Browsing: Performances

In tossing six scoreless innings and hitting about 1,430 feet of home runs, Shohei Ohtani put up probably the most unique performance in postseason history Friday in NLCS Game 5 against the Brewers. It was perhaps the most spectacular athletic performance ever to take place on a baseball field. Maybe even any sort of field. But was it the greatest individual performance in major league postseason history?

That’s a difficult question, one that many would argue hinges on context. Obviously, starring in Game 4 of the NLCS with a 3-0 series lead isn’t the same as Game 7 of World Series.

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But what is it up against? Here’s a rundown of perhaps the top 10 single-game performances in MLB postseason history.

MLB: Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves

Way-Too-Early 2026 Fantasy Baseball Top 300 Rankings

Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani at the top? Our early 2026 Top 300 rankings highlight key fantasy storylines heading into the MLB offseason.

Best Individual MLB Postseason Performances

Honorable Mention

1963 World Series Game 1: Sandy Koufax fans 15 Yankees

Koufax threw two shutouts in the 1965 World Series, including one in Game 7 to finish off the Twins. Still, perhaps even more impressive was his two-game set in a sweep of the Yankees in the 1963 World Series. Koufax outdueled Whitey Ford twice in 5-2 and 2-1 victories, and his 15 strikeouts in Game 1 set a postseason record that has only since been exceeded twice, including once by…

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Honorable Mention

1968 World Series Game 1: Bob Gibsonâ€s 17-K shutout

Fairly or not, Gibsonâ€s Game 7 loss keeps the Game 1 performance out of the top 10 here. Prior to that, he outdueled 1968 AL Cy Young winner Denny McLain twice in 4-0 and 10-1 complete-game victories. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, McLain came back out and won Game 6 and Mickey Lolich, working on two days†rest after winning Game 5, got the better of Gibson as the Tigers won Game 7 by a 4-1 score.

Honorable Mention

2022 ALDS Game 1: Yordan Alvarez walks it off in ninth

In all of postseason history, two individual performances have amounted to at least a 1.0 Win Probability Added, which is a measure of how each event in a game changed win expectancy (a first-inning homer might increase a team’s chances of winning from 50 to 60 percent, which would be a 0.1 win expectancy, while Kirk Gibson’s famous walkoff homer in the 1988 World Series was worth 0.87). The first of those was pulled off by Babe Ruth the pitcher, who allowed one run over 14 innings to win Game 2 of the 1916 World Series for the Red Sox. The second was by Alvarez, who had already driven in two runs against the Mariners when he hit a three-run homer off Paul Sewald with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Astros a 7-5 win. That changed the Astros’ win expectancy from nine percent to 100. But, of course, it was Game 1 of the ALDS.

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Honorable Mention

2010 NLDS Game 1: Roy Halladayâ€s no-hitter in postseason debut

The Blue Jays never reached the playoffs in Halladayâ€s 12 seasons in Toronto, so the 33-year-old, who was about to win his second Cy Young Award in his first season with the Phillies, was making his postseason debut when he faced the Reds to start the 2010 NLDS. What followed was his second no-hitter of the year (the first was also a perfect game), as he allowed just a single walk to the Reds.

10) 1921 World Series Game 8: Art Nehf shuts out Yankees

Yes, Game 8, as this was the fourth and final World Series to use a best-of-nine format. The New York Giants†starter, Nehf, was matched up with Waite Hoyt for the third time after losing Game 2 by a 3-0 score and game 5 by a 3-1 margin. This time, Nehf got the better of the future Hall of Famer in a 1-0 game, ending the series with the Giants winning 5-3. It helped a bit that Babe Ruth was limited to a pinch-hitting appearance by a bad knee.

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9) 1999 ALDS Game 5: Troy Oâ€Leary & Pedro Martinez finish off Cleveland

Pick either. After losing the first two games of the best-of-five series, the Red Sox stormed back to take Games 3 and 4 by 9-3 and 23-7 margins. Game 5 was setting up as another shootout, with Cleveland leading 8-7 after three in spite of Oâ€Learyâ€s grand slam in the third. Thatâ€s when Martinez, who had been forced to leave Game 1 with a shoulder problem, took over. He pitched six hitless innings with eight strikeouts, and Oâ€Leary hit a second homer, a three-run shot, to break an 8-8 tie in the seventh. The seven RBI from Oâ€Leary is still tied for the postseason record.

8) 1967 World Series Game 7: Bob Gibson goes distance, homers in win

Gibson didn’t really need to homer off Boston’s Jim Lonborg, who was also going for third win of the World Series, to pull off the Game 7 victory here, but it was the cherry on top. Gibson won Games 1, 4 and 7 in the series, allowing a total of three runs in his three complete games.

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7) 1977 World Series Game 6: Reggie Jackson hits three home runs

With the Yankees trying to close out the Dodgers, the newly coined “Mr. October†made sure the nickname would stick, homering on all three of his swings in an 8-4 win. Jackson walked in his first plate appearance and scored on a homer from Chris Chambliss. He then homered in the fourth, fifth and eighth, plating a total of five runs in the 8-4 victory.

6) 1956 World Series Game 5: Don Larsenâ€s perfect game

Larsen had allowed nine runs — five earned — over 5 2/3 innings in two career postseason appearances for the Yankees when he suddenly turned in one of the most famous performances of all-time in the 1956 World Series, pitching a perfect game in a 2-0 win over the Dodgers. Facing a lineup loaded with five future Hall of Famers, he struck out seven while going 27 up and 27 down. It was the only ever postseason no-hitter until Halladayâ€s in the 2010 NLCS.

