| World women's all-time best 2000m |
| 1 | 5.25.36 | Sonia O'Sullivan | IRL | 691128 | 1 | Edinburgh | 940708 |
| 2 | 5.26.93 | Yvonne Murray | GBR | 641004 | 2 | Edinburgh | 940708 |
| 3 | 5.28.69 | Maricica [Linca] Puica | ROM | 500729 | 1 | London | 860711 |
| 4 | 5.28.72 | Tatyana [Kovalenko] Kazankina ¶ | URS | 511217 | 1 | Moskva | 840804 |
| 5 | 5.29.41+ | Wang Junxia | CHN | 730109 | h1:2 | Beijing | 930912 |
| 6 | 5.29.64 | Tatyana Pozdnyakova # | URS | 560304 | 2 | Moskva | 840804 |
| 7 | 5.30.19 | Zola [Budd] Pieterse | GBR | 660526 | 3 | London | 860711 |
| 8 | 5.30.92 | Galina Zakharova | URS | 560907 | 3 | Moskva | 840804 |
| 9 | 5.32.70 | Mary [Decker, Tabb] Slaney ¶ | USA | 580804 | 1 | Eugene, Or | 840803 |
| 10 | 5.32.83 | Roberta Brunet | ITA | 650520 | 1 | Torino | 960914 |
| 11 | 5.33.85 | Christina [Boxer] Cahill | GBR | 570325 | 2 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 12 | 5.34.49 | Angela [Chalmers] Espinoza | CAN | 630906 | 1 | Sheffield | 940904 |
| 13 | 5.35.16+ | Zhang Linli | CHN | 730306 | h1:1 | Beijing | 930912 |
| 14 | 5.35.2h+ | Zhang Lirong | CHN | 730303 | h2:1 | Beijing | 930912 |
| 15 | 5.35.59 | Cornelia [de Vos] Bürki | SUI | 531003 | 4 | London | 860711 |
| 16 | 5.36.88+ | Gabriela Szabo | ROM | 751114 | 1 | Zürich | 970813 |
| 17 | 5.37.00 | Christine [Tranter] Benning | GBR | 550330 | 3 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 18 | 5.37.55 | Zamira [Akhtyamova] Zaytseva | URS | 530216 | 4 | Moskva | 840804 |
| 19 | 5.37.55+ | Zahra [Colombello] Ouaziz | MAR | 691220 | 1 | Bruxelles | 990903 |
| 20 | 5.37.62 | Ulrike [Klapezynski] Bruns | GDR | 531117 | 1 | East Berlin | 850922 |
| 21 | 5.37.86 | Lesley [Lehane] Welch | USA | 630312 | 5 | London | 860711 |
| 22 | 5.37.88 | Fernanda Ribeiro | POR | 690623 | 1 | Lisboa | 960621 |
| 23 | 5.38.09 | Amy Rudolph | USA | 730918 | 1 | Sydney, AUS | 000914 |
| 24 | 5.38.42 | Regina Jacobs | USA | 630828 | 3 | Edinburgh | 940708 |
| 25 | 5.38.50 | Alison Wyeth | GBR | 640526 | 2 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 26 | 5.38.51 | Angelika [Kuhse] Zauber | GDR | 581105 | 1 | Potsdam | 850818 |
| 27 | 5.38.80 | Annette [Hand] Peters | USA | 650531 | 1 | Eugene, Or | 920606 |
| 28 | 5.38.96+ | Lyubov Kremlyova ¶ | RUS | 621221 | 1 | Nice | 990717 |
| 29 | 5.38.9h+ | Lydia Cheromei | KEN | 770511 | 2 | Zürich | 970813 |
| 30 | 5.39.00 | Annette Sergent-Palluy | FRA | 621117 | 6 | London | 860711 |
| 31 | 5.39.0h | Natalia [Andrei, Maracescu] Betini ¶ | ROM | 521003 | 1 | Auckland | 790113 |
| 32 | 5.39.20 | Paula Radcliffe | GBR | 731217 | 3 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 33 | 5.39.39 | Fatima [Yvelain] Maama | FRA | 691231 | 1 | Nancy | 000903 |
| 34 | 5.39.44 | Yamna Oubouhou Belkacem | FRA | 740220 | 1 | Tomblaine | 990912 |
| 35 | 5.39.4h+ | Sally Barsosio | KEN | 780321 | 3 | Zürich | 970813 |
| 36 | 5.39.52 | Elly van Hulst | NED | 590609 | 7 | London | 860711 |
| 37 | 5.39.96 | Deborah [Scott] Bowker | CAN | 581216 | 1 | Gateshead | 860805 |
| 38 | 5.40.09+ | Ruth [Caldwell, Kleinsasser] Wysocki | USA | 570308 | 1 | Zürich | 840822 |
| 39 | 5.40.0h+ | Lyudmila Bragina | URS | 430724 | 1 | College Park, Md | 760807 |
| 40 | 5.40.15 | Olga [Krenzer] Bondarenko | URS | 600602 | 1 | Rieti | 860907 |
| 41 | 5.40.24 | Elizabeth [Lynch] McColgan | GBR | 640524 | 1 | London | 870822 |
| 42 | 5.40.25 | Carla Sacramento | POR | 711210 | 2 | Lisboa | 960621 |
| 43 | 5.40.35 | Fita [Rafira] Lovin | ROM | 510114 | 2 | Rieti | 850904 |
| 44 | 5.40.50 | Mary [Schilly] Knisely | USA | 590529 | 8 | London | 860711 |
| 45 | 5.40.7hA | Elana [van Zyl] Meyer | RSA | 661010 | 1 | Pretoria | 920224 |
| 46 | 5.40.96 | Yekaterina [Poryvkina] Podkopayeva ¶ | RUS | 520611 | 1 | Bratislava | 920601 |
| 47 | 5.41.11 | Svetlana Kitova | URS | 600625 | 1 | Eugene, Or | 900601 |
| 48 | 5.41.94 | Susan Sirma | KEN | 660526 | 4 | London | 910712 |
| 49 | 5.42.15 | Wendy [Smith] Sly | GBR | 591105 | 3 | London | 820917 |
| 50 | 5.42.28+ | Genetesh (Gete) Wami | ETH | 741211 | 1 | Roma | 990707 |
| 51 | 5.42.55 | Alesya Turova | BLR | 791206 | 1 | Istanbul | 010616 |
| 52 | 5.42.77 | Daniela Iordanova | BUL | 760308 | 2 | Istanbul | 010616 |
| 53 | 5.42.82 | Patti Sue Plumer | USA | 620427 | 2 | Hengelo | 890813 |
| 54 | 5.42.86 | Suzy [Favor] Hamilton | USA | 680808 | 1 | Eugene, Or | 940605 |
| 55 | 5.42.89 | Cathie Twomey | USA | 561024 | 4 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 56 | 5.43.12+ | Helena Sampaio | POR | 731009 | 1 | Oslo, NOR | 990630 |
| 57 | 5.43.24 | Susan Morley | GBR | 571011 | 5 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 58 | 5.43.30 | Gabriella Dorio | ITA | 570626 | 2 | Rieti | 860907 |
| 59 | 5.43.3h+ | Dong Yanmei | CHN | 770216 | 1 | Athína | 000628 |
| 60 | 5.43.4h+ | Yelena Romanova | RUS | 630320 | 1 | Moskva | 920612 |
| 61 | 5.43.51 | Sylvia Mosqueda | USA | 660408 | 3 | Eugene, Or | 920606 |
| 62 | 5.43.57 | Christine Toonstra | NED | 660622 | 3 | Hengelo | 890813 |
| 63 | 5.43.58 | Gina Procaccio | USA | 640719 | 3 | Eugene, Or | 900601 |
| 64 | 5.43.59 | Libbie [Johnson] Hickman | USA | 650217 | 5 | Edinburgh | 940708 |
| 65 | 5.43.7hmx | Gitte Karlshöj | DEN | 590514 | 1 | Rudegård | 910918 |
| 66 | 5.43.8h+ | Lan Lixin | CHN | 790214 | 3 | Athína | 000628 |
| 67 | 5.43.96 | Monica Joyce | IRL | 580716 |   | (USA) | 820430 |
| 68 | 5.43.96 | Sandra Gasser ¶ | SUI | 620727 | 1 | Arnsberg | 930609 |
| 69 | 5.44.08+ | Vicki Huber | USA | 670529 | 1 | Seoul | 880925 |
| 70 | 5.44.24+ | Paula [Ilie] Ivan | ROM | 630720 | 3 | Seoul | 880925 |
| 71 | 5.44.29 | Tatyana Krivobok | UKR | 720117 | 3 | Istanbul | 010616 |
| 72 | 5.44.3h+ | Asmae Laghzaoui | MAR | 760830 | 4 | Athína | 000628 |
| 73 | 5.44.43+ | Tatyana [Khamitova, Dorovskich] Samolenko ¶ | URS | 610812 | 6 | Seoul | 880925 |
| 74 | 5.44.54 | Ebru [Yelena Kopytova] Kavaklioglu | TUR | 700314 | 4 | Istanbul | 010616 |
| 75 | 5.44.55+ | Lynn [Kanuka] Williams | CAN | 600711 | 7 | Seoul | 880925 |
| 76 | 5.44.5h+ | Yin Lili | CHN | 791111 | 5 | Athína | 000628 |
