | 3591 | Churandy Martina | NED | 09.91 (1238) | 19.81 (1250) | 46.13 (1103) |
| 25 | 3587 | Pietro Mennea | ITA | 10.01 (1203) | 19.72 (1264) | 45.87 (1120) |
| 26 | 3586 | LaShawn Merritt | USA | 10.47 (1050) | 19.74 (1261) | 43.65 (1275) |
| 26 | 3586 | Gil Roberts | USA | 10.12 (1165) | 20.22 (1186) | 44.22 (1235) |
| 28 | 3576 | Steve Williams | USA | 10.07 (1182) | 20.02* (1217) | 45.04* (1177) |
| 29 | 3571 | Akeem Bloomfield | JAM | 10.42 (1066) | 19.81 (1250) | 43.94 (1255) |
| 30 | 3570 | Kerron Clement | USA | 10.23 (1128) | 20.40i (1226) | 44.48 (1216) |
| 31 | 3566 | Justin Gatlin | USA | 9.74 (1298) | 19.57 (1289) | 48.02 (979) |
| 32 | 3562 | Kevin Little | USA | 10.13 (1162) | 20.10 (1204) | 44.77 (1196) |
| 33 | 3559 | Carl Lewis | USA | 09.86 (1255) | 19.75 (1260) | 47.01 (1044) |
| 34 | 3555 | James Sanford | USA | 10.02 (1199) | 19.94* (1229) | 45.77 (1127) |
| 35 | 3550 | Kelly Willie | USA | 10.13 (1162) | 20.24 (1182) | 44.63 (1206) |
| 36 | 3548 | Warren Weir | JAM | 10.02 (1199) | 19.79 (1253) | 46.23 (1096) |
| 36 | 3548 | Innocent Egbunike | NGR | 10.15 (1155) | 20.42 (1155) | 44.17 (1238) |
| 36 | 3548 | Mark Witherspoon | USA | 10.04 (1193) | 20.12 (1201) | 45.37 (1154) |
| 39 | 3544 | Tommie Smith | USA | 10.34* (1092) | 19.83 (1247) | 44.64* (1205) |
| 39 | 3544 | Baboloki Thebe | BOT | 10.29 (1108) | 20.21 (1187) | 44.02 (1249) |
| 41 | 3543 | John Regis | GBR | 10.15 (1155) | 19.87 (1241) | 45.48 (1147) |
| 42 | 3540 | Divine Oduduru | NGR | 09.86 (1255) | 19.73 (1263) | 47.35 (1022) |
| 43 | 3538 | Calvin Smith | USA | 09.93 (1231) | 19.99 (1222) | 46.39 (1085) |
| 44 | 3537 | Kostas Kedéris | GRE | 10.15 (1155) | 19.85 (1244) | 45.60 (1138) |
| 44 | 3537 | Aaron Brown | CAN | 09.96 (1220) | 19.95 (1228) | 46.33 (1089) |
| 46 | 3534 | Quincy Watts | USA | 10.30 (1105) | 20.50 (1143) | 43.50 (1286) |
| 46 | 3534 | Alonso Edward | PAN | 10.02 (1203) | 19.81 (1250) | 47.40i (1081) |
| 48 | 3533 | Silvio Leonard | CUB | 09.98 (1213) | 20.06 (1211) | 46.04* (1109) |
| 49 | 3531 | Kirk Baptiste | USA | 10.11 (1169) | 19.96 (1226) | 45.63 (1136) |
| 49 | 3531 | Zharnel Hughes | GBR | 09.91 (1238) | 20.00 (1220) | 46.58 (1073) |
| 51 | 3528 | Leandro Peñalver | CUB | 10.06 (1186) | 20.22 (1186) | 45.35 (1156) |
| 52 | 3524 | Ja’Warren Hooker | USA | 10.18 (1145) | 20.23 (1184) | 44.78 (1195) |
| 53 | 3523 | Henry Thomas | USA | 10.15 (1155) | 20.18 (1192) | 45.05 (1176) |
| 53 | 3523 | Shingo Suetsugu | JPN | 10.03 (1196) | 20.03 (1215) | 45.99 (1112) |
| 55 | 3522 | Steven Gardiner | BAH | 10.71 (974) | 19.75 (1260) | 43.48 (1288) |
| 55 | 3522 | Christopher Taylor | JAM | 10.11 (1169) | 20.35 (1165) | 44.88 (1188) |
| 57 | 3521 | Dedric Dukes | USA | 10.13 (1162) | 19.97 (1225) | 45.66 (1134) |
| 58 | 3520 | Michael Mathieu | BAH | 10.18 (1145) | 20.16 (1195) | 45.00 (1180) |
| 59 | 3519 | Olapade Adeniken | NGR | 09.94* (1227) | 20.11 (1203) | 46.34 (1089) |
| 60 | 3518 | Nickel Ashmeade | JAM | 09.90 (1241) | 19.85 (1244) | 47.19 (1033) |
| 60 | 3518 | Jereem Richards | TTO | 10.23 (1128) | 19.97 (1225) | 45.21 (1165) |
| 62 | 3513 | Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake | GBR | 09.99 (1210) | 19.95 (1228) | 46.55 (1075) |
