55 metres

55 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a relatively uncommon non-championship event for indoor track and field. The history of the event lies in the 60-yard dash, which is about 5 inches shorter than 55 metres. Since the 1960s almost all countries have used metric measurements for track and field, hence the standard sprint distances for indoor competition have been 50 metres and 60 metres.

The single exception to this was the United States, which continued to use imperial measurements. In the 1980s efforts were made to switch track and field in the United States to use metric measurements and the 55 metres was adopted as a close equivalent to 60 yards. The NCAA Indoor Championships featured the event from 1984 to 1998 and the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships featured the event from 1987 to 1990. Subsequently the 55 metres were dropped from American championships in favour of the international standard of 60 metres. Since the late 1990s there have been very few significant open competitions over 55 metres and the event remains something of a historic anomaly. The distance is still frequently run in junior (below college) meets.

All-time top 25 Indoor results only. Hand-timed results are excluded

The websites of World Athletics and tilastopaja.net are often used to generate lists of top performers. However, the data in these sites is not complete before about 1998 and, as noted above, much of the championship activity in this event (and hence best performances) were before this time. Hence a better source of data is the Track and Field News website.

A = affected by altitude

Men Updated February 2023

RankTimeAthleteNationalityDatePlace15.99 Obadele Thompson22 February 1997Colorado Springs26.00Lee McRae14 March 1986Oklahoma City36.02 Leo Myles-Mills22 February 1997Colorado Springs46.03Sam Graddy14 March 1986Oklahoma City6.03 Carl Lewis5 February 1983Dallas6.03Christian Coleman11 February 2023New York City76.04André Cason9 March 1990Indianapolis6.04 Ato Boldon1 February 1997Flagstaff96.05Brian Cooper13 February 1988East Rutherford6.05 Stanley Floyd31 January 1981Dallas116.06Tim Harden9 March 1996IndianapolisEmmit King26 February 1988New York CityFred Johnson16 March 1985Fargo6.06 Houston McTear24 February 1978 New York City6.06 Marcus Brunson20 February 1999RenoFelix Andam28 February 1998Colorado SpringsSyan Williams14 February 1998Colorado SpringsKeith Williams15 February 1997Colorado Springs196.07Leonard Scott20 February 1999GainesvilleOusmane Diarra10 February 1996AmesRaghib Ismail8 February 1991West LafayetteRay Stewart11 March 1989IndianapolisRon Brown4 February 1984Dallas6.07 Obadiah Cooper21 February 1998Flagstaff256.08Marvin Bracy29 January 2012GainesvilleMichael Green14 March 1992IndianapolisPhil Epps5 March 1983DallasRod Richardson13 March 1982PontiacJames Sanford20 February 1981San Diego6.08 Bernard Williams21 February 1998Colorado Springs

Women Updated March 2025

RankTimeAthleteNationalityDatePlace16.53Jacious Sears8 February 2025New York City26.55Evelyn Ashford26 February 1982New York CityJeanette Bolden21 February 1986Los Angeles46.56Gwen Torrence14 March 1987Oklahoma City56.57 Alice Brown22 February 1985New York City6.57Aleia Hobbs11 February 2023New York City76.58Dawn Sowell26 February 1989Baton RougeBeatrice Utondu-Okoye11 February 1990Monroe, North Carolina6.58Tamari Davis11 February 2023New York City106.60Chandra Cheeseborough5 February 1983Dallas116.61Michelle Finn23 February 1990New York City126.62 Merlene Ottey13 March 1982Cedar Falls, IowaMarlies Göhr28 February 1986New York City6.62Marybeth Sant-Price11 February 2023New York City156.63Mikiah Brisco11 February 2023New York CityLisa Raye8 February 2025New York City176.64 Lyudmila Storozhkova3 March 1979New York City6.64Anelia Nuneva27 February 1987New York City196.65Florence Griffith8 February 1985InglewoodNelli Cooman30 January 1987New York City6.65Savatheda Fynes8 March 1997Indianapolis6.65Celera Barnes8 February 2025New York City236.66Carlette Guidry10 March 1990IndianapolisMichelle Freeman30 January 1993Johnson City256.67Angela Bailey28 February 1986New York City6.67Shawnti Jackson29 January 2022New York City11 February 2023Melanie Doggett8 February 2025New York CityDestiny Smith-Barnett8 February 2025New York City

Notes Below is a list of other times equal or superior to 6.67: Aleia Hobbs also ran 6.66 (2025).

World leading times

Men YearMarkAthletePlace19786.06New York City19796.10 Albuquerque19806.10Fort WorthNew York City19816.05Dallas19826.08Pontiac19836.03Dallas19846.07Johnson CityDallas19856.06Fargo19866.00Oklahoma City19876.04East Rutherford19886.05East Rutherford19896.07Indianapolis19906.04Indianapolis19916.07West Lafayette19926.08Indianapolis19936.10Johnson City19946.09Cedar Falls19956.13Gainesville19966.06Indianapolis19975.99 Colorado Springs19986.06 Colorado Springs19996.06 Reno20006.11Gainesville20016.10Knoxville20026.14 Reno20036.10Los Angeles20046.20JonesboroGainesville20056.19Lubbock20066.12Fresno20076.14Gainesville20086.10Maysville20096.17Fresno20106.20GreencastleMurfreesboro20116.09Southern Pines20126.08Gainesville20136.16Brea20146.11Lubbock20156.09Gainesville20166.17Cape Girardeau20176.16Chicago20186.17Charlotte20196.26State College20206.22Winston-Salem20216.25Virginia Beach20236.03New York City

Women YearMarkAthletePlace19786.73Inglewood19796.64New York City19806.77 New York CityNew York City19816.63 Dallas19826.55 New York City19836.56 Los Angeles19846.63 New York City19856.57 New York City19866.55 Los Angeles19876.56 Oklahoma City19886.60East Rutherford19896.58 Baton Rouge19906.58 Monroe, North Carolina19916.70Johnson City19926.66 Johnson City19936.66 Johnson City19946.70 Indianapolis19956.60Johnson City19966.68 Boulder, Colorado19976.65Indianapolis19986.68 Colorado Springs19996.71Gainesville20006.69Knoxville20016.78Gainesville20026.79Gainesville20036.73GainesvilleLos AngelesGainesville20046.70Gainesville20056.74GainesvilleKnoxville20066.71Gainesville20076.71Gainesville20086.80GainesvilleGainesville20096.69Gainesville20106.74Gainesville20116.81Lubbock20126.73Columbia20136.73Gainesville20146.75Lubbock20156.75Gainesville20166.84 Laramie20176.73 Laramie20186.73New York City20196.75 Laramie20236.57New York City20256.53New York City

Notes

References