| 77 | 5.44.64 | Maggie Keyes | USA | 580628 | 7 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 78 | 5.44.64 | Svetlana Guskova | MOL | 590819 | 3 | Rieti | 860907 |
| 79 | 5.44.67 | Anne [McKenzie] Hare | NZL | 640607 | 10 | London | 860711 |
| 80 | 5.44.71+ | Natalya Artyomova ¶ | URS | 630105 | 9 | Seoul | 880925 |
| 81 | 5.44.77 | Anna Brzezinska | POL | 710109 | 5 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 82 | 5.44.79 | Agnese Possamai | ITA | 530117 | 11 | London | 860711 |
| 83 | 5.44.7h+ | Tatyana Tomashova | RUS | 750701 | 6 | Athína | 000628 |
| 84 | 5.44.86 | Gwen Griffiths | RSA | 670830 | 2 | London | 920710 |
| 85 | 5.45.07 | Yvonne [Mai, Grabner] Graham | GER | 650822 | 7 | London | 910712 |
| 86 | 5.45.15 | Debbie Gunning | GBR | 650831 | 6 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 87 | 5.45.27 | Tania Merchiers | BEL | 660821 | 4 | Hengelo | 890813 |
| 88 | 5.45.34 | Lisa York | GBR | 700310 | 3 | London | 920710 |
| 89 | 5.45.36 | Wanda [Panfil] González | POL | 590126 | 1 | Hengelo | 900812 |
| 90 | 5.45.45 | Ruth [Partridge] Smeeth | GBR | 600619 | 8 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 91 | 5.45.55 | Colette [Goudreau] Murphy | USA | 650511 | 4 | Eugene, Or | 900601 |
| 92 | 5.45.56 | Shelly [Ramirez] Steely | USA | 621023 | 4 | London | 920710 |
| 93 | 5.45.65 | Jacqueline Perkins | AUS | 650829 | 2 | London | 870822 |
| 94 | 5.45.72 | Stefanija Statkuviene | URS | 620905 | 2 | Hengelo | 900812 |
| 95 | 5.45.84 | Yvonne van der Kolk | NED | 690107 | 8 | London | 910712 |
| 96 | 5.45.89 | Robyn Meagher | CAN | 670617 | 5 | Sheffield | 940904 |
| 97 | 5.46.12 | Suzanne Girard-Eberle | USA | 621130 | 12 | London | 860711 |
| 98 | 5.46.19 | Luminita Gogirlea | ROM | 711105 | 2 | Istanbul | 990619 |
| 99 | 5.46.40 | Sonia McGeorge | GBR | 641102 | 8 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 100 | 5.46.54 | Una English | GBR | 700814 | 6 | London | 920710 |
| 101 | 5.46.59 | Lyudmila Borisova (2) | RUS | 660308 | 6 | Sheffield | 940904 |
| 102 | 5.46.99 | Sabrina Dornhöfer | USA | 631202 | 9 | London | 910712 |
| 103 | 5.46.9h+ | Olga Churbanova | RUS | 650716 | 8 | Zürich | 950816 |
| 104 | 5.47.07 | Gillian [Green] Dainty | GBR | 581124 | 4 | London | 820917 |
| 105 | 5.47.44 | Yelena Gorodnicheva | UKR | 700906 | 3 | Istanbul | 990619 |
| 106 | 5.47.45 | Margaret Kagiri | KEN | 681125 | 9 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 107 | 5.47.58 | Ines [Obst] Bibernell | GDR | 650721 | 2 | East Berlin | 850922 |
| 108 | 5.47.5h | Francis [Lutz, Smith] Larrieu | USA | 521123 | 1 | Montréal | 760714 |
| 109 | 5.47.76 | Maria Akraka | SWE | 660707 | 9 | Sheffield | 940904 |
| 110 | 5.47.7h+ | Rose Cheruiyot | KEN | 760721 | 11 | Zürich | 950816 |
| 111 | 5.47.84 | Fran Ten Bensel | USA | 691005 | 4 | Eugene, Or | 920606 |
| 112 | 5.47.89+ | Cindy Bremser | USA | 530505 | 4 | Los Angeles | 840810 |
| 113 | 5.47.92 | Lorraine Moller | NZL | 550601 | 7 | Rieti | 850904 |
