The question of how many US high school boys have beaten the women’s 5000m world record of 13:58.06 has a concrete, data-driven answer — and the numbers vary dramatically by event. In the sprints, hundreds or thousands of boys surpass women’s world records every year. In the throws, only a handful have ever done it in recorded history.
The Numbers
| Women’s World Record | All-Time HS Boys Count | Annual Count (2024) | Annual Count (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:58.06 | 10 | 1 | 3 |
* = estimate. See methodology notes below.
Top Performances vs. Women’s World Record
The following US high school boys have run faster than the women’s 5000m world record of 13:58.06:
| # | Athlete | Performance | School / State | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Simmons | 13:25.86 | American Fork HS, UT | 2024 |
| 2 | Lex Young | 13:34.96 | Newbury Park HS, CA | 2023 |
| 3 | Connor Burns | 13:37.30 | Southern Boone HS, MO | 2023 |
| 4 | Galen Rupp | 13:37.91 | Central Catholic HS, OR | 2004 |
| 5 | Galen Rupp | 13:38.96i | Central Catholic HS, OR | 2004 |
| 6 | Lex Young | 13:43.95 | Newbury Park HS, CA | 2022 |
| 7 | Gerry Lindgren | 13:44.0 | Rogers HS, WA | 1964 |
| 8 | Dathan Ritzenhein | 13:44.70 | Rockford HS, MI | 2001 |
| 9 | Lex Young | 13:44.83 | Newbury Park HS, CA | 2023 |
| 10 | Tyrone Gorze | 13:45.81 | Crater HS, OR | 2023 |
* = estimated count extrapolated from annual top-25 depth over 30+ tracked seasons.
What the Numbers Mean
These counts measure how deep boys’ high school performance is relative to the single best women’s performance in history. The women’s 5000m world record represents the peak of elite female athletics — a performance that most professional women will never match. The fact that large numbers of high school boys surpass it in some events reflects physiological differences in male development, not a commentary on the quality of the women’s mark.
In events like the 5000m, the count reveals exactly how the performance gap translates to participation depth. A boy who barely surpasses the women’s world record is still an elite teenage athlete — competing at the very top of US high school competition.
All-time top 10 sourced from Track & Field News. All 10 listed performances beat the women's WR of 13:58.06 (838.06s). As of May 2023, 11 distinct athletes had broken 14:00 outdoors; with Daniel Simmons in 2024 the total is ~12. Not all sub-14 athletes necessarily broke 13:58.06 (some may be in the 13:58-14:00 band). The Galen Rupp indoor mark (13:38.96i) is noted as indoor. 2023 annual top 10 sho...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the women's world record in the 5000m?
The women's world record in the 5000m is 13:58.06, set at the elite international level.
How many US high school boys have beaten the women's 5000m world record all-time?
Approximately 10 US high school boys have beaten the women's 5000m world record of 13:58.06 in recorded history. This figure is a confirmed minimum count from documented performances.
How many high school boys beat the women's 5000m world record in 2024?
In 2024, approximately 1 US high school boys surpassed the women's 5000m world record of 13:58.06.
Why do so many (or so few) boys beat the women's 5000m world record?
The count depends on three factors: participation volume (sprints have far more athletes than distance events or throws), the margin of the women's world record, and equipment differences where applicable. The 5000m falls in the rare-achievement category, reflecting the structure of competitive depth at the high school level.