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5) 1962 World Series Game 7: Ralph Terry downs Giants in Game 7

Mickey Mantle versus Willie Mays turned out to be a dud, as both superstars struggled in the second and final World Series matchup (both were rookies when the Yankees and Giants previously met in 1951). Terry, in his one and only All-Star campaign, turned out to be the difference maker. After taking a tough 2-0 loss in Game 2, he went the distance in a 5-3 victory in Game 5 and then hurled a shutout in Game 7, with Willie McCovey lining out to second baseman Bill Richardson to end a 1-0 game.

4) 2011 World Series Game 6: David Freese ties it, wins it against Rangers

A rather anonymous regular until this point, Freese had already put together a whopper of a postseason by the time the Cardinals-Rangers World Series got to Game 6. He went 0-for-3 with a walk in his first four plate appearances that night, but he had a two-run triple over Nelson Cruzâ€s head to tie game in the ninth and then a walkoff homer in the bottom of the 11th to send the series to Game 7. He had a two-run double in that one, too, as the Cardinals won the championship. In all, he hit .397 with five homers, eight doubles and 21 RBI in 18 postseason games.

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3) 2025 NLCS Game 4: Shohei Ohtani homers three times, strikes out 10

Could anyone else do what Ohtani did in finishing off the Brewers? No, not a chance. He hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium and touched 100 mph on the radar gun twice, throwing the 11 hardest pitches of the game. Ohtaniâ€s three-homer game was the 13th in postseason history, and he struck out 10 over six scoreless innings in the 5-1 victory. Ranking his performance on a list like this just comes down to how much one wants to weigh leverage. If Ohtani had been mediocre with a 3-0 series lead in the NLCS, the Dodgers still might have won the game and almost certainly would have won the series. Thatâ€s not the case with most of these other candidates.

2) 2014 World Series Game 7: Madison Bumgarner closes out stellar series

About the closest anyone has ever come to winning a World Series by himself, Bumgarner entered Game 7 against the Royals having already pitched seven innings of one-run ball in Game 1 and a complete-game shutout in Game 5. Going into Game 7, it was figured that he might have one or two innings in him on two-days rest, but he took the ball to begin the fifth for the Giants and never gave it up, throwing five scoreless innings to finish off a 3-2 victory.

1) 1991 World Series Game 7: Jack Morris outlasts John Smoltz in 1-0 win

The performance that made him a Hall of Famer. Morris, in his lone year with the Twins, won Game 1 against the Braves and then took a no-decision in his first matchup with Smoltz in Game 4, which Atlanta went on to win. Game 7 saw both pitchers work on three days†rest, and Smoltz was incredible for 7 1/3 innings in the scoreless duel. Morris, meanwhile, kept plugging along, throwing 10 scoreless innings before Gene Larkin singled in Dan Gladden to give the Twins the title. No one since has pitched more than nine innings in a postseason game.

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Two days before perhaps the greatest game in baseball history, Shohei Ohtani took one of the best rounds of batting practice anyone in attendance had seen.

It started with a swing-and-a-miss, Ohtani goofing around after his walk-up song blared through the Dodger Stadium speakers and his teammates gathered in the dugout with anxious anticipation.

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Then came some nondescript line drives, Ohtani getting into the real work of trying to fix a swing that had abandoned him for much of this postseason.

Finally, one ball went over the fence. Then another. Then another. In 32 swings, Ohtani hit 14 home runs. Many of them were moonshots. One even clanged off the roof of the right-field pavilion.

“He didn’t disappoint,†Max Muncy later recounted. “He hit a ball out of the stadium.â€

On that off-day workout between Games 2 and 3 of the National League Championship Series, Ohtani looked like a man on a mission.

Over his previous seven games, going back to the start of the NL Division Series, he had two hits in 25 at-bats. He had recorded 12 strikeouts and plenty more puzzling swing decisions. And he seemed, at least in the estimation of some around the team, unusually perturbed as public criticisms of his play started to mount.

There were questions about his out-of-sync swing mechanics. Second-guessing of his poor quality of at-bats. Mostly, speculation centered on whether the physical toll of his two-way duties was starting to impact his potentness at the plate.

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“All those things,†manager Dave Roberts said, “I think were fuel to his fire.â€

Thus, the soon-to-be four-time MVP decided it was time to change something up.

On the teamâ€s flight home from Milwaukee the previous night, Ohtani informed the clubâ€s hitting coaches he wanted to take batting practice on the field — a break from his normal routine that signaled his urgency to get back on track.

When he arrived at the ballpark, he joked about his slump with teammates and brushed it off in a pre-workout news conference.

What came next was his memorable BP session.

Then, two days later, a tour de force performance that will be talked about forever.

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In a 5-1 defeat of the Milwaukee Brewers that completed an NLCS sweep and gave the Dodgers their 26th pennant in franchise history — plus a return trip to the World Series to defend last yearâ€s championship — Ohtani put on a show of unbelievable proportions.

Three home runs as a hitter. Six-plus scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts as a pitcher. And one stadium-shaking, mind-bending, unprecedented moment after the next.

“That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time,†Roberts said.

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“He pulled the ultimate unicorn move tonight,†teammate Kiké Hernández concurred.

In the first inning, Ohtani struck out three batters, then walked up to the plate and took José Quintana deep with a 446-foot blast deep into the right-field pavilion — becoming the first pitcher in MLB history (regular season or playoffs) to lead a game off with a home run.

In the fourth, he escaped his biggest threat by stranding a leadoff double with consecutive punchouts that had him fist-pumping off the mound, then returned to the dish and hit a ball straight out of the stadium — clearing the roof of the right-field pavilion with a titanic drive of 469 feet.

