World vs Japan

How the gap between the Japanese record and the world record has changed over time.

Men · Current Gap
+0.84
World19.19Usain Bolt
Japan20.03Shingo Suetsugu
Women · Current Gap
+1.45
World21.34Florence Griffith-Joyner
Japan22.79Abigail Fuka Ido

Record progressions

World and Japan record progressions.

Men

Current
WR19.19Usain Bolt· 2009
JPN20.03Shingo Suetsugu· 2003

Women

Current
WR21.34Florence Griffith-Joyner· 1988
JPN22.79Abigail Fuka Ido· 2025

The gap over time

How the gap between the world and Japan records has moved.

Men

+0.84Current
WR19.19Usain Bolt· 2009
JPN20.03Shingo Suetsugu· 2003

Women

+1.45Current
WR21.34Florence Griffith-Joyner· 1988
JPN22.79Abigail Fuka Ido· 2025

What this chart shows

The closer the line gets to zero, the closer Japan is to the world record; when it rises, the world record is pulling away. The gap is plotted at every record change — world or national — so the line always reflects the gap at that moment.