Two world records for Fiona Matheson and Carole Filer at the recent British Masters' Championships prompt a look at who holds the fastest, best age-graded and newest British masters marks on the track.

At the recent British Masters' Championships in Derby on September 11-13 there were two world records, for Fiona Matheson in the W65 3000m (11:19.24) and Carole Filer in the W70 80m hurdles (15.58).

Matheson, probably Scotland's most prolific masters record-setter of all time, edged Maryse Le Gallo's 11:19.82 from 2025. She also took a big chunk off Angela Copson's 14-year-old British record of 11:48.2.

Filer eclipsed the 15.61 set by Thailand's Somsanga Boonnok the previous month in Daegu at the World Masters Championships. The previous British record was Jean Fail's 16.80. Filer's major record-breaking has come in the long and high jumps and, like Matheson, she missed competing in Korea.

There were further European records for M90 Tony Bowman in the 200m hurdles with 81.99 and for Iris Holder in the W85 triple jump with 5.05m.

Other British records included Filer with a 3.58m W70 long jump, Bowman with a 4.32m M90 triple jump, Diane Brian with 30:41.34 in the W70 3000m walk, Peter Giles with 3:00.40 in the M80 800m and Murugesu Siva Sithamparam with an M90 javelin throw of 19.74m.

There were additional field records for Kevin Murch in the M65 javelin with 48.67m and for shot putters Paula Williams (W50, 13.99m), Jim Hogg (M70, 13.50m) and Stephen McCauley (M50, 15.85m). Janice Pryce set a W65 triple jump mark of 8.60m and John Pearson improved the M60 weight throw record to 22.22m.

With so much recent change, here we go through all the British outdoor records on the track. We highlight the fastest, best age-graded and most recent mark in each event, and the most prolific record-breakers. The field events will follow.

100m

Men

Fastest: The fastest is the 9.97 M35 mark set in 1995 by 1992 Olympic champion Linford Christie.

Best age-graded and most recent: 67-year-old John Wright ran 12.03 in Daegu at this year's World Masters Championships. That yields 99.17% and is deemed the equivalent of 9.66 for a senior.

Most prolific: Donald McLean, with the M85 (16.3) and M90 (19.9) records, is the only athlete with more than one record. He set the M85 mark in 1973 and would be 141 years old if still alive!

Women

Fastest: Eighteen-time British senior champion Joice Maduaka holds the W35 record with 11.42.

Best age-graded and most recent: Former senior international Christine Harrison-Bloomfield's W55 mark of 12.90 at 57 earns her 95.16%. It came when she won the European title last October.

Most prolific: Helen Godsell (W65 14.55 and W70 15.05) and Kathleen Stewart (W80 18.76 and W85 18.92) hold multiple records.

200m

Men

Fastest: Christie's 20.11 at 35 picks up 97.46% and is easily the fastest.

Best age-graded: The best record is narrowly Wright's world record of 24.47 at 66, which equates to 97.54%.

Most prolific and most recent: Steve Peters holds three records, M45 (22.21), M50 (22.58) and M70 (25.97). The last of these came at the 2025 European Championships.

Women

Fastest: Maduaka's W35 23.22 is easily the quickest.

Best age-graded: Harrison-Bloomfield is again the best, with her 26.65 at 57 gaining 94.74%.

Most recent: Harrison-Bloomfield's 26.65 and W40 Lisa Boland's 25.27 both came at the European Championships in October 2025.

Most prolific: Caroline Powell (W60 28.82 and W65 30.55) and Stewart again (W80 39.32 and W85 40.93) hold two records each.

400m

Men

Fastest: Conrad Williams, a multiple World Championships relay medallist, holds the M35 mark of 46.54 and it is easily the quickest.

Best age-graded: Wright's M60 mark of 54.92 at 63 picks up 96.02% for the best outdoor score. He matched that time indoors at the age of 66 when winning the European indoor title this year in world record time, scoring 98.04%.

Most prolific: Wright holds the M60 and M65 (56.22) records and Peters holds the M50 (51.41) and M70 (61.62). Another multiple world champion, Anthony Treacher, also holds a pair at the distance (M80 78.24 and M85 91.96).

Most recent: Colin Spivey's M90 mark of 1:46.77 was set in winning European gold in 2025.

Women

Fastest: Donna Fraser, fourth at the 2000 Olympics, holds the W35 record of 53.11.

Best age-graded: W50 Sally Cooke ran 57.55 at the age of 52 for 97.74%.

Most prolific and most recent: Powell dominates numerically with the W55 (61.55), W60 (64.31), W65 (68.67) and W70 (73.12) records, the last of which was set in June. Stewart again holds the two oldest age-group marks (W80 91.84 and W85 97.34).

800m

Men

Fastest: M35 Harry Wakefield's 1:47.46 is the quickest.

