Fitness Testing > Tests > Aerobic Endurance > VO2 max > Records

World Best VO2 max Scores

The maximum rate of Oxygen (O2) consumption by the body during exercise, commonly written as VO2max, is the criterion measure of aerobic endurance fitness. You can read details of the procedures for conducting a VO2max Fitness Test. The measurement can be given in the units liters of O2 per min (l.min-1) or divided by body weight to get a score relative to a person's body weight (ml.kg.min-1)

Expected Scores

Wikipedia lists VO2 max levels for the average young untrained male of about 3.5 liters/minute or 45 ml/min/kg. In comparison, world class male endurance athletes in sports such as cycling and cross-country skiing typically achieved scores in excess of 80 ml/kg/min, and occasionally a few may exceed 90 ml/kg/min. The average young untrained female will score about 2.0 liters/minute or 38 ml/min/kg compared to world class female endurance athletes which a few may exceed 70 ml/kg/min. See also some VO2max results for athletes for specific examples for a range of sports.

World Bests

Below is a list of VO2max scores (in the units per body weight: ml/kg/min) that have been recorded for a variety of athletes in a range of sports. Not all the values have been verified, and the accuracy of these values may vary, as the scores achieved depend on the quality of the equipment used, the calibration of the equipment, and the testing protocols used. However, these values still provide an interesting list for comparison and discussion.

Having a high VO2max does not necessarily mean that you will be successful. Although all the athletes listed below have been successful in their chosen sports, there have also been others equally successful who have not recorded such high VO2max scores. There are obviously other factors to consider for success in aerobic based sports.

Males

These are some of the top male VO2max scores ever recorded (in ml.kg.min-1).

score	name	sport	notes
97.5	Oskar Svendsen	Cycling	18 year old from Lillehammer, Norway. The test was conducted in Sept 2012 at the University College of Lillehammer by physiologist Joar Hansen. (from an article on procycling)
96.0	Espen Harald Bjerke	Norwegian cross country skier	This score was achieved in 2005 (7.3 liter/min, 76 kg body weight), listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
96.0	Bjørn Dæhlie	Norwegian cross country skier	though another source has him recording a best of 90 ml/kg/min.
93.0	Kurt Asle Arvesen	Road Cycling	a Norwegian professional road bicycle racer for Team Sky. Figure taken from article on syklingens verden website, said to be from 1997.
92.5	Greg LeMond	cycling	US professional cyclist
92.0	Matt Carpenter	runner	Pikes Peak marathon course record holder
92.0	Tore Ruud Hofstad	Norwegian cross country skier	achieved in 2005
91.0	Gunde Svan	Swedish XC-skier	won a total of 4x gold, 1x silver and 1x bronze medals at the Winter Olympics.
91.0	Harri Kirvesniem	Finnish cross country skier
89.5	Kilian Jornet	Ultr-endurance runner	from a test in 2012 by Daniel Brotons Cuixart, a sports specialist at the University of Barcelona.
88.0	Miguel Indurain	cycling	professional cyclist
88.0	Anders Aukland	cross country skier	achived 2005, listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
87.4	Marius Bakken	runner	Norwegian 5k record holder
87.0	Jon Anders Gaustad	cross country skier	achived 2005, listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
86.4	Edvad Boasson Hagen	road cyclist	from Norway and Team Columbia-HTC. Figure taken from article on syklingens verden website, possibly from 2008.
86.0	Thor Hushovd	cycling	listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
86.0	Ole Einar Bjœrndalen	biathlon	listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
85.0	Dave Bedford	runner	10k world record holder
85.0	John Ngugi	distance runner	World XC Champion
84.4	Steve Prefontaine	runner	from the US
84.0	Lance Armstrong	cycling	professional cyclist
83.5	Mark Walters	cycling	a pro-cyclist, former Navigators team member, won Philadelphia. This score was from the peak of his career. (personal communication, heard first hand from Mark himself)
83.0	Jens Arne Svartedal	cross country skier	achived 2005, listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
82.7	Gary Tuttle	US runner
82.0	Kip Keino	runner	Olympic 1500 champion
81.1	Craig Virgin	distance runner	twice World cross country champ
81.0	Jim Ryun	runner	US miler WR holder
80.9	Øyvind Leonhardsen	Norwegian professional soccer player	listed in an article on www.fasterskier.com.
80.1	Steve Scott	runner	US miler 3:47

Females

These are just a few VO2max scores (in ml.kg.min-1) that have been found for females. Most likely many there are more scores that can be added to this list. As with the above male top score list, not all these values have been verified, and the accuracy of these values may vary.

score	name	sport	notes
78.6	Joan Benoit	distance running	1984 Olympic Marathon Champion
76.6	Bente Skari	XC-skier
76.0	Flavia Oliveira	Cycling	Oliveira is a Brazilian National Team road cyclist and climbing specialist. This result was recorded during testing with Felicia Gomez at Pinnacle Training Systems in Fresno, California on Jan 21, 2012. (with thanks to Nathan Parks, Jan 2012)
74	Charlotte Kalla	XC-skier	achieved at only 2O years of age
72	Marit Bjoergen	XC-skier
72	Toini Rönnlund	XC-skier	achieved in the sixties sometime.
71.2	Ingrid Kristiansen	distance running	ex-Marathon World Record Holder
67.2	Rosa Mota	distance running	Marathon runner

procedure for VO2max Testing
VO2max results for athletes.
more Fitness Testing Records and other Sporting Records
More Records? I scan the internet for the latest athlete results. If you know of something I have missed, it would be great to hear from you.

