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.
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 |
Views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent those of any employer.