Best age-graded: Anthony Whiteman holds the M40 (1:48.05) and M45 (1:49.86 at 45) records. The latter has the highest age-grading of 99.78%, though Andrew Ridley set an M60 indoor world record of 2:05.13 this year which scores 99.81%.

Most prolific: As well as Whiteman, Dave Oxland holds two records (M70 2:32.46 and M75 2:44.45), the latter set in June this year.

Most recent: Peter Giles' M80 3:00.40 at the British Masters' Championships.

Women

Fastest: W35 Jenny Meadows, a world medallist indoors and out, ran 2:00.74.

Most prolific: 11 different women share the 11 records.

Best age-graded: W60 Virginia Mitchell's 2:27.21 at 62 is easily the best mark at 98.18%.

Most recent: Betty Stracey set her W85 record of 5:22.95 last September.

1500m

Men

Fastest: M35 Wakefield's 3:38.57 from last year.

Best age-graded and most prolific: It's close, but Whiteman's M45 mark of 3:48.72 scores 97.83%. He is also the only athlete with two records, as he holds the M40 mark (3:42.02), so the 12 records are shared by 11 athletes.

Most recent: Lawrence Cummings set his M85 mark of 7:35.32 in June this year.

Women

Fastest: Helen Clitheroe, now a leading coach, is easily the quickest with 4:06.04 at W35.

Most prolific, best age-graded and most recent: Clare Elms is the only woman with multiple records in the event. She holds the W45 (4:31.87), W50 (4:36.79), W55 (4:46.64) and W60 (4:56.09) marks. Her W60 world record at the age of 62 scores 99.60%.

Mile

Men

Fastest: Wakefield's M35 mark of 3:58.42 is narrowly the quickest.

Best age-graded: Whiteman's M40 record of 3:58.79 scores highest with 98.26%.

Most prolific: The only athlete with more than one record is Ian Barnes (M85 8:10.40 and M90 11:09.38).

Most recent: M50 Dean Richardson's 4:26.97 was set in May this year, but later that month came Oxland's M75 mark of 5:59.34.

Women

Fastest: W35 Charlene Thomas is fastest with 4:42.84.

Most prolific, best age-graded and most recent: Elms again dominates numerically with four records, W45 (4:56.59), W50 (5:05.42), W55 (5:10.35) and W60 (5:17.25). Her W60 world record in July at the age of 62 scores 101.10% and is deemed the equivalent of 4:09.59 for a senior woman. Showing how performances in this age group have rocketed, it would have scored 111.19% under the 2010 tables.

3000m

Men

Fastest: M35 Wakefield is again quickest, courtesy of 7:47.20 last year.

Best age-graded: M45 Nick Torry's 8:21.75 at 47 scores highest with 96.24%.

Most prolific: 11 different men hold the records.

Most recent: Giles set his M80 mark of 13:29.02 in August.

Women

Fastest: Former European indoor champion Clitheroe has the fastest marks (W35 8:51.82 and W40 9:03.95).

Most prolific and best age-graded: As well as Clitheroe, Elms has two records (W50 9:57.39 and W60 10:28.76). Her W60 world record at 62 this year again scores the highest age-grading, 100.34%.

Most recent: Matheson's W65 record of 11:19.24 was set in September.

5000m

Men

Fastest: M35 Chris Thompson, a multiple Olympian, is quickest with 13:25.11.

Best age-graded: Alastair Walker's 16:36.59 at 66, which remains the world record, is the best mark with 99.28%.

Most prolific: Two late athletes still hold two records each, Steve Charlton (M75 19:45.5 and M80 22:44.55) and Gordon Porteous (M85 24:51.7 and M90 31:25.45).

Most recent: You have to go back four years for Alastair Watson's M45 mark of 14:31.97.

Women

Fastest and most prolific: Jo Pavey holds the three youngest age-group records (W35 15:02.31, W40 15:04.87 and W45 16:21.01). Matheson also has a pair (W50 16:55.08 and W65 19:25.13), the latter set this year.

Best age-graded: Sarah Roberts' W75 mark of 21:25.8 is the highest with 98.79%.

Most recent: Eva Osborne ran a W85 time of 31:55.6 in July.

10,000m

Men

Fastest: Thompson's 27:52.56 at 37 is the quickest record currently listed. However, Mo Farah's 27:47.04 in 2021 seems to have been overlooked and BMAF have been informed.

Best age-graded: The best listed is narrowly Mike Hager's 33:57.6 at 62, which scores 96.98%. Farah's run at 38 scores 97.43%.

Most prolific: Hager also holds the M55 mark (32:27.7). However, Charlton, who died only this year, holds the M65 (36:48.8), M70 (39:24.09), M75 (39:31.7), M80 (46:10.5) and M85 (51:24.1) records.

Most recent: M45 Alastair Watson (29:55.36) and M50 Adrian Mussett (31:46.21) both set their records at Parliament Hill in 2023.

Women

Fastest and best age-graded: Pavey holds the W35 (30:53.20) and W40 (31:33.44) marks. Remarkably, both were set in Olympic finals, at London and Rio respectively. The latter scored 98.09% at 42.

