This article contains an overview of the year 1991 in athletics.

International Events

All-Africa Games Asian Championships Central American and Caribbean Championships Mediterranean Games Pan American Games South American Championships World Championships World Cross Country Championships World Indoor Championships World Student Games

World records

Men EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE100 metres9.9014 JuneNew York City, USA9.8625 AugustTokyo, Japan20,000 metres56:55.630 MarchLa Flèche, FranceOne hour run21,101m30 MarchLa Flèche, France4 × 100 m Relay• Michael Marsh• Leroy Burrell• Dennis Mitchell• Carl Lewis37.677 AugustZürich• Andre Cason• Leroy Burrell• Dennis Mitchell• Carl Lewis37.501 SeptemberTokyoPole vault6.07m6 MayShizuoka, Japan6.08m9 JuneMoscow6.09m8 JulyFormia, Italy6.10m5 AugustMalmö, SwedenLong jump8.95m30 AugustTokyo

The relay team of the United States in the men's 4 × 100 m, formed by Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard and Carl Lewis, equal the current world record, set the previous year by France at the European Championships, clocking 37.79 on 1991-08-03 at a meet in Monaco. The first mark was set by Max Morinière, Daniel Sangouma, Jean-Charles Trouabal and Bruno Marie-Rose on 1990-09-01 in Split, Yugoslavia.

Women EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUETriple jump14.95 m10 JuneMoscow, Soviet UnionHalf marathon1:07:5918 MayEast London, South Africa

Men's Best Year Performers

100 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.9.862.9.883.9.924.9.955.9.96

200 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.19.882.20.083.20.124.20.135.20.15

400 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.44.172.44.363.44.404.44.425.44.52

800 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:43.082.1:43.303.1:43.844.1:43.935.1:43.96

1,500 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:31.002.3:31.963.3:32.034.3:32.945.3:33.28

Mile RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:49.122.3:49.463.3:49.774.3:49.835.3:49.91

3,000 metres RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7:33.912.7:34.743.7:37.344.7:38.395.7:38.84

5,000 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.13:01.822.13:09.763.13:10.104.13:10.445.13:11.76

10,000 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.27:11.182.27:11.623.27:23.294.27:24.555.27:28.87

Half marathon RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:00:58

Marathon

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:08:532.2:09:123.2:09:174.2:09:235.2:09:28

110m hurdles

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.13.052.13.06—13.064.13.095.13.13

400m hurdles

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.47.102.47.383.47.744.47.835.47.86

3,000m steeplechase

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:06.462.8:08.393.8:10.694.8:11.285.8:11.85

High jump

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.403.2.374.2.365.2.35

Long jump

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.8.952.8.873.8.505.8.28

Triple jump

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.17.782.17.753.17.664.17.625.17.53

Discus

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.69.362.68.123.67.804.67.785.67.54

Shot put

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.22.032.20.773.20.754.20.675.20.55

Hammer

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.84.262.82.803.82.624.82.405.81.16

Javelin (new design)

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.96.962.91.363.90.844.90.825.90.72

Pole vault

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.6.102.5.923.5.905.5.90

Decathlon

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.88122.85493.85184.84675.8402

Women's Best Year Performers

60 metres RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7.022.7.043.7.064.7.125,7.13

100 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.10.792.10.913.10.944.10.96

200 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.21.642.21.963.22.074.22.215.22.24

400 metres RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.49.132.49.423.49.614.49.665.49.67

800 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:57.232.1:57.343.1:57.504.1:57.585.1:57.63

1,500 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:59.162.4:00.003.4:00.834.4:02.215.4:02.58

Mile RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.4:17.002.4:20.793.4:22.044.4:23.355.4:23.38

3,000 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:32.002.8:35.723.8:35.824.8:36.055.8:36.06

5,000 metres RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.14:49.352.14:58.713.14:59.704.15:03.525.15:04.87

10,000 metres

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.30:57.072.31:03.623.31:07.884.31:20.285.31:28.92

Half marathon RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:07:59 WR

Marathon

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:24:182.2:26:143.2:26:404.2:26:525.2:26:54

60m hurdles RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7.827.823.7.884.7.895.7.96

100m hurdles

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12.282.12.393.12.484.12.675.12.73

400m hurdles

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.53.112.53.163.53.474.53.545.53.98

High Jump

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.05 m2.2.03 m3.2.02 m4.1.99 m5.1.98 m

Long Jump

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.7.37 m2.7.32 m3.7.24 m4.7.20 m5.7.00 m

Triple Jump RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.14.95 m2.14.42 m3.14.35 m4.13.84 m5.13.74 m

Shot put

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.21.12 m2.20.85 m3.20.40 m4.19.58 m5.19.47 m

Javelin (old design)

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.71.442.70.203.69.664.68.785.68.34

Heptathlon

RANK1991 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.68782.66723.64944.64935.6448

Births January 15 — Darya Klishina, Russian long jumper February 8 — Genzebe Dibaba, Ethiopian middle- and long-distance runner February 22 — Rebecca Cheptegei, Ugandan distance runner (d. 2024) May 8 — Kalkidan Gezahegne, Ethiopian distance runner

Deaths January 1 — Inga Gentzel (82), Swedish athlete (b. 1908) August 10 — Ellen Braumüller (80), German athlete (b. 1910)

References Year Lists 1991 Year Rankings Association of Road Racing Statisticians