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Story: Athletics

Athletics world records set by New Zealanders

Date Athlete Event Time/distance Location

1 World record/world best disallowed for technical reasons

2 World best set by a professional athlete

3 Not eligible for a world record, usually because the event was not then an official distance

4 Equalled existing world record/world best

5 World record recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations
6 Feb 1892 Jack Hempton 100 yards 9.8 sec 1, 4 Christchurch
19 Feb 1902 Lachlan McLachlan 220 yards 21.4 sec 2 Napier
8 Mar 1902 George Smith 120-yard hurdles 15.2 sec 1 Auckland
10 Feb 1923 I. Johnson 440 yards 64 sec 3 Masterton
9 Mar 1929 Elaine Martyn 100 yards 11.2 sec 3, 4 Christchurch
15 Mar 1930 Thelma Kench 100 yards 11.2 sec 3, 4 Whanganui
15 Jul 1933 Jack Lovelock 1 mile 4 min 7.6 sec 5 Princeton (US)
6 Aug 1936 Jack Lovelock 1,500 m 3 min 47.8 sec 5 Berlin (Germany)
11 Mar 1939 Doreen Lumley 100 yards 11 sec 4, 5 Auckland
20 Feb 1954 Yvette Williams Long jump 6.28 m 5 Gisborne
16 Feb 1957 Marise Chamberlain 440 yards 57 sec 5 Christchurch
8 Mar 1958 Marise Chamberlain 440 yards 56.1 sec 5 Christchurch
14 Mar 1959 Marise Chamberlain 440 yards 55.6 sec 5 Sydney (Australia)
7 Jul 1961 Murray Halberg 2 miles 8 min 30 sec 5 Jyvaskyla (Finland)
17 Jul 1961 Murray Halberg, Gary Philpott, Barry Magee, Peter Snell 4 x 1 mile relay 16 min 23.8 sec 5 Dublin (Ireland)
25 Jul 1961 Murray Halberg 3 miles 13 min 10 sec 5 Stockholm (Sweden)
27 Jan 1962 Peter Snell 1 mile 3 min 54.4 sec 5 Whanganui
3 Feb 1962 Peter Snell 800 m 1 min 44.3 sec 5 Christchurch
3 Feb 1962 Peter Snell 880 yards 1 min 45.1 sec 5 Christchurch
8 Dec 1962 Marise Chamberlain 1,500 m 4 min 19 sec 3 Perth (Australia)
8 Dec 1962 Marise Chamberlain 1 mile 4 min 41.4 sec 3 Perth (Australia)
24 Aug 1963 Bill Baillie 20,000 m 59 min 28.6 sec 5 Auckland
24 Aug 1963 Bill Baillie 1hr 20.19 km 5 Auckland
16 Aug 1964 Millie Sampson Marathon 3 hr 19 min 33 sec 3 Auckland
12 Nov 1964 Peter Snell 1,000 m 2 min 16.6 sec 5 Auckland
17 Nov 1964 Peter Snell 1 mile 3 min 54.1 sec 5 Auckland
3 Feb 1972 Kevin Ross, Tony Polhill, Richard Tayler, Dick Quax 4 x 1 mile relay 16 min 2.8 sec 5 Auckland
22 Aug 1973 Tony Polhill, John Walker, Rod Dixon, Dick Quax 4 x 1,500 m relay 14 min 40.4 sec 1 Oslo (Norway)
12 Aug 1975 John Walker 1 mile 3 min 49.4 sec 5 Gothenburg (Sweden)
30 Jun 1976 John Walker 2,000 m 4 min 51.4 sec 5 Oslo (Norway)
5 Jul 1977 Dick Quax 5,000 m 13 min 12.9 sec 5 Stockholm (Sweden)
17 Mar 1982 Anne Audain 5,000 m 15 min 13.22 sec 5 Auckland

This table shows the athletic world records set by New Zealanders. It does not include indoor records because these are not recognised internationally.

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How to cite this page

David Colquhoun, Athletics – The sport of athletics, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/39915/athletics-world-records-set-by-new-zealanders (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by David Colquhoun, published 30 November 2012, updated 20 September 2016.