Women's 100 metres world record progression


The first world record in the 100 metres sprint for women was recognised by the Fédération Sportive Féminine Internationale in 1922. The FSFI was absorbed by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1936. The current record is 10.49 seconds set by Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.
To June 21, 2009, the IAAF have ratified 43 world records in the event.

Records 1922–1976

The "Time" column indicates the ratified mark; the "Wind" column indicates the wind assistance in metres per second, 2.0 m/s the current maximum allowable, a negative indicates the mark was set running into a wind; the "Auto" column indicates a fully automatic time that was also recorded in the event when hand-timed marks were used for official records, or which was the basis for the official mark, rounded to the 10th or 100th of a second, depending on the rules then in place. A "y" indicates a distance measured in yards and ratified as a world record in this event.
TimeWindAutoAthleteNationalityLocationDate
13.6Marie Mejzlíková IIPrague, CzechoslovakiaAugust 5, 1922
12.8Mary LinesParis, FranceAugust 20, 1922
12.7
Emmi HauxFrankfurt, GermanyMay 21, 1923
12.8Marie MejzlíkováPrague, CzechoslovakiaMay 13, 1923
12.4Leni SchmidtLeipzig, GermanyAugust 30, 1925
12.2
Leni JunkerWiesbaden, GermanySeptember 13, 1925
12.4Gundel WittmannBraunschweig, GermanyAugust 22, 1926
12.2Leni JunkerHanover, GermanyAugust 29, 1926
12.1
Gertrud GladitschStuttgart, GermanyJuly 3, 1927
12.2Kinue HitomiOsaka, JapanMay 20, 1928
12.0Betty RobinsonChicago, Illinois, United StatesJune 2, 1928
12.0Myrtle CookHalifax, Nova Scotia, CanadaJuly 2, 1928
12.0Leni JunkerMagdeburg, GermanyAugust 1, 1931
12.0Tollien SchuurmanAmsterdam, NetherlandsAugust 31, 1930
11.9Tollien SchuurmanHaarlem, NetherlandsJune 5, 1932
11.9Stanisława WalasiewiczLos Angeles, United StatesAugust 1, 1932
11.9Hilda StrikeLos Angeles, United StatesAugust 2, 1932
11.8Stanisława WalasiewiczPoznań, PolandSeptember 17, 1933
11.9Käthe KraußLondon, EnglandAugust 11, 1934
11.7Stanisława WalasiewiczWarsaw, PolandAugust 26, 1934
11.9Helen StephensFulton, United StatesApril 10, 1935
11.8Helen StephensSaint Louis, United StatesJune 1, 1935
11.6Helen StephensKansas City, United StatesJune 8, 1935
11.5Helen StephensDresden, GermanyAugust 10, 1936
11.6Stanisława WalasiewiczBerlin, GermanyAugust 1, 1937
11.5Lulu Mae HymesTuskegeeMay 6, 1939
11.5Rowena HarrisonTuskegeeMay 6, 1939
11.5Fanny Blankers-KoenAmsterdam, NetherlandsSeptember 5, 1943
11.5Fanny Blankers-KoenAmsterdam, NetherlandsJune 13, 1948
11.51.711.65Marjorie JacksonHelsinki, FinlandJuly 22, 1952
11.41.7Marjorie JacksonGifu, JapanOctober 4, 1952
11.31.4Shirley StricklandWarsaw, PolandAugust 4, 1955
11.31.4Vera KrepkinaKiev, Soviet UnionSeptember 13, 1958
11.30.811.41Wilma RudolphRome, ItalySeptember 2, 1960
11.20.7Wilma RudolphStuttgart, West GermanyJuly 19, 1961
11.20.211.23Wyomia TyusTokyo, JapanOctober 15, 1964
11.12.0Ewa KlobukowskaPrague, CzechoslovakiaJuly 9, 1965
11.12.0Irena KirszensteinPrague, CzechoslovakiaJuly 9, 1965
11.1Wyomia TyusKiev, Soviet UnionJuly 31, 1965
11.10.3Barbara FerrellSanta Barbara, United StatesJuly 2, 1967
11.1Wyomia TyusMexico City, MexicoApril 21, 1968
11.10.0Lyudmila SamotyosovaLeninakan, Soviet UnionAugust 15, 1968
11.1Margaret BailesAurora, PhilippinesAugust 18, 1968
11.1Barbara FerrellMexico City, MexicoOctober 14, 1968
11.11.811.20Irena SzewińskaMexico City, MexicoOctober 14, 1968
11.01.211.08
Wyomia TyusMexico City, MexicoOctober 15, 1968
11.01.911.22Chi ChengVienna, AustriaJuly 18, 1970
11.01.9Renate MeißnerBerlin, East GermanyAugust 2, 1970
11.01.7Renate Stecher Berlin, East GermanyJuly 31, 1971
11.0−1.5Renate Stecher Potsdam, East GermanyJune 3, 1972
11.01.9Ellen StrophalPotsdam, East GermanyJune 15, 1972
11.01.4Eva GleskováBudapest, HungaryJuly 1, 1972
10.91.9Renate Stecher Ostrava, CzechoslovakiaJune 7, 1973
10.9Renate Stecher Leipzig, East GermanyJune 30, 1973
10.81.811.07Renate Stecher Dresden, East GermanyJuly 20, 1973

Records from 1975

From 1975, the IAAF accepted separate automatically electronically timed records for events up to 400 metres. Starting January 1, 1977, the IAAF required fully automatic timing to the hundredth of a second for these events.
Wyomia Tyus's 1968 Olympic gold medal performance and Renate Stecher's 1972 Olympic championship win, both in 11.07, were the fastest recorded fully electronic 100-metre races to that time and were ratified as world records. However, Tyus's 11.07 was later adjusted to 11.08.
TimeWindAthleteNationalityLocationDate
11.071.2Wyomia TyusMexico City, MexicoOctober 15, 1968
11.070.2Renate Stecher Munich, West GermanySeptember 2, 1972
11.040.6Inge HeltenFürth, West GermanyJune 13, 1976
11.010.6Annegret RichterMontreal, CanadaJuly 25, 1976
10.882.0Marlies OelsnerDresden, East GermanyJuly 1, 1977
10.881.9Marlies GöhrKarl-Marx-Stadt, East GermanyJuly 9, 1982
10.811.7Marlies GöhrBerlin, East GermanyJune 8, 1983
10.790.6Evelyn AshfordUS Air Force Academy, United StatesJuly 3, 1983
10.761.7Evelyn AshfordZürich, SwitzerlandAugust 22, 1984
10.490.0*Florence Griffith-JoynerIndianapolis, United StatesJuly 16, 1988

*There is controversy over Griffith-Joyner's world record as questions have been raised as to whether the wind actually was ever zero, as indicated by the trackside anemometer. The triple-jump anemometer, some 10 metres away, read 4.3 m/s, more than double the acceptable limit. Despite the controversy, the record was ratified by the IAAF. The second-fastest wind legal time of 10.61 seconds was also run by Griffith-Joyner.
Had this mark been ignored, the progression would have continued as follows:
TimeWindAthleteNationalityLocationDate
10.701.6Florence Griffith-JoynerIndianapolis, United StatesJuly 17, 1988
10.611.2Florence Griffith-JoynerIndianapolis, United StatesJuly 17, 1988