# 1997 World Championships in Athletics

The 6th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, were held at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece between 1 and 10 August 1997. In this event participated 1882 athletes from 198 participant nations. Despite several attempts to sabotage, Athens used the successful organization of the World Championships to prove their capacity during the next IOC Session held the following month in Lausanne as a triumph and key event during the final stretch of the process to choose the city who hosted 2004 Summer Olympics. The success of the event showed the Greece abilities and readiness to organize large-scale, international sporting events.
It was the first edition to award wild cards to defending champions even if they did not qualify for their national team. This allowed four athletes from the same country to compete in an individual event in some cases.

## Men's results
### Track

1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001
| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres details | Maurice Greene United States (USA) | 9.86 | Donovan Bailey Canada (CAN) | 9.91 | Tim Montgomery United States (USA) | 9.94 |
| 200 metres details | Ato Boldon Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 20.04 | Frankie Fredericks Namibia (NAM) | 20.23 | Claudinei Quirino Brazil (BRA) | 20.26 |
| 400 metres details | Michael Johnson United States (USA) | 44.12 | Davis Kamoga Uganda (UGA) | 44.37 NR | Tyree Washington United States (USA) | 44.39 PB |
| 800 metres details | Wilson Kipketer Denmark (DEN) | 1:43.38 | Norberto Téllez Cuba (CUB) | 1:44.00 | Rich Kenah United States (USA) | 1:44.25 PB |
| 1500 metres details | Hicham El Guerrouj Morocco (MAR) | 3:35.83 | Fermín Cacho Spain (ESP) | 3:36.63 | Reyes Estévez Spain (ESP) | 3:37.26 |
| 5000 metres details | Daniel Komen Kenya (KEN) | 13:07.38 | Khalid Boulami Morocco (MAR) | 13:09.34 | Tom Nyariki Kenya (KEN) | 13:11.09 |
| 10,000 metres details | Haile Gebrselassie Ethiopia (ETH) | 27:24.58 | Paul Tergat Kenya (KEN) | 27:25.62 | Salah Hissou Morocco (MAR) | 27:28.67 PB |
| Marathon details | Abel Antón Spain (ESP) | 2:13:16 | Martín Fiz Spain (ESP) | 2:13:21 | Steve Moneghetti Australia (AUS) | 2:14:16 |
| 110 metres hurdles details | Allen Johnson United States (USA) | 12.93 WL | Colin Jackson Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) | 13.05 | Igor Kováč Slovakia (SVK) | 13.18 |
| 400 metres hurdles details | Stéphane Diagana France (FRA) | 47.70 WL | Llewellyn Herbert South Africa (RSA) | 47.86 NR | Bryan Bronson United States (USA) | 47.88 |
| 3000 metres steeplechase details | Wilson Boit Kipketer Kenya (KEN) | 8:05.84 | Moses Kiptanui Kenya (KEN) | 8:06.04 | Bernard Barmasai Kenya (KEN) | 8:06.04 |
| 20 kilometres walk details | Daniel García Mexico (MEX) | 1:21:43 | Mikhail Shchennikov Russia (RUS) | 1:21:53 | Mikhail Khmelnitskiy Belarus (BLR) | 1:22:01 |
| 50 kilometres walk details | Robert Korzeniowski Poland (POL) | 3:44:46 | Jesús Ángel García Spain (ESP) | 3:44:59 | Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Mexico (MEX) | 3:48:30 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay details | Canada (CAN) Robert Esmie Glenroy Gilbert Bruny Surin Donovan Bailey Carlton Chambers* | 37.86 WL | Nigeria (NGR) Osmond Ezinwa Olapade Adeniken Francis Obikwelu Davidson Ezinwa | 38.07 | Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) Darren Braithwaite Darren Campbell Douglas Walker Julian Golding Marlon Devonish* Dwain Chambers* | 38.14 |
| 4 × 400 metres relay details | Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) Iwan Thomas Roger Black Jamie Baulch Mark Richardson Mark Hylton* | 2:56.65 | Jamaica (JAM) Michael McDonald Greg Haughton Danny McFarlane Davian Clarke Linval Laird* | 2:56.75 NR | Poland (POL) Tomasz Czubak Piotr Rysiukiewicz Piotr Haczek Robert Maćkowiak | 3:00.26 |
| WR world record | AR area record | CR championship record | GR games record | NR national record | OR Olympic record | PB personal best | SB season best | WL world leading (in a given season) |||||| |
Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in preliminary rounds.
* $^{nb1}$ The United States (Jerome Young, Antonio Pettigrew, Chris Jones, and Tyree Washington) originally won the 4 × 400 m relay in 2:56.47, but were disqualified in 2009 after Antonio Pettigrew admitted to using HGH and EPO between 1997 and 2003.

