| Record Type | Event | Performance | Date | Name | Gender | Meet / Location |
|---|
| 1 | OR | 10000m | 28:45.6(28:45.59) | 1956-11-23 | Vladimir Kuts (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 2 | OR | 100m | 10.3 | 1956-11-23 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 3 | OR | 100m | 10.3 | 1956-11-23 | Ira Murchison (USA/US Army) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 4 | OR | HJ | 2.12 (6-11 1/2) | 1956-11-23 | Charles Dumas (USA/Compton CC) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 5 | OR | wDT | 51.77 | 1956-11-23 | Irina Beglyakova (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 6 | OR | wDT | 52.54 | 1956-11-23 | Irina Beglyakova (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 7 | OR | wDT | 53.69 | 1956-11-23 | Olga Fikotova (TCH) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 8 | OR | wDT | 52.04 | 1956-11-23 | Olga Fikotova (TCH) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 9 | OR | 100m | 11.4 | 1956-11-24 | Betty Cuthbert (AUS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 10 | OR | 100m | 10.3 | 1956-11-24 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 11 | OR | 400H | 50.1(50.29) | 1956-11-24 | Glenn Davis (USA/Ohio State) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 12 | OR | 400H | 50.1(50.26) | 1956-11-24 | Eddie Southern (USA/Texas) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 13 | OR | HT | 63.19 | 1956-11-24 | Hal Connolly (USA/Boston AA) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 14 | OR | HT | 63.00 | 1956-11-24 | Mikhail Krivonosov (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 15 | OR | HT | 63.02 | 1956-11-24 | Mikhail Krivonosov (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 16 | OR | HT | 62.10 | 1956-11-24 | Anatoliy Samotsvetov (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 17 | OR | LJ | 7.83 | 1956-11-24 | Greg Bell (USA) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 18 | OR | 800m | 1:47.7(1:47.75) | 1956-11-26 | Tom Courtney (USA/New York Athletic Club) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 19 | OR | mJT - Old | 85.71 | 1956-11-26 | Egil Danielsen (NOR) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 20 | OR | mJT - Old | 74.14 | 1956-11-26 | Egil Danielsen (NOR) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 21 | OR | mJT - Old | 79.98 | 1956-11-26 | Janusz Sidlo (POL) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 22 | OR | mJT - Old | 74.96 | 1956-11-26 | Viktor Tsybulenko (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 23 | OR | mJT - Old | 75.84 | 1956-11-26 | Viktor Tsybulenko (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 24 | OR | mJT - Old | 74.76 | 1956-11-26 | Cy Young (USA/Los Angeles AC) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 25 | OR | PV | 4.56 | 1956-11-26 | Bob Richards (USA) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 26 | OR | 200m | 20.75 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 27 | OR | 200m | 20.6 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 28 | OR | 80H | 10.9 | 1956-11-27 | Zenta Gastl (FRG) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 29 | OR | 80H | 10.8 | 1956-11-27 | Gisela Birkemeyer (GDR) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 30 | OR | 80H | 10.8 | 1956-11-27 | Shirley Strickland (AUS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 31 | OR | 80H | 10.8 | 1956-11-27 | Shirley Strickland (AUS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 32 | OR | 80H | 10.8 | 1956-11-27 | Norma Thrower (AUS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 33 | OR | DT | 56.36 | 1956-11-27 | Al Oerter Jr. (USA/New York Athletic Club) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 34 | OR | LJ | 6.35 | 1956-11-27 | Elsbieta Krzesinska (POL) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 35 | OR | TJ | 16.35 | 1956-11-27 | Adhemar Da Silva (BRA) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 36 | OR | TJ | 16.26 | 1956-11-27 | Vilhjalmur Einarsson (ISL) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 37 | OR | 110HH | 13.5(13.70) | 1956-11-28 | Lee Calhoun (USA/North Carolina College) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 38 | OR | 110HH | 13.5(13.73) | 1956-11-28 | Jack Davis (USA/US Navy) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 39 | OR | 5000m | 13:39.6(13:39.86) | 1956-11-28 | Vladimir Kuts (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 40 | OR | 80H | 10.7 | 1956-11-28 | Shirley Strickland (AUS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 41 | OR | m20,000W | 1:31:27.4 | 1956-11-28 | Leonid Spirin (URS) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 42 | OR | mSP | 18.57 | 1956-11-28 | William O'Brien Jr. (USA/US Air Force) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 43 | OR | mSP | 17.92 | 1956-11-28 | William O'Brien Jr. (USA/US Air Force) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 44 | OR | mSP | 18.47 | 1956-11-28 | William O'Brien Jr. (USA/US Air Force) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 45 | OR | wJT-Old | 53.86 | 1956-11-28 | Inese Jaunzeme (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 46 | OR | wJT-Old | 51.63 | 1956-11-28 | Inese Jaunzeme (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 47 | OR | wJT-Old | 53.40 | 1956-11-28 | Inese Jaunzeme (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 48 | OR | 3000SC | 8:41.2(8:41.35) | 1956-11-29 | Chris Brasher (GBR) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 49 | OR | mDec | 7937 | 1956-11-30 | Milt Campbell (USA/US Navy) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 50 | OR | wSP 4kg | 16.59 | 1956-11-30 | Tamara Tyshkevich (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 51 | OR | wSP 4kg | 16.35 | 1956-11-30 | Galina Zybina (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 52 | OR | wSP 4kg | 16.48 | 1956-11-30 | Galina Zybina (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 53 | OR | wSP 4kg | 16.53 | 1956-11-30 | Galina Zybina (URS) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 54 | OR | 1500m | 3:41.2(3:41.49) | 1956-12-01 | Ron Delany (IRL) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 55 | OR | HJ | 1.76 | 1956-12-01 | Mildred McDaniel (USA/Tuskegee Institute) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 56 | OR | HJ | 1.70 | 1956-12-01 | Mildred McDaniel (USA/Tuskegee Institute) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| |
| 1 | USA NR | wDT | 46.94 (154-0) | 1956-11-17 | Earlene Brown (USA/Southern Pacific Association AAU) | F | | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 2 | USA NR | wSP 4kg | 14.92 (48-11 1/2) | 1956-11-17 | Earlene Brown (USA/Southern Pacific Association AAU) | F | | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 3 | USA NR | wDT | 51.35 (168-5 5/8) | 1956-11-23 | Earlene Brown (USA/Southern Pacific Association AAU) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 4 | USA NR | 100m | 12.14 | 1956-11-24 | Lucinda Williams (USA/Tennessee State) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 5 | USA NR | 100m | 11.91 | 1956-11-24 | Isabelle Daniels (USA/Tennessee State) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 6 | USA NR | 400H | 50.26 | 1956-11-24 | Eddie Southern (USA/Texas) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 7 | USA NR | 200m | 20.75 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 8 | USA NR | 200m | 20.6 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 9 | USA NR | 80mH 8x30in | 11.83 | 1956-11-27 | Barbara Mueller (USA/Chicago Comets) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 10 | USA NR | 80mH 8x30in | 11.6 | 1956-11-27 | Barbara Mueller (USA/Chicago Comets) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 11 | USA NR | LJ | 6.09 (19-11 3/4) | 1956-11-27 | Willye White (USA/Tennessee State) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 12 | USA NR | TJ | 15.88 (52-1 1/4) | 1956-11-27 | Bill Sharpe (USA/West Chester) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 13 | USA NR | 110HH | 13.70 | 1956-11-28 | Lee Calhoun (USA/North Carolina College) | M | | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 14 | USA NR | 110HH | 13.70 | 1956-11-28 | Lee Calhoun (USA/North Carolina College) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 15 | USA NR | 110HH | 13.5(13.70) | 1956-11-28 | Lee Calhoun (USA/North Carolina College) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 16 | USA NR | wJT-Old | 49.64 (162-10) | 1956-11-28 | Karen Anderson (USA/Mercury AC) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 17 | USA NR | wSP 4kg | 15.12 (49-7 1/4) | 1956-11-30 | Earlene Brown (USA/Southern Pacific Association AAU) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 18 | USA NR | HJ | 1.76 (5-9 1/4) | 1956-12-01 | Mildred McDaniel (USA/Tuskegee Institute) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 19 | USA NR | HJ | 1.70 (5-7) | 1956-12-01 | Mildred McDaniel (USA/Tuskegee Institute) | F | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| |
| 1 | WR | 400H | 50.26 | 1956-11-24 | Eddie Southern (USA/Texas) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 2 | WR | mJT - Old | 85.71 | 1956-11-26 | Egil Danielsen (NOR) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 3 | WR | 200m | 20.75 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 4 | WR | 200m | 20.6 | 1956-11-27 | Bobby Morrow (USA/Abilene Christian) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
| 5 | WR | 110HH | 13.70 | 1956-11-28 | Lee Calhoun (USA/North Carolina College) | M | XVI Olympic Games | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne |
