World record: What’s the fastest men’s mile time ever?

The men’s mile world record has stood the test of time for over two decades. But who holds the title?

The mile is always thought to be one of the quicker events in track and field. For years, it went unrecorded until the mid 1800s when track and field started to enter its infancy. The first pre-IAAF record time for the mile was documented in 1855 in the UK by Charles Westhall, who recorded a time of 4:28 minutes.

In modern times, 4:28 might be a good look for a younger athlete, but that’s slower than the women’s world record. However, it pales in comparison to the records set to some of the Olympic and World records in the IAAF Era.

Heading into the 2021 Olympics, the men’s mile world record time is still standing strong after 22 years

In July 7, 1999, Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco took the track in Rome not realizing that he’d break the 1996 record of 3:44.19. El Guerrouj shaved off 1.26 seconds off, taking the world record title that has been standing for two decades unscathed.

El Guerrouj is long retired, but he’s not a blip on the radar. He’s highly decorated, with 12 medals spanning from the Olympics to the World Championships. He also holds a spot in the IAAF hall of fame, gaining the title in 2014.

The real question is how long will the record hold? It could be for a while, with ABC Australia reporting Stewart McSweyn clocking 3:50.51 last year. McSweyn hails from Australia and is definitely someone to watch for this cycle, slated for the 1500m this year in Tokyo.