He finished his pitching outing with his only hint of frustration, exiting with no outs in the seventh after a leadoff walk and ground-ball single. But then, he turned a spectacular night into the unthinkable, becoming just the 12th player in postseason history with a three-homer game by lining an opposite-field shot to the left-field seats.

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“He woke up this morning with people questioning him,†said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, during an alcohol-soaked celebration in the clubhouse afterward. “And 12 hours later, heâ€s standing on the podium as the NLCS MVP.â€

It was the kind of game the baseball world dreamed about when the two-way phenom first arrived from Japan. It fulfilled the prophecy that has accompanied his near-mythical standing in a sport that had gone a century since its last two-way superstar.

“The limitations of the human brain, we can’t comprehend just how special this is and how unique,†Friedman added.

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Ohtaniâ€s take?

“This time around, it was my turn to be able to perform,†he said through interpreter Will Ireton. “I think just looking back over the course of the entire postseason, I haven’t performed to the expectation.â€

Expectations, of course, are nothing new to Ohtani.

When he first arrived in the majors with a 100-mph fastball and a majestic swing from the left side of the plate, the comparisons to Babe Ruth were already underway.

At first, his transition to the majors came with some early growing pains, and the first of his two career Tommy John surgeries. But over the last five years, he has blossomed into the definitive face of the game.

All that had been missing, in a resume chock-full of MVPs and All-Star selections and records so unattainable even the Great Bambino never reached them, was a signature performance as a two-way player in October. A game in which he dominated on the mound, thrilled at the plate, and single-handedly took control in a postseason environment.

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That it came on Friday, amid one of the worst hitting slumps of his career, surprised no one with the Dodgers.

Friedman said he could sense something special, noting that “you can only contain Shohei for so long.â€

His teammates were also awaiting a breakout, voiced by Muncyâ€s post-Game 3 prediction to “expect the incredible.â€

By that point, the Dodgers had already seen Ohtaniâ€s batting practice session. They had felt the dissatisfaction that was stirring within him.

“There was a lot of talk that he was scuffling at the plate, he doesn’t swing the bat well when he’s pitching,†Roberts said. “So, today when he took the mound, you could see the focus, the intent.â€

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“Itâ€s kind of like an expectation for him,†Mookie Betts echoed. “For only him.â€

Ohtaniâ€s start on the mound — his first pitching performance since that NLDS opener that began his cold spell with the bat — began with shaky command and a leadoff walk to Brice Turang.

But then, the overpowering right-hander recorded three straight strikeouts, two with 100-mph fastballs and a third with a swing-and-miss sweeper.

Shohei Ohtani pitches during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers. Ohtani struck out 10 over six scoreless innings for the Dodgers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

When his first home run followed barely five minutes later, “it was kind of like, ‘All right, itâ€s gonna be that kind of night,â€â€ Muncy recalled thinking. “Letâ€s have fun.â€

The most fun was had on Ohtaniâ€s next home run in the fourth inning, when he hit one even farther than his off-day BP bomb.

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The moment he connected on the swing, drilling an inside cutter from Brewers reliever Chad Patrick, mouths dropped in the Dodgers dugout. As the ball kept sailing, players put their hands to their face with looks of disbelief.

“That ball is no less than 500 feet,†Muncy proclaimed. “It didn’t land on the roof. It went over the roof.â€

Added Betts, who got an up-close view from on-deck: “I think that took everybodyâ€s breath away.â€

In the Dodgers†executive suite, Friedmanâ€s amazement was summed up in a Slack message he sent in a chat to the rest of the front office.

“This is the greatest four innings ever played in postseason history,†it read.

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From there, it would only keep getting better.

By the fourth inning, Ohtani went in full cruise control upon finding a feel for his splitter, which induced a whiff all five times the Brewers tried to swing at it. From the fourth to the sixth, he retired nine batters in a row, and six of them on strikeouts. A crowd of 52,883 roared with every pitch.

“He got his split going, and he was able to do whatever he wanted,†pitching coach Mark Prior said. “It just opens up everything else.â€

After Ohtani left the mound — and got an assist from left-handed reliever Alex Vesia, who stranded both of the runners he left behind — he returned to the plate one last time in the seventh and lasered a third home run that by that point was almost expected.

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“No one even questioned it,†Muncy joked.

“Just so that people donâ€t say he only pulls homers, he went oppo really far too,†Hernández also deadpanned.

Dodgers president Stan Kasten watched that one from his office, reacting in private with “something completely unprintable.â€

Friedman, meanwhile, went back to his Slack channel.

“Thereâ€s no question it was the greatest postseason performance ever,” he said.

By nightâ€s end, Ohtani had been named MVP of the series — busting out of his slump and straight into October history.

Dodgers players and coaches celebrate after sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

And now, the already unstoppable Dodgers will enter the World Series with an aura of invincibility. They have a star-studded rotation, which set a league championship series record with a 0.63 ERA. A 9-1 record this postseason, which now includes the first NLCS sweep in club history. And, at long last, the confidence of seeing Ohtani dominate in a way that only he can.

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“I can’t wait for when I’m a little bit older and my kids are asking about, ‘What’s the greatest thing you’ve ever seen in baseball?’†Muncy said. “I can’t wait to pull up this game today.â€

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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When England line up against Latvia on Tuesday, Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers will expect to be in the starting line-up.

Rogers has been on a hugely impressive upwards tear. After four years at Manchester City, for whom he signed from West Bromwich Albion, the 23-year-old took a while to make his mark.

Man City loaned out the Halesowen-born attacking midfielder to Lincoln City, AFC Bournemouth and Blackpool between 2021 and 2023. Two years ago he was sold to Championship club Middlesbrough without playing a Premier League game.