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Old Comments

It's too bad that many of the comments here are ignorant. Norwegian sports science and testing is among the best in the world, if not the best, and cross country skiing will drive up one's (already high) VO2 measurement. I also think the list is incomplete, since just three or four years ago another young Norwegian skier tested at 96 at the end of the World Cup season. I also wouldn't be surprised to find out that 2013 world champion Petter Northug's VO2max is up there as well, given the way he's able to put on sprints never before seen at the end of distance ski races. (from Roger Matthews, Mar 2013)
They must have trick tests in Norway LoL!! No way those Lollies have a VO2 higher than Armstrong or Prefontaine. ... Is xc skiing really even a sport? (from Whithey, Mar 2013)
I'm a competitive runner and swimmer & just had my V02 max measured at Duke University Hospital in the Cardiac Diagnostic Unit. My V02 max was 105.8, so apparently I should be added to the top of the above list. (from David Dunson, Mar 2013)
What documentation do you need to make the list? At our Olympic training center I had one test at 90 and a few tests in the high 80's. This was back in the early 1980's. I was an Olympic silver medalist in team pursuit in 1984 an in 1981. I set the world record for average pace in races over 100 miles. This was on the 10th stage of a 12 day stage race. 107.5 miles in 3h 33m 25sec for an average of 30+mph. That record stood for about 15 years (pro or amateur). Thanks for the info. (from Brent Emery, Feb 2013)
It is common knowledge that Lemond in fact was also doping. Transfusions and epo were both used during his career along with Cocaine. (from Tren, Feb 2013)
All it proves is the huskies are doped up on EPO up to their ears, perhaps their fur is a side effect. (from jbooyy, Feb 2013)
Mine is 83, 17 years old, untrained athlete ... Genetic advantage I guess? Btw I was tested at a university (from Boss, Jan 2013)
Yes, let's delete the Lemond reference, as one more small corrective after all the nonsense directed at him Trek and Armstrong. (from letshavesomeintegrity, Jan 2013)
Lemond? Doping? EPO? Seriously some people here? You can't be blamed for not knowing everything but you can be blamed for writing about what you haven't got a clue of. It must be so hard to search before writing something like that; Wikipedia even has a full article named "Greg Lemond anti-doping stance and controversies"! (from Luis Fernando, Dec 2012)
I come to this while considering Lemonds argument that VO2 may be a good way to baseline legal performance. There are suspicions about numbers that rise or fall over time. (from nonspec, Nov 2012)
Do you have any VO2max records by age? I'm interested in learning highest VO2max for male of age 70+. (from Jim Turner, Nov 2012)
There are some sources placing Kilian Jornett in the 90+ spectrum. Recent test (from m_d, Oct 2012)
The highest documented Vo2max for Lance Armstrong is 81.2 (September 1993), and his Vo2max ranged from 66 to 76, so it is likely that his Vo2max was in the mid 70s. The number 85 is a pure estimate, using a bodyweight of 72kg (post cancer). However this is not documented either, since LAs bodyweight was nearly 80kg in 1997 and 1999. The source of both the undocumented (purely estimated) high Vo2max and also the fairly mediocre and documented Vo2max is: "Improved muscular efficiency displayed as Tour de France champion matures" by EF Coyle - Journal of Applied Physiology, 2005 - (from Arne Solli, Oct 2012)
I have a recorded VO2 max from 1998 at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine of 77.6 at the age 32 for cycling. (from Tammy Jacques, Oct 2012) - if accurate that would put her 2nd on the female list
Oskar Svenden from Lillehammer just scored 98. He is 18 years old (from Jostein, 3 Sept 2012)
- Oskar Svendsen just scored 97.5, not 98. But to all of you who can't or won't believe it; I've known this kid for ten years, and every test he has ever had has been amazing, he was at 87.7 at the age of 17. I can't speak for any other guys, this kid is the only one I know in person (plus I know his mother, who is awesome, and there is no way in hell he'd do drugs, she would freak out :P) (from Norwegian21, Sept 2012)
Norwegian and Swedish XC skiers have been systematically doing blood doping already for decades. As well as Finns, Russians. Björn Dählie was one of the real good examples on that. Dählie competed on a time that there was no possiblity to get caught on Epo and blood transfusion. Also Leirem was there efficiently protecting them. Natural values could probably stop on 80 on men, over that will need all the help available. (from Kari Pekka Kyrö, 28 Aug 2012)
- Who the hell are you claiming that "Norwegian and Swedish XC skiers have been systematically doing blood doping already for decades."?! Give some proof of that statement instead of trying to explain why you cannot achieve better yourself. "I am sure you have been using doping substances as well" would be as relevant to claim - poor you who cannot argue on a decent level. (from Anders Svenningsson, 6 Sept 2012)