| 114 | 5.47.9h+ | Mariya Pantyukhova | RUS | 740814 | 12 | Zürich | 950816 |
| 115 | 5.48.02 | Beverly [Hartigan] Nicholson | GBR | 670610 | 4 | London | 870822 |
| 116 | 5.48.02 | Rita Marquard | GER | 670320 | 4 | Berlin | 910623 |
| 117 | 5.48.29 | Daniela [Bran] Petrescu | ROM | 680413 | 4 | Istanbul | 990619 |
| 118 | 5.48.2h+ | Julia Vaquero | ESP | 700918 | 1 | Nice | 960710 |
| 119 | 5.48.36 | Aysen [Oksana Zheleznyak] Barak | RUS | 750909 | 5 | Istanbul | 010616 |
| 120 | 5.48.39 | Malgorzata [Kapowska] Rydz | POL | 670118 | 3 | Hengelo | 900812 |
| 121 | 5.48.75 | Marjan Freriks | NED | 611213 | 6 | Hengelo | 890813 |
| 122 | 5.48.79 | Teena Colebrook | GBR | 561218 | 4 | Hengelo | 900812 |
| 123 | 5.48.87 | Philippa Mason | GBR | 690316 | 15 | London | 860711 |
| 124 | 5.48.8h+ | Violeta [Beclea] Szekely ¶ | ROM | 650326 | 1 | Berlin | 980901 |
| 125 | 5.48.98 | Debbie Peel | GBR | 580819 | 6 | London | 820917 |
| 126 | 5.49.0h+ | Pauline Konga | KEN | 700410 | - | Monaco | 960810 |
| 127 | 5.49.27 | Joan Nesbit-Mabe | USA | 620120 | 17 | London | 860711 |
| 128 | 5.49.38 | Kathrin [Ullrich] Wessel | GER | 670814 | 5 | Berlin | 910623 |
| 129 | 5.49.3h | Janice Merrill | USA | 560618 | 2 | Montréal | 760714 |
| 130 | 5.49.48+ | Vera [Steiert] Michallek | FRG | 581106 |   | Belfast | 860630 |
| 131 | 5.49.58+ | Catherina McKiernan | IRL | 691130 |   | Nice | 940718 |
| 132 | 5.49.60 | Marjorie van der Merwe | RSA | 680109 | 1 | Stellenbosch | 910103 |
| 133 | 5.49.67+ | Joan Hansen | USA | 580718 | 8 | Los Angeles | 840810 |
| 134 | 5.49.73 | Zita Agoston | HUN | 650318 | 6 | Berlin | 910623 |
| 135 | 5.49.78 | Elena [Buhaianu] Iagar | ROM | 750116 | 1 | Villeneuve D'ascq, Lille | 010617 |
| 136 | 5.49.85 | Trina [Leopold] Painter | USA | 660625 | 5 | Eugene, Or | 920606 |
| 137 | 5.49.87 | Birhane Hirpassa | ETH | 78 | 2 | Villeneuve D'ascq, Lille | 010617 |
| 138 | 5.50.17 | Susan [Wightman] Tooby | GBR | 601024 | 10 | London (CP) | 840713 |
| 139 | 5.50.21 | Linah Chesire | KEN | 730301 | 10 | Sheffield | 930829 |
| 140 | 5.50.2h+ | Jill Hunter | GBR | 661014 | - | London | 910619 |
| 141 | 5.50.47 | Susie Power | AUS | 750326 | 10 | Sheffield | 940904 |
| 142 | 5.50.4h+ | Margarita [Davyskiba] Marusova | RUS | 671125 | 1 | Stockholm | 980805 |
| 143 | 5.50.50 | Tanya Peckham | RSA | 660215 |   | Stellenbosch | 910103 |
| 144 | 5.50.53 | Stephanie Best | USA | 691016 | 10 | London | 910712 |
| 145 | 5.50.66 | Carolyn Schuwalow | AUS | 650810 | 2 | Canberra | 890126 |
| 146 | 5.50.67 | Lidia Chojecka | POL | 770125 | 4 | Villeneuve D'ascq, Lille | 010617 |
| 147 | 5.50.82 | Laima Baikauskaite | URS | 560610 | 5 | Hengelo | 900812 |
| 148 | 5.50.93 | Rosemary Ryan | IRL | 751108 | 2 | Sydney, AUS | 000914 |
| 149 | 5.51.07 | Yelena [Vyazova] Zhupiyova | UKR | 600418 | 2 | Arnsberg | 930609 |
| 150 | 5.51.15 | Frederique Quentin | FRA | 691222 | 2 | Tomblaine | 990912 |
| 151 | 5.51.22 | Polly Plumer | USA | 641014 |   | Eugene, Or | 940604 |
| 152 | 5.51.3h+ | Judi St.Hilaire | USA | 590905 | 7 | Tokyo | 910826 |