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Rogers’ progress at Villa lifted expectations

Morgan Rogers on the ball for England (Image credit: Getty Images)

Rogers joined Villa in January 2024 after fewer than 30 Championship appearances for Boro. Unlike many other new Villa signings, the former West Brom youngster was essentially thrown straight into the side.

He hadn’t looked back until August, when question marks over his form – question marks whose origins emerged last season – became one of the dominant features of Villa’s dreadful start to 2025-26.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery (Image credit: Getty Images)

Rogers, who has represented England at every age level within the last decade, barely put a foot right before the September international break.

Adored though he is at Villa Park, a string of substandard displays resulted in heavy criticism. Even in the context of Villa’s awful form, Rogers’ shortcomings stood out.

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By the time he was ironically cheered for completing a pass against Bologna in the Europa League and subsequently cheered through an improved display in the Premier League against Fulham, another narrative was taking hold.

Long before Rogers started to look a little like his old self in a Villa shirt, he’d won plaudits for his contributions for England in September. Some took it as a positive sign, others as a sort of twisted confirmation that he was committed to one more than the other.

Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers flying high last season (Image credit: Getty Images)

After scoring his first senior international goal against Wales on Thursday, it’s fair to say that Rogers’ best two performances of the new season have indeed been for England.

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Modest improvements match after match for Villa have begun to show glimpses of a terrific talent returning but Villa’s approach has been consistent amid the noise.

Manager Unai Emery has started Rogers as a matter of course despite frequent suggestions that he shouldn’t, showing faith in a player whose quality is beyond dispute and attempting to play him into form.

Behind the scenes, it’s understood that Villa are eager to sign the England international to a new deal despite his agreeing an extension within 11 months of joining the club and being committed until the summer of 2030.

Why Villa want to extend Rogers’ contract

Fundamentally, Villa’s admiration for Rogers is rooted in a belief that his recent form, though not without precedent in 2025, is a blip.

He has dominated Champions League matches and made an impact for England, and Villa’s football department aren’t prone to short-term thinking.

Rogers is still seen as one of Villa’s key players – in terms of a combination of on-field ability to financial potential, he is arguably the most important player at the club.

Those financial factors can’t just be shrugged off.

Rogers was linked with possible transfers to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window and the potential fees mentioned would have put Villa on their most stable regulatory footing for years.

He might very well be sold within a year. Villa’s transfer strategy necessarily includes otherwise unwanted player sales and Rogers is where the big bucks can be unlocked in a squad that has a lot of quality but also a ton of miles on the clock.

A new deal before the January transfer window would protect his transfer value from Villa’s perspective, putting the club in a position of strength whether they choose to keep him, sell him willingly or sell him reluctantly next summer.

A pay increase and a release clause could go a long way towards persuading the player to sign the paperwork.

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They might be underdogs, but they possess two of the world’s best.

England were not favourites going into this World Cup, but if captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was fully fit and firing, and if spinner Sophie Ecclestone could exploit turning pitches at her disposal, there was a nagging sense of ‘what if?’.

Both hopes have come to fruition after their three opening games, with England sitting top of the table unbeaten and, though there was a near-miss against Bangladesh, it has mostly been smooth sailing.

Yes, the fixtures have been kind to Sciver-Brunt’s side, but they are doing all that is in their control, which is to simply keep winning.

Beat Pakistan on Wednesday, as they should, and they will be in a very promising position to seal a semi-final spot without having yet played favourites India or Australia.

Regarding the latter of those two teams, England have scars after the 16-0 Ashes thumping at the beginning of the year, but under coach Charlotte Edwards they are beginning to heal.

Sciver-Brunt is the quiet, composed captain who lets her cricket do the talking – exemplified by a sparkling 117 against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday. Her ability to bowl again after injury has also completely rejuvenated the balance of the side.

Her fifth World Cup century is a women’s cricket record, celebrated by honouring her baby boy Theo in the crowd – testament to a life-changing year that has seen her become a mum and England captain in the space of a few months.

Ecclestone, who took 4-17 in the Sri Lanka win, is the teenage prodigy who rapidly became world number one, still just 26 years old, but already fifth on the list of all-time wicket-takers in the women’s game.

A difficult Ashes for Ecclestone personally led her to consider quitting, but on the biggest stage she is shining again.

“To be able to hand the ball to her and bowl 10 overs straight without going for many runs and pick up four wickets, it is really special,” said Sciver-Brunt.

“From the time she was 16 and came into the team, we knew we had something special on our hands.

“She has really grown in the last couple of months as well – I suppose we challenged her to really improve herself and to really make a mark on this team, so I am very pleased with her.”

Though India and Australia pose the biggest tests, England’s masterful duo have sent a clear message.

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Adjusted or not, Usain Boltâ€s World Record 9.58 from the â€09 World Champs remains historyâ€s fastest 100.

(as of September 14, 2025)

THESE MARKS have been adjusted for both altitude & wind, and are listed in order of their adjusted value.