Greg Lemond is a great example of an athlete who used doping methods to improve his VO2 Max. (from Uomo Del Ghiaccio, Aug 2012)
- I think you should delete the reference to the false claim Lemond doped. What has been documented many different times from many different journalists is that he avoided doping/needles at every turn. In 2012, there is no online reference for the claim. (from channel_zero, Sept 2012)
- there was absolutely no epo or oxygen vectors around when Lemond won his tours. Lemonds integrity among cycling community is undisputed. He was clean, there is no doubt or suspicion about that (from brian, 8 Sept 2012)
My VO2max at 88.3 ml/kg/min was in 1980 at the Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas. This figure was from a 1 min (60 second) sample was confirmed by Larry Gettman, PhD, Director, rather than typically used 20 sec sample used in a clinical setting. The lab's highest reading was Tom Morino at 88.6 ml/kg/min. (from Kyle D Heffner, Aug 2012)
One of my exercise physiology classmates was a 20 year old state champion cross country runner. He produced a VO2max of 80 on a treadmill and 76 on a cycling ergometer. His peak heart rate was 213bpm during the run. (from bananabender, July 2012)
I have difficulty believing some of the posted VO2 max estimates - either you put on the mask at sea level and have real results, or you are cheating (breathing pure oxygen, EPO, blood transfusion/doping. I agree that many athletes would post estimates that are very inflated to psych out opponents, and so I go back to was it in the lab. My hemocrit stays naturally at around 45-48 (20 years of army medical records show this). As a coach I know this is a little high - some struggle to stay above 40. I take iron supplements and nothing else besides hard work and genetics. My VO2 max is 67 - good for an amateur athlete, so I have to wonder how much blood is circulating in a system that generates a VO2 max of 90. Miguel Indurain was noted for his 1.5x normal lung capacity, yet only has a max of 88 - doesn't that suggest some form of cheating that was not yet detectable in that time? (from Brent Otter, May 2012)
I'm guessing the highest a normal person can get, fully trained, is something in the 60's? Or mabye low 70's at best. Those above that are probably genetically advantaged in the endurance department. (from Toby, April 2012)
If only it were possible to cross-breed with husky dogs athletes might get closer to the 240 of these amazing animals ... (from Ed Tarwinski, March 2012)
This list either proves that vo2 max does not mean anything, or that Norwegian measurements often are wrong. Because: 1. only one of the first 7 Norwegians were world class athletes at the time the tests were done. Thus, there is no connection between vo2 max and endurance, or the measurements were wrong. 2. Greg LeMond, Harri Kirvesniem and Miguel Indurain have a similar training log as the Norwegians however, they used EPO or other kinds of drugs. Thus, we can assume that EPO don't work, or that the Norwegian measurements are wrong. My guess is that we (I'm Norwegian) overestimate our vo2 max scores, and that many top athletes doesn't tell their real scores! (from Olav, Feb 2012)
- In response to the comment from Olav, Feb 2012. As the testing procedure isn't stated, it is hard to make comparisons. If a cross country skiing ergometer was used, it is possible to obtain the quoted of VO2Max results. A larger muscle mass is used in this movement and therefore a greater level of aerobic metabolism is taking place. Treadmill tests are second, followed by bicycle tests, in terms of muscle mass used. (from Stephen, Feb 2012)
- To Olav, news to me and probably most of the world knew that Greg Lemond used EPO or other kinds of drugs. Speculation? (from S Aimon, March 2012)
- Not sure Lemond could have used rhEPO since it was not really around until the 90s. (from Sam, May 2012)
- To Olav, 90% of your cross country elite skiers suffer from terrible asthma ... that is why they have such high VO2max scores..:))) and yes you are right epo doesn't work, sterides are so much better ... :))) ha? (from macias, July 2012)
Okay, will stop bragging because this makes me look stupid (from bauwens jean-pierre senior, Oct 2011)
My Vo2 max was measured by an Olympic sports trainer and athlete at 70 ml/kg.min-1 while I was playing premier Rugby league at a weight of 94kg. However now I have had three knee operations and am struggling to get fit again. Date 22/02/1996. (Paul Ruakere)
We have thousands of VO2 max scores from the past 20+ years from elite athletes for mainly Olympic sports. As far as I am aware, no one has ever tested over 86; but the numbers you give for best in different sports seem generally much too low. Those over 90 seem like IQ tests over 200 - unlikely! (from Chris Barnes - Australian Institute of Sport, Oct 2011).
Latest test from my son, jean-pierre bauwens, a junior boxer from Belgium. VO2 max 80.5. Performed at the Ghent University Hospital 7/04/2011. It is a recognized sports medicine center (from bauwens jean-pierre senior, April 2011)