Following on from my recent athletics bucket list, I’m continuing with the theme of “lists that all athletics fanatics should keep” with my set of spectator PBs. In other words, the best athletics performances that I have witnessed in person.
The thought of making note of my spectator PBs hadn’t even crossed my mind until I came across a discussion on the subject on an internet message board. It has since become a mild obsession.
Like all fans, I love witnessing a world record being broken. But I now get almost as much satisfaction in witnessing a ‘spectator PB’. Terribly geeky, I know.
So here’s my list. I’ve put an asterisk next to performances that are current world records. Some other marks were world records at the time but have since been broken. Feel free to post your spectator PBs in the comments section.
Updated 24 Aug 2016
Men outdoor
| 100m | 9.58* | Usain Bolt | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| 200m | 19.19* | Usain Bolt | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| 400m | 43.03* | Wayde van Niekerk | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| 800m | 1:40.91* | David Rudisha | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| 1500m | 3:26.69 | Asbel Kiprop | 2015 Herculis, Monaco |
| Mile | 3:49.84 | Paul Korir | 2004 London Grand Prix |
| 3000m | 7:33.54 | Eliud Kipchoge | 2006 British Grand Prix, Gateshead |
| 2 miles | 8:11.16 | Craig Mottram | 2007 London Grand Prix |
| 5000m | 12:46.53 | Eliud Kipchoge | 2004 Golden Gala, Rome |
| 10,000m | 26:46.31 | Kenenisa Bekele | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| Marathon | 2:04:42 | Eliud Kipchoge | 2015 London Marathon |
| 3000mSC | 7:58.41 | Jairus Birech | 2014 Van Damme Memorial, Brussels |
| 110mH | 12.92 | Aries Merritt | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| 400mH | 47.63 | Felix Sanchez | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| High jump | 2.43 | Mutaz Essa Barshim | 2014 Van Damme Memorial, Brussels |
| Pole vault | 6.03 | Thiago Braz | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| Long jump | 8.56 | Aleksandr Menkov | 2013 World Championships, Moscow |
| Triple jump | 18.21 | Christian Taylor | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| Shot | 22.56 | Joe Kovacs | 2015 Herculis, Monaco |
| Discus | 69.43 | Robert Harting | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| Hammer | 81.97 | Pawel Fajdek | 2013 World Championships, Moscow |
| Javelin | 92.72* | Julius Yego | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| Decathlon | 9045* | Ashton Eaton | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| 20km walk | 1:19:14 | Miguel Angel Lopez | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| 50km walk | 3:37:56 | Robert Heffernan | 2013 World Championships, Moscow |
| 4x100m | 36.84* | Jamaica | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| 4x400m | 2:56.72 | Bahamas | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
Women outdoor
| 100m | 10.71 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Elaine Thompson |
2013 World Championships, Moscow 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| 200m | 21.63 | Dafne Schippers | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| 400m | 49.00 | Sanya Richards-Ross | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| 800m | 1:55.28 | Caster Semenya | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| 1500m | 3:50.07* | Genzebe Dibaba | 2015 Herculis, Monaco |
| 3000m | 8:28.94 | Mercy Cherono | 2014 Van Damme Memorial, Brussels |
| 5000m | 14:26.17 | Vivian Cheruiyot | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| 10,000m | 29:17.45* | Almaz Ayana | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| Marathon | 2:23:22 | Tigist Tufa | 2015 London Marathon |
| 3000mSC | 8:59.75 | Ruth Jebet | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| 100mH | 12.28 | Sally Pearson | 2011 World Championships, Daegu |
| 400mH | 52.42 | Melaine Walker | 2009 World Championships, Berlin |
| High jump | 2.05 | Blanka Vlasic | 2010 Continental Cup, Split |
| Pole vault | 4.91 | Yelena Isinbayeva | 2006 London Grand Prix |
| Long jump | 7.12 | Brittney Reese | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| Triple jump | 15.25 | Olga Rypakova | 2010 Continental Cup, Split |
| Shot | 21.24 | Valerie Adams | 2011 World Championships, Daegu |
| Discus | 69.28 | Denia Caballero | 2015 World Championships, Beijing |
| Hammer | 82.29* | Anita Wlodarczyk | 2016 Olympic Games, Rio |
| Javelin | 71.99 | Maria Abakumova | 2011 World Championships, Daegu |
| Heptathlon | 6955 | Jessica Ennis | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| 20km walk | 1:26:17 | Maria Guadalupe Gonzalez | 2016 World Race Walking Team Champs, Rome |
| 4x100m | 40.82* | United States | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
| 4x400m | 3:16.87 | United States | 2012 Olympic Games, London |
Men indoor
| 60m | 6.44 | Asafa Powell | 2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland |
| 200m | 20.53 | Tobias Unger | 2005 European Indoor Championships, Madrid |
| 400m | 45.24 | Pavel Maslak | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
| 800m | 1:45.69 | David Krummenacker | 2003 World Indoor Championships, Birmingham |
| 1000m | 2:14.96* | Wilson Kipketer | 2000 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 1500m | 3:33.10 | Deresse Mekonnen | 2010 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 2000m | 4:49.99* | Kenenisa Bekele | 2007 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 3000m | 7:32.43 | Bernard Lagat | 2007 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 2 Miles | 8:03.40* | Mo Farah | 2015 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 5000m | 12:49.60* | Kenenisa Bekele | 2004 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 60mH | 7.34 | Dayron Robles | 2010 World Indoor Championships, Doha |
| High jump | 2.40 | Stefan Holm | 2005 European Indoor Championships, Madrid |
| Pole vault | 6.02 | Renaud Lavillenie | 2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland |
| Long jump | 8.40 | Savante Stringfellow | 2004 World Indoor Championships, Budapest |
| Triple jump | 17.90 | Teddy Tamgho | 2010 World Indoor Championships, Doha |
| Shot | 22.05 | Ryan Whiting | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
| Heptathlon | 6632 | Ashton Eaton | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
| 4x400m | 3:02.13* | United States | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
Women indoor
| 60m | 6.98 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
| 200m | 22.18 | Michelle Collins | 2003 World Indoor Championships, Birmingham |
| 400m | 50.02 | Nicola Sanders | 2007 European Indoor Championships, Birmingham |
| 800m | 1:57.72 | Maria Mutola | 2004 World Indoor Championships, Budapest |
| 1000m | 2:32.96 | Kelly Holmes | 2004 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 1500m | 4:00.61 | Abeba Aregawi | 2014 World Indoor Championships, Sopot |
| Mile | 4:23.50 | Axumawit Embaye | 2015 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 3000m | 8:30.53 | Vivian Cheruiyot | 2009 Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix |
| 60mH | 7.72 | Lolo Jones | 2010 World Indoor Championships, Doha |
| High jump | 2.05 | Tia Hellebaut | 2007 European Indoor Championships, Birmingham |
| Pole vault | 4.90 | Yelena Isinbayeva Jenn Suhr |
2005 European Indoor Championships, Madrid 2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland |
| Long jump | 7.22 | Brittney Reese | 2016 World Indoor Championships, Portland |
| Triple jump | 15.36* | Tatyana Lebedeva | 2004 World Indoor Championships, Budapest |
| Shot | 20.85 | Nadezhda Ostapchuk | 2010 World Indoor Championships, Doha |
| Pentathlon | 4948 | Carolina Kluft | 2005 European Indoor Championships, Madrid |
| 4x400m | 3:23.88 | Russia | 2004 World Indoor Championships, Budapest |