Adj.
Clock
Wind
Name
Site
Date
Pos.
Meet

9.63
9.58
+0.9
Usain Bolt
Berlin
16-Aug-2009
1
WCh
WR

9.69
9.69
0.0
—–Bolt
Beijing
16-Aug-2008
1
OG
WR

9.70
9.77
-1.3
—–Bolt
Brussels
5-Sep-2008
1
VD

9.70
9.63
+1.5
—–Bolt
London
5-Aug-2012
1
OG

9.70
9.69
-0.1
Yohan Blake
Lausanne
23-Aug-2012
1
Athl

9.75
9.72
+0.2
Asafa Powell
Lausanne
3-Sep-2008
1rA
Athl

9.75
9.76
-0.1
—–Bolt
Rome
31-May-2012
1
GGala

9.76
9.83
-1.3
—–Powell
Brussels
5-Sep-2008
2
VD

9.76
9.71
+0.9
Tyson Gay
Berlin
16-Aug-2009
2
WCh
AR

9.76
9.78
-0.4
—–Gay
London
13-Aug-2010
1
LGP

9.76
9.77
-0.3
—–Bolt
Moscow
11-Aug-2013
1
WCh

9.76
9.78
-0.3
Justin Gatlin
Monaco
17-Jul-2015
1
Herc

9.76
9.79
-0.5
—–Bolt
Beijing
23-Aug-2015
1
WCh

9.77
9.80
-0.5
—–Gatlin
Beijing
23-Aug-2015
2
WCh

9.77
9.79
-0.3
Christian Coleman
Brussels
31-Aug-2018
1
VD

9.78
9.79
-0.2
—–Bolt
Saint-Denis
17-Jul-2009
1
GL

9.79
9.78
0.0
—–Powell
Rieti
9-Sep-2007
1
GP

9.79
9.77
+0.4
—–Gay
Rome
10-Jul-2009
1
GGala
=AR

9.79
9.69
+2.0
—–Gay
Shanghai
20-Sep-2009
1
GP
AR

9.79
9.74
+0.9
—–Gatlin
Doha
15-May-2015
1
DL

9.79
9.76
+0.6
—–Coleman
Doha
28-Sep-2019
1
WCh

9.79
9.81
-0.3
Noah Lyles
London
20-Jul-2024
1
DL

9.79
9.75
+0.8
Kishane Thompson
Kingston
27-Jun-2025
1
NC

9.79
9.77
+0.3
Oblique Seville
Tokyo
14-Sep-2025
1
WCh

9.80
9.79
+0.1
Maurice Greene
Athens
16-Jun-1999
1rA
Tsik
WR

9.80
9.72
+1.7
—–Bolt
New York City
31-May-2008
1rA
GP
WR

9.80
9.79
+0.1
—–Gay
Brussels
27-Aug-2010
1
VD

9.80
10.02
-3.5
—–Gatlin
Tokyo
11-May-2014
1
GP

9.80
9.77
+0.6
—–Gatlin
Brussels
5-Sep-2014
1
VD

9.80
9.75
+0.9
—–Gatlin
Rome
4-Jun-2015
1
Ggala

9.80
9.87
-1.2
—–Bolt
London
24-Jul-2015
1h2
DL

9.80
9.81
-0.1
—–Coleman
Stanford
30-Jun-2019
1
DL

9.80
9.79
+0.1
Fred Kerley
Eugene
15-Jul-2022
1h2
WCh

9.81
9.80
+0.2
—–Greene
Seville
22-Aug-1999
1
WCh

9.81
9.91
-1.7
—–Bolt
London
24-Jul-2009
1
LGP

9.81
9.83
-0.5
—–Powell
Ostrava
27-May-2010
1

9.81
9.75
+1.1
—–Blake
Kingston
29-Jun-2012
1
NC

9.81
9.80
+0.1
Lamont Marcell Jacobs
Tokyo
1-Aug-2021
1
OG

Adjusted for wind and altitude per Dapena-Linthorne Tables, pp. 138-139,Big Gold Book,
4th printing, 2017 update — Charley Shaffer September 14 2025

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The sky held back rain for most of the Championships and then sent down beaucoup buckets as the crowd saluted Cole Hockerâ€s last lap gold dash in a highly entertaining 5000 on the final evening. (KEVIN MORRIS)

TOKYO, JAPAN, August 13–21 — The noise often seemed deafening. The return of the worldâ€s best track & field athletes packed National Stadium with throngs of enthusiastic fans, most of them Japanese, who of course cheered on their own with gusto but were more than happy to share their noise with athletes from around the globe.

The last World Championships held in the fabled venue* back in â€91 hosted 581,462 fans over 9 days. (*=The stadium used in â€91 and constructed for the â€64 Olympics was rebuilt on the same site between â€16 and â€19.) The â€21 Olympics, handicapped by the Covid pandemic, hosted just upwards of zero. This time, unburdened by quarantine restrictions, the fans returned in droves, with a total of 619,288 attending during the 9-day span.

The difference couldnâ€t have been more mind-blowing. In â€21, athletes broke World Records only to hear scattered clapping from a few dozen volunteers and journalists. Nothing felt more eerie than watching an athlete produce the performance of a lifetime and by reflex, look up into the stands almost expecting to see loved ones and fans reacting. Their disappointment was palpable as they pivoted to do a half-hearted celebration for the TV cameras, empty seats behind them.

This time, the spirited fans made sure the athletes got their due recognition. When vaulter Mondo Duplantis flew over the highest height in history in the meetâ€s sole World Record, the reverberation of their roar shook the night.

Mondoâ€s 20-8 (6.30) marked his 14th flight over a global standard, keeping this yearâ€s competition from joining the four editions (â€97, â€01, â€07, â€13) where no World Records toppled.

Of Championship records, fans saw many, including Duplantisâ€s, of course. He topped his own 20-4½ (6.21) from Eugene â€22.

In the 800, Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya commandeered the lead from start to finish to clock 1:41.86, leading the top 6 finishers under the 1:42.34 MR that Donavan Brazier set in Doha â€19.

