World Outdoor Records Set in 1998

Updated August 28, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

World outdoor records set or equaled between Oct. 1, 1997 and Sept. 21, 1998; (p) indicates record is pending ratification by the IAAF.

Men

Event Name Record Old Mark Former Holder
1500 metersHicham El Guerrouj, MOR3:26.003:27.37Noureddine Morceli, ALB (1995)
5000 metersHaile Gebrselassie, ETH12:39.3612:39.74Daniel Komen, KEN (1997)
10,000 metersHaile Gebrselassie, ETH26:22.7526:27.85Paul Tergat, KEN (1997)
Marathon†Ronaldo da Costa, BRA2:06:052:06:50Belayneh Densimo, ETH (1988)
4 x 400m relayYoung, Pettigrew,
Washington, Johnson
, USA
2:54.20p2:54.29Valmon, Watts,
Reynolds, Johnson, USA (1993)

Women

Name Record Old Mark Former Holder
5000 metersJiang Bo, CHN14:28.09p14:31.27Dong Yanmei, CHN (1997)
1 HourTegla Loroupe, KEN18,340 meters(p)18,084 metersSilvana Cruciata, ITA (1981)
Marathon†Tegla Loroupe, KEN2:20:472:21:06Ingrid Kristiansen, NOR (1985)
Pole VaultEmma George, AUS15-014-11Emma George, AUS (1996)
Pole VaultEmma George, AUS15-01/415-0Emma George, AUS (1996)
Pole VaultEmma George, AUS15-03/4p15-01/4Emma George, AUS (1996)
Hammer ThrowMihaela Melinte, ROM239-11*239-10Olga Kuzenkova, RUS (1997)
†The IAAF does not officially recognize world records for road races.
*Kuzenkova had set the mark at 242-1 earlier in the year but becuase no drug test was performed, the record was not ratified by the IAAF.

Track and FieldWorld, Olympic and American Records
1997-1998 Season for Track and Field
Sources +