Most prolific: As well as Pavey, Matheson (W50 35:05.7 and W55 37:04.54) and Angela Copson (W65 41:40.27 and W70 44:25.14) hold a pair of records.

Most recent: W60 Elms' 38:46.9 was set a year ago.

3000m steeplechase

Men

Fastest and best age-graded: Triple Olympian Justin Chaston has the quickest mark with his M35 8:28.35. It also has the best age-grading at 93.47%.

Most prolific: Taff Davies has two marks (M40 9:03.5 and M45 9:35.5), the first of which dates back to 1979.

Most recent: Andy Tindall ran 10:35.13 in 2017 in the M55 age group, the oldest to race over 3000m.

2000m steeplechase

Men (M60 and over)

Fastest and best age-graded: M60 Maurice Morrell, who also holds the M50 3000m steeplechase mark, ran 7:03.8 for 88.60%.

Most prolific: Aleksander Swiecicki holds the M65 (7:48.23) and M70 (8:24.26) marks.

Most recent: M75 Dave Cundy ran 8:57.99 in 2023.

Women

Fastest and best age-graded: Kirstie Booth, unusually in the W45 age group, has the fastest women's time (6:50.71) and the top age-grading of 99.02%. She also holds a slower W40 mark (7:02.39).

Most prolific: World record-setter Lisa Thomas has a pair (W50 7:50.15 and W55 7:51.91), but that is topped by Anne Martin's five. She holds the W65 (10:33.91), W70 (10:49.22), W75 (11:40.62), W80 (13:38.34) and W85 (16:55.73) records.

Most recent: Elke Hausler set a W60 mark of 8:26.94 in 2023.

110m hurdles

Men (M35-M45)

Fastest and best age-graded: Colin Jackson's world-class 13.11 when winning the 2002 European title is the quickest and scores 98.05%.

Most prolific and most recent: Mensah Elliott holds the M40 (14.24) and M45 (14.64) records, the latter set in 2023.

100m hurdles

Men (M50-M65)

Fastest, best age-graded, most prolific and most recent: Multiple world champion Joe Appiah holds the M50 (13.49) and M55 (13.75) records. The M55 mark scores 100.85% for the best age-grading and was set this August. M60 Barry Marsden (14.73) also set a record earlier in 2026.

Women

Fastest: 1992 Olympian Clova Court holds the sole women's 100m hurdles record with a W35 13.14.

80m hurdles

Men (M70 and over)

Fastest, most prolific, best age-graded and most recent: Tony Bowman holds all five men's age-group records, M70 (13.49), M75 (14.36), M80 (14.93), M85 (17.33) and M90 (31.17). His M80 mark has his best age-grading and his M90 record came this year.

Women (W40 and over)

Fastest: W40 Jocelyn Conner has the quickest time with 11.68.

Most prolific and best age-graded: Jane Horder dominates with four records (W50 12.65, W55 13.10, W60 12.90 and W65 13.11). Her W65 mark at the age of 66 scores 100.40%.

Most recent: Filer's W70 world record is the latest.

400m hurdles

Men (M35-M55)

Fastest: M35 Paul Hibbert has the best time over one lap with 50.52.

Best age-graded and most recent: M55 Jonathan Tilt has the top mark with 59.80 at 56, scoring 94.97%. It is also the newest mark, though it was set in 2018.

Most prolific: Howard Moscrop (M40 53.20 and M50 56.56) is the only athlete with multiple records.

Women (W35-W45)

Fastest and best age-graded: Gowry Retchakan has the fastest time with 55.25. That run won Commonwealth silver in 1998 and scored 97.49% at the age of 38.

Most prolific and most recent: The three records are shared by four athletes. High jump and heptathlon star Julia Machin equalled Monique Krefting's W45 record of 64.56, which was also set in 2017.

300m hurdles

Men (M60-M75)

Fastest: M60 Neil Tunstall (44.40) is the fastest, with the four records shared by four athletes.

Best age-graded: M70 Ian Broadhurst ran 47.72 for 93.33% at 71.

Most recent: M75 Anthony Roker ran 55.15 late in 2025.

Women (W50-W65)

Fastest, best age-graded, most prolific and most recent: Horder holds three of the four records (W50 46.19, W60 49.80 and W65 52.41). Her best age-grading of 96.66% came in 2023.

200m hurdles

Men (M80-M90)

Fastest and best age-graded: M80 Alan Carter's 38.73 scores 87.85% at 81.

Most prolific and most recent: Bowman holds the M85 (43.22) and M90 (81.99) records. The M90 mark, the first set in the age group, came at the British Masters' Championships.

Women (W70-W75)

Fastest: The quickest time is by W70 Caroline Marler (39.26).

Best age-graded and most recent: Emily McMahon's W75 mark of 40.41 scores 89.26% and was set last year.

The field event and walks records will be analysed in a future article.