Canadaâ€s Ethan Katzberg demolished the hammer best with his 277-11 (84.70). The old topper was 274-4 (83.63) by Ivan Tikhon of Belarus when he won his second World title in Osaka â€07.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden rocketed to a 10.61 in the 100, snapping the record of 10.65 that Shaâ€Carri Richardson set in Budapest â€23.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levroneâ€s 47.78 American Record in the 400 broke one of the oldest meet standards, the 47.99 that Jarmila Kratochvílová set in Helsinki â€83. Also under the old mark was Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic at 47.98.

A bigger shock came in the womenâ€s 800, not that the meet record fell, but who it was that made the falling happen. Kenyaâ€s unheralded Lilian Odira surprised with her 1:54.62 to upset Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson. That broke the 1:54.68 that Kratochvílová set in Helsinki â€83 the day before her 400 standard, the oldest of the meet records.

In the steeple, Faith Cherotich of Kenya won in 8:51.59, breaking Norah Jerutoâ€s 8:53.02 from Eugene â€22.

The United States womenâ€s 4×4, running in a downpour, clicked off a record 3:16.61 to nip the 3:16.71 that the U.S. set in Stuttgart ‘93. Fans debated whether the rain robbed the Tokyo crowd of a second WR.

The last in this compilation but the first of all the meet records this time around was the United States tying its own 3:08.80 best from Budapest in the mixed 4 x 400.

The forecasted and much-feared heat played a role, to be sure, but did not wreak the havoc that some had seen coming. In the end the start times of some of the road events were moved up, but there was no rescheduling of track events.

The rains of monsoon season stayed away until the final night, when they had a dramatic effect. No event felt the brunt more than the menâ€s discus, which faced a delay of 2 hours before a competition where good footing was worth gold, particularly to Swedenâ€s Daniel StÃ¥hl.

While the original planning had set the menâ€s 4×1 as the climactic event, no one could argue that StÃ¥hlâ€s amazing final throw did not fit perfectly as the moment to wrap the meet. Certainly the fans agreed, staying in their seats despite the inclement weather, long after the relay had finished, spellbound by the amazing platter battle.

Worth noting is that 53 nations scored medals, the most ever. With each edition, the World Championships becomes more of a truly global event. In the inaugural event in Helsinki, 42 years ago, only 25 nations made the podium.

United States Produces Record Medal Count

When Noah Lyles brought the relay team across the line first in the 4 x 100, that gave Team USA its highest-ever gold medal total at 16, bettering the 14 that the team had scored in â€05, â€07 and â€19.

The 26 overall medals that the U.S. scored easily topped the medals table, but did not come close to the record 33 medals scored by Team USA when it had a home field advantage for Eugene â€22.

American fans had plenty to cheer about, with gold medals every day but one. No one came through with a better medal set than Jefferson Wooden, who scored three golds in the 100/200/4×1. That made her the only woman besides Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to have managed that triple.

McLaughlin-Levrone, in capturing gold in the 400 and 4×4, joined Jearl Miles (â€93), Allyson Felix (â€09) and Phyllis Francis (â€17) as the only ones to win those two golds in the same meet.

On the menâ€s side, it was Lyles who won three medals, though he started off with a bronze in the 100 before he won golds in the 200 and relay. Rival Kenny Bednarek, with a silver in addition to the relay gold, was the only other American male to score multiples.

Fans of Cole Hocker didnâ€t take his DQ in the 1500 well, but surely enjoyed his surprise win in the 5000, when he became only the second U.S. athlete to win the gold, after Bernard Lagatâ€s â€07 victory.

One additional bit of medals trivia is that in winning the 100 on the second night of the meet, Jefferson-Wooden captured the 200th gold medal ever won by the United States. By meetâ€s end, that total number had reached 211. Only six other nations have topped 100 cumulative medals of any color: in order, the Germanies (combined), Kenya, Jamaica, Russia, Great Britain and Ethiopia. The U.S. now boasts 469 in all, far more than double any other nation.

Was it a fantastic track meet? It surely was. And the Japanese people proved excellent hosts, putting on the event seamlessly, managing the biggest crowds ever, and generating plenty of noise. Itâ€s been said that the awarding of this championships to Tokyo was motivated by the desire to let the city show its capabilities and splendor, something that it was robbed of by the pandemic-delayed Olympics.

Mission accomplished.

The By-Nation Medal Chart

Nation
Men

Women

Overall

Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total

United States*
6
2
3
11
9
3
2
14
*26

Kenya
1
—
2
3
6
2
—
8
11

Jamaica
1
3
2
6
—
3
1
4
10

Italy
1
1
2
4
—
2
1
3
7

Netherlands*
—
—
1
1
2
1
1
4
*6

Canada
2
1
1
4
1
—
—
1
5

Germany
1
2
—
3
—
1
1
2
5

Great Britain
—
1
—
1
—
2
2
4
5

Australia
—
—
1
1
1
—
2
3
4

China
—
1
1
2
—
1
1
2
4

Ethiopia
—
1
—
1
—
1
2
3
4

Botswana
2
—
1
3
—
—
—
—
3

Brazil
1
2
—
3
—
—
—
—
3

Cuba
—
—
1
1
1
—
1
2
3

New Zealand
2
—
—
2
—
—
1
1
3

Spain
—
—
1
1
2
—
—
2
3

Sweden
2
—
1
3
—
—
—
—
3

Bahrain
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
2
2

Belgium*
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
*2

Ecuador
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
2
2

France
1
—
1
2
—
—
—
—
2

Japan
—
—
1
1
—
—
1
1
2

Mexico
—
1
—
1
—
1
—
1
2

Portugal
2
—
—
2
—
—
—
—
2

Trinidad
1
1
—
2
—
—
—
—
2

Algeria
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Colombia
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Czechia
—
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1

