Men's 200 metres world record progression Records 1951–1976 Records 1951–1976

| Time_ | Wind | Auto | Athlete | Nationality | Location_of_race | Date_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.5 | 0.0 | 20.75 | Stone Johnson | United States | Stanford, United States | July 2, 1960 |
| 20.5 | 0.0 |  | Ray Norton | United States | Stanford, United States | July 2, 1960 |
| 20.5 |  | 20.65 | Livio Berruti | Italy | Rome, Italy | September 3, 1960 |
| 20.5 |  | 20.62 | Livio Berruti | Italy | Rome, Italy | September 3, 1960 |
| 20.5y | −1.1 | 20.67 | Paul Drayton | United States | Walnut, United States | June 23, 1962 |
| 20.3y | −0.1 |  | Henry Carr | United States | Tempe, United States | March 23, 1963 |
| 20.2y | 0.5 |  | Henry Carr | United States | Tempe, United States | April 4, 1964 |
| 20.0y | 0.0 |  | Tommie Smith | United States | Sacramento, United States | June 11, 1968 |
| 19.8A | 0.9 | 19.83A | Tommie Smith | United States | Mexico City, Mexico | October 16, 1968 |