| 63 | 3512 | Vladimir Krylov | RUS | 10.13 (1162) | 20.23 (1184) | 45.20 (1166) |
| 64 | 3510 | Alex Quinonez | ECU | 10.09 (1176) | 19.87 (1241) | 46.28 (1093) |
| 65 | 3505 | Tyree Washington | USA | 10.41 (1069) | 20.09 (1206) | 44.28 (1230) |
| 65 | 3505 | Clancy Edwards | USA | 10.07 (1182) | 20.03 (1215) | 46.05 (1108) |
| 65 | 3505 | Koji Ito | JPN | 10.00 (1206) | 20.16 (1195) | 46.11 (1104) |
| 68 | 3504 | Troy Douglas | NED | 10.16 (1152) | 20.19 (1190) | 45.26 (1162) |
| 68 | 3504 | Claudinei da Silva | BRA | 10.12 (1165) | 19.89 (1237) | 46.14 (1102) |
| 70 | 3502 | Joe DeLoach | USA | 10.03 (1196) | 19.75 (1260) | 46.99 (1046) |
| 71 | 3501 | Fred Kerley | USA | 10.49 (1043) | 20.24 (1182) | 43.64 (1276) |
| 72 | 3498 | Bernardo Baloyes | COL | 10.18 (1145) | 20.00 (1220) | 45.68 (1133) |
| 73 | 3497 | Sunday Bada | NGR | 10.27 (1115) | 20.28 (1176) | 44.63 (1206) |
| 73 | 3497 | Chris Williams | JAM | 10.05 (1189) | 20.02 (1217) | 46.30 (1091) |
| 75 | 3496 | Lionel Larry | USA | 10.23 (1128) | 20.37 (1162) | 44.63 (1206) |
| 75 | 3496 | Julian Forte | JAM | 09.91 (1238) | 19.97 (1225) | 47.18 (1033) |
| 77 | 3495 | Cliff Wiley | USA | 10.21 (1135) | 20.39 (1159) | 44.70 (1201) |
| 78 | 3494 | Ramon Clay | USA | 10.21 (1135) | 20.05 (1212) | 45.48 (1147) |
| 78 | 3494 | Ryan Bailey | USA | 09.88 (1248) | 20.10 (1204) | 47.05 (1042) |
| 80 | 3493 | Rasheed Dwyer | JAM | 10.10 (1172) | 19.80 (1252) | 46.64 (1069) |
| 81 | 3492 | Tony McQuay | USA | 10.22 (1132) | 20.60 (1127) | 44.24 (1233) |
| 82 | 3489 | Mario Forsythe | JAM | 09.95 (1224) | 20.27 (1178) | 46.37 (1087) |
| 83 | 3487 | David Oaks | USA | 10.12 (1165) | 20.34 (1167) | 45.36 (1155) |
| 83 | 3487 | Jordan Vaden | USA | 10.20 (1138) | 19.98 (1223) | 45.79 (1126) |
| 85 | 3485 | Brendon Rodney | CAN | 10.18 (1145) | 19.96 (1226) | 45.96 (1114) |
| 86 | 3482 | Atlee Mahorn | CAN | 10.16 (1152) | 20.17 (1193) | 45.62 (1137) |
| 87 | 3479 | Sebastian Keitel | CHI | 10.10 (1172) | 20.15 (1196) | 46.01 (1111) |
| 87 | 3479 | Nesta Carter | JAM | 09.78 (1283) | 20.25 (1181) | 47.46 (1015) |
| 89 | 3478 | Andre De Grasse | CAN | 09.90 (1241) | 19.80 (1252) | 47.93 (985) |
| 90 | 3476 | Alvis Whitted | USA | 10.07 (1182) | 20.29 (1175) | 45.88 (1119) |
| 91 | 3474 | Marcus la Grange | RSA | 10.30 (1105) | 20.35 (1165) | 44.65 (1204) |
| 92 | 3472 | Daniel Batman | AUS | 10.19 (1142) | 20.44 (1152) | 45.02 (1178) |
| 93 | 3470 | Kim Collins | SKN | 09.93 (1231) | 20.20 (1189) | 46.93 (1050) |
| 94 | 3469 | Ameer Webb | USA | 09.94 (1227) | 19.85 (1244) | 47.72 (998) |
| 95 | 3465 | Patrick Delice | TTO | 10.35 (1089) | 20.34 (1167) | 44.58 (1209) |
| 96 | 3463 | Michael Franks | USA | 10.25 (1122) | 20.62 (1124) | 44.47 (1217) |
| 97 | 3462 | Antonio Pettigrew | USA | 10.42 (1066) | 20.38 (1161) | 44.21 (1235) |
| 97 | 3462 | Kevin Braunskill | USA | 10.16 (1152) | 20.14* (1198) | 45.99 (1112) |
| 99 | 3461 | Dean Capobianco | AUS | 10.25 (1122) | 20.18 (1192) | 45.47 (1147) |
| 99 | 3461 | Desai Williams | CAN | 10.11 (1169) | 20.29 (1175) | 45.92 (1117) |
(Thanks to stats from ATFS, Justin Clouder, Jim Rorick and Mirko Jalava)
List first published 7 Jan 2015.