Dominica
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Dominican Republic
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Greece
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Grenada
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Hungary
—
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1

Ireland
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Korea
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Latvia
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Lithuania
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Morocco
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Nigeria
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Poland
—
—
—
—
—
1
—
1
1

Puerto Rico
—
1
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Qatar
—
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1

Saint Lucia
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Samoa
—
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1

Serbia
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Slovakia
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Slovenia
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

South Africa
—
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1

Switzerland
—
—
—
—
1
—
—
1
1

Tanzania
1
—
—
1
—
—
—
—
1

Ukraine
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Uruguay
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

Venezuela
—
—
—
—
—
—
1
1
1

24
24
24
72
24
24
26
74
*149

* = includes mixed-sex relay medal

Jeff Hollobaugh is a writer and stat geek who has been associated with T&FN in various capacities since 1987. He is the author of How To Race The Mile. He lives in Michigan where he can often be found announcing track meets in bad weather.

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The 45th Ryder Cup is in the books, and it was Europe holding off the U.S., 15-13, despite winning just one singles match on Sunday at Bethpage Black.

The Europeans dominated the first two days, riding its stars to a record, seven-point lead through four sessions, but a day later, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm all lost to give the Americans hope. Scottie Scheffler closed with a singles point over McIlroy, though it only salvaged a 1-4 week.

In the end, Europe claimed its ninth Ryder Cup in the last 12 editions.

Here’s how we’re grading each players’ performance:

Europe

Tommy Fleetwood – A

Record: 4-1
Strokes gained total: +6.24
Comments: Not only the Nicklaus-Jacklin Award winner but the MVP as well. Let Justin Thomas steal a singles point on the back nine Sunday, but prior to that he was nails, going undefeated in team play alongside Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose. The iron play was spectacular, and at 11-4-2 in his career – 6-0 in foursomes alone – he’s quickly climbing the ranks of all-time European Ryder Cuppers.

Justin Rose – A-

Record: 2-1
Strokes gained total: +4.59
Comments: At 45 years old, this could be Rose’s final Ryder Cup. If it is, what a way to go out for the veteran, now 16-10-3. He turned in the best putting performance of the week, by far, in Saturday four-balls while sparring with Bryson DeChambeau and a couple caddies. And he battled back against the Americans’ best player, Cameron Young, to take the opening singles match to the 18th hole.

Matt Fitzpatrick – A-

Record: 2-1-1
Strokes gained total: +4.39
Comments: This grade is relative. He entered this Ryder Cup a paltry 1-7 in his career, but he quickly established himself as the top performer in Friday foursomes alongside Ludvig Aberg. He was fine in his Saturday matches but proved his mettle once again against DeChambeau in singles, going 5 up through seven and forcing DeChambeau to make six birdies just to earn a tie.

Rory McIlroy – B+

Record: 3-1-1
Strokes gained total: +2.56
Comments: The heart and soul of the team, and he took the brunt of the New York crowd’s vitriol while still producing in a big way. He ran out of gas against Scheffler in a singles match that he described as a “pillow fight,†but the Europeans don’t win this week without McIlroy, who is now 19-14-5 in his career.

Jon Rahm – B+

Record: 3-2
Strokes gained total: +2.35
Comments: Through three sessions, Rahm was balling. He and Tyrrell Hatton quieted DeChambeau and Thomas in the leadoff foursomes match on Friday, and it wasn’t until the approach play and putter left him on Saturday afternoon that he lost a point. Xander Schauffele then dusted him, 4 and 3, the most lopsided singles defeat, to keep the Spaniard from reaching double-digits wins for his career.

Shane Lowry – B+

Record: 1-0-2
Strokes gained total: +0.10
Comments: He’ll remember that retaining point forever – and we’ll remember the celebration. Russell Henley was the best player on Sunday in strokes gained total, and Lowry beat him with a 6-under, bogey-free round. He was less sharp in his two four-ball halves alongside McIlroy, but he made some crucial putts, especially on Saturday afternoon, and doubled as a bodyguard.

Tyrrell Hatton – B+

Record: 3-0-1
Strokes gained total: -0.09
Comments: Lots of B+’s and higher on the European squad. Hatton pushed to 4-0 in foursomes alongside Rahm, whom he combined for 11 birdies with. He then jumped in last minute on Saturday afternoon to pair with Fitzpatrick and had some huge putts in a four-ball match against Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay that featured just three won holes. The putter cooled on Sunday and he drove it poorly again, otherwise we may have been looking at a 4-0 week.

Ludvig Åberg – C+

Record: 2-2
Strokes gained total: -4.73
Comments: Looked great in Friday foursomes, then not so great in the next two sessions. He ended up losing strokes everywhere except off the tee, though his 2-and-1 singles win over Cantlay marked Europe’s only full point on Sunday.

Bob MacIntyre – C

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -1.35
Comments: Looked more comfortable in his second Ryder Cup. Bounced back from a Friday foursomes loss with Viktor Hovland to win their Saturday foursomes match, then earned a halve with Sam Burns in singles, though it’s worth noting that Burns didn’t card a birdie on the back nine, which both players entered tied.

Viktor Hovland – C-

Record: 1-1-1
Strokes gained total: -2.79
Comments: Gifted a free half-point after withdrawing from singles, his neck injury clearly affected him well before that and limited him to just two matches.

Sepp Straka – D+

Record: 1-2
Strokes gained total: -4.64
Comments: With a newborn in the NICU, Straka was battling more than golf this week – and considering that, performed admirably. But this is a grade solely based on his play, and Straka was statistically the worst on approach on either team. He went 1-1 alongside Rahm in four-balls, though the loss can probably be attributed to both he and Rahm equally. Then in singles he led 2 up early before letting Spaun flip the match in a big way with five bogeys.

Rasmus Hojgaard – F

Record: 0-2
Strokes gained total: -6.15
Comments: Played just twice while finishing at the bottom of the field in strokes gained total. Ben Griffin lost more strokes than any American on Sunday – and he still beat Hojgaard.

Luke Donald – A+

Comments: What else is there to say that wasn’t said in Rome? He filled door cracks, replaced shampoo and bedding, and again left no other stone unturned to build his case as the best European captain ever.

[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] Sep 27, 2025; Bethpage, New York, USA; Team USA’s Bryson DeChambeau bumps fists with Cameron Young on the 2nd hole during the foursomes on the second day of competition for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. Mandatory Credit: Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

Paul Childs-Reuters via Imagn Images

U.S.

Cameron Young – A

Record: 3-1
Strokes gained total: +5.06
Comments: After sitting the opening session, the rookie could not be denied. He gained over five shots per round to lead the U.S., and his only loss came alongside Justin Thomas in Saturday four-balls, a day after the two throttled Ludvig Aberg and Rasmus Hojgaard, 6 and 5. His closing birdie on No. 18 in singles against Justin Rose was the first domino to fall for the Americans on Sunday.

J.J. Spaun – A-

Record: 2-1
Strokes gained total: +2.27
Comments: Another standout rookie, as Spaun flashed his elite ball-striking. He birdied each of his last two holes to flip a Saturday four-ball match against Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka, then beat Straka again on Sunday. He should’ve played more.

Xander Schauffele – B+

Record: 3-1
Strokes gained total: +0.78
Comments: Another guy who probably had a case to go all five sessions, though he struggled mightily with the putter in Saturday foursomes. Otherwise, he was exactly what he’s been for these U.S. teams over the years – a dependable performer and leader.

Justin Thomas – B

Record: 2-2
Strokes gained total: +0.94
Comments: Got off to a disastrous start alongside Bryson DeChambeau in that Friday foursomes match but settled in nicely after that. He got 2 down early to Tommy Fleetwood in singles before flipping the match right after the turn. He also birdied the last, right after Young, to provide another spark to a comeback-hopeful American side. Like Schauffele, these U.S. teams need his leadership.

Bryson DeChambeau – C+

Record: 1-3-1
Strokes gained total: +3.62
Comments: The record probably looks worse than how he actually played. It’s still hard to ignore that he’s 2-5-1 in team play with seven different partners, including four this week. Stormed back in singles after being 5 down to Matt Fitzpatrick to earn a half-point, though he needed a full point there.

Scottie Scheffler – C+

Record: 1-4
Strokes gained total: +0.32
Comments: Another guy whose record was not indicative of his performance. He became just the third player ever to lose in each of the first four sessions, though his 1-under round on Sunday was enough to fend off an exhausted Rory McIlroy. If you want to blame an area of his game this week, it was the chipping more than the putting.

Russell Henley – C-

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: +3.1
Comments: Didn’t earn a full point, but statistically, he was the best in singles; he just ran into a buzzsaw in Shane Lowry. On the other hand, his foursomes success with Scheffler never re-materialized after Montreal.

Patrick Cantlay – C-

Record: 1-3-1
Strokes gained total: -2.79
Comments: Had a promising start with a Friday foursomes win with buddy Schauffele, but it all fell apart after that. He went all five sessions, yet it was easy to forget he was even playing.

Collin Morikawa – D

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: -1.13
Comments: His foursomes partnership with Harris English was never going to work if you believed Data Golf, which ranked that combo as the worst among 132 options for the U.S. And yet, they were sent out like pigs for slaughter not once but twice. This performance isn’t surprising, considering Morikawa has been off for months, notably with the flatstick, but at least he gutted out a half-point while gaining nearly a shot on the greens in Sunday singles.

Harris English – D-

Record: 0-2-1
Strokes gained total: -3.33
Comments: Mr. Envelope’s half-point came via Viktor Hovland’s injury withdrawal in singles, and his foursomes struggles alongside Morikawa were mentioned above. Hard to see English making a third Ryder Cup team.

Ben Griffin – D-

Record: 1-1
Strokes gained total: -4.81
Comments: The rookie played just twice, lost the most strokes on the American side, and the only reason he won his singles match is because Rasmus Hojgaard played just worse enough.

Sam Burns – F

Record: 0-1-2
Strokes gained total: -5.93
Comments: Harsh? Sure, but the PGA Tour’s best putter lost an average of 1.64 strokes on the greens, second worst on his team and third worst in the field. Much was expected in Burns’ second Ryder Cup, and he could only muster a half-point in singles as his traditionally average iron play cost him more than the putter.

Keegan Bradley – D+

Comments: Where Bradley fell short can be summed up by this quote on Saturday night with his team trailing by seven: “I think historically we play faster greens on the PGA Tour than they do.†This isn’t 1991. Every member of this year’s European team plays full-time on Tour; some have done so for over a decade. The course setup was a major issue, as the lack of rough and overall difficulty negated any advantage guys like Scheffler or DeChambeau would’ve had. The Europeans are no longer a collective of plodders; McIlroy, Rahm, even rookie Rasmus Hojgaard hit the ball far. And yet, Bradley’s passion clearly rubbed off by Sunday, as his players salvaged a respectable two-point defeat. It sounds crazy, but with the setup out of the U.S. captain’s control in Ireland in 2027, why not run Bradley back and create some sense of continuity.

Elaine Thompson-Herah’s 10.61 to win Tokyo gold four years ago adjusts to the fastest wind-legal time ever, 10.57. (KIRBY LEE/IMAGE…