### Field

1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001
| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| High jump details | Javier Sotomayor Cuba (CUB) | 2.37 m WL | Artur Partyka Poland (POL) | 2.35 m | Tim Forsyth Australia (AUS) | 2.35 m |
| Pole vault details | Sergey Bubka Ukraine (UKR) | 6.01 m CR/WL | Maksim Tarasov Russia (RUS) | 5.96 m | Dean Starkey United States (USA) | 5.91 m |
| Long jump details | Iván Pedroso Cuba (CUB) | 8.42 m | Erick Walder United States (USA) | 8.38 m | Kirill Sosunov Russia (RUS) | 8.18 m |
| Triple jump details | Yoelbi Quesada Cuba (CUB) | 17.85 m WL/NR | Jonathan Edwards Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) | 17.69 m | Aliecer Urrutia Cuba (CUB) | 17.64 m |
| Shot put details | John Godina United States (USA) | 21.44 m | Oliver-Sven Buder Germany (GER) | 21.24 m | C.J. Hunter United States (USA) | 20.33 m |
| Discus throw details | Lars Riedel Germany (GER) | 68.54 m | Virgilijus Alekna Lithuania (LTU) | 66.70 m | Jürgen Schult Germany (GER) | 66.14 m |
| Hammer throw details | Heinz Weis Germany (GER) | 81.78 m | Andriy Skvaruk Ukraine (UKR) | 81.46 m | Vasiliy Sidorenko Russia (RUS) | 80.76 m |
| Javelin throw details | Marius Corbett South Africa (RSA) | 88.40 m AR | Steve Backley Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) | 86.80 m | Kostas Gatsioudis Greece (GRE) | 86.64 m |
| Decathlon details | Tomáš Dvořák Czech Republic (CZE) | 8837 pts CR/WL/NR | Eduard Hämäläinen Finland (FIN) | 8730 pts NR | Frank Busemann Germany (GER) | 8652 pts |
| WR world record | AR area record | CR championship record | GR games record | NR national record | OR Olympic record | PB personal best | SB season best | WL world leading (in a given season) |||||| |
* $^{nb2}$ Aleksandr Bagach of Ukraine originally won the shot put with 21.47 m, but was disqualified after he tested positive for steroids.

## Women's results
### Track

1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001
| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| 100 metres details | Marion Jones United States (USA) | 10.83 WL | Zhanna Pintusevich Ukraine (UKR) | 10.85 | Savatheda Fynes Bahamas (BAH) | 11.03 PB |
| 200 metres details | Zhanna Pintusevich Ukraine (UKR) | 22.32 | Susanthika Jayasinghe Sri Lanka (SRI) | 22.39 | Merlene Ottey Jamaica (JAM) | 22.40 |
| 400 metres details | Cathy Freeman Australia (AUS) | 49.77 | Sandie Richards Jamaica (JAM) | 49.79 PB | Jearl Miles Clark United States (USA) | 49.90 |
| 800 metres details | Ana Fidelia Quirot Cuba (CUB) | 1:57.14 | Yelena Afanasyeva Russia (RUS) | 1:57.56 | Maria Mutola Mozambique (MOZ) | 1:57.59 |
| 1500 metres details | Carla Sacramento Portugal (POR) | 4:04.24 | Regina Jacobs United States (USA) | 4:04.63 | Anita Weyermann Switzerland (SUI) | 4:04.70 |
| 5000 metres details | Gabriela Szabo Romania (ROU) | 14:57.68 | Roberta Brunet Italy (ITA) | 14:58.29 | Fernanda Ribeiro Portugal (POR) | 14:58.85 |
| 10,000 metres details | Sally Barsosio Kenya (KEN) | 31:32.92 WJR | Fernanda Ribeiro Portugal (POR) | 31:39.15 | Masako Chiba Japan (JPN) | 31:41.93 |
| Marathon details | Hiromi Suzuki Japan (JPN) | 2:29:48 | Manuela Machado Portugal (POR) | 2:31:12 | Lidia Șimon Romania (ROU) | 2:31:55 |
| 10 kilometres walk details | Annarita Sidoti Italy (ITA) | 42:55.49 WL | Olga Kardopoltseva Belarus (BLR) | 43:30.20 | Valentina Tsybulskaya Belarus (BLR) | 43:49.24 |
| 100 metres hurdles details | Ludmila Engquist Sweden (SWE) | 12.50 | Svetla Dimitrova Bulgaria (BUL) | 12.58 | Michelle Freeman Jamaica (JAM) | 12.61 |
| 400 metres hurdles details | Nezha Bidouane Morocco (MAR) | 52.97 AR | Deon Hemmings Jamaica (JAM) | 53.09 | Kim Batten United States (USA) | 53.52 |
| 4 × 100 metres relay details | United States (USA) Chryste Gaines Marion Jones Inger Miller Gail Devers | 41.47 CR/AR | Jamaica (JAM) Beverly McDonald Merlene Frazer Juliet Cuthbert Beverly Grant | 42.10 | France (FRA) Patricia Girard-Léno Christine Arron Delphine Combe Sylviane Félix Frédérique Bangué* | 42.21 NR |
| 4 × 400 metres relay details | Germany (GER) Anke Feller Uta Rohländer Anja Rücker Grit Breuer | 3:20.92 WL | United States (USA) Maicel Malone-Wallace Kim Graham Kim Batten Jearl Miles Clark Michelle Collins* Natasha Kaiser-Brown* | 3:21.03 | Jamaica (JAM) Inez Turner Lorraine Graham Deon Hemmings Sandie Richards Nadia Graham-Hutchinson* | 3:21.30 NR |
| WR world record | AR area record | CR championship record | GR games record | NR national record | OR Olympic record | PB personal best | SB season best | WL world leading (in a given season) |||||| |
Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in preliminary rounds.

### Field

1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001
| Event | Gold | Gold | Silver | Silver | Bronze | Bronze |
| High jump details | Hanne Haugland Norway (NOR) | 1.99 m | Olga Kaliturina Russia (RUS)Inha Babakova Ukraine (UKR) | 1.96 m | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| Long jump details | Lyudmila Galkina Russia (RUS) | 7.05 m WL/PB | Niki Xanthou Greece (GRE) | 6.94 m | Fiona May Italy (ITA) | 6.91 m |
| Triple jump details | Šárka Kašpárková Czech Republic (CZE) | 15.20 m WL/NR) | Rodica Mateescu Romania (ROU) | 15.16 m NR | Olena Hovorova Ukraine (UKR) | 14.67 m PB |
| Shot put details | Astrid Kumbernuss Germany (GER) | 20.71 m | Vita Pavlysh Ukraine (UKR) | 20.66 m | Stephanie Storp Germany (GER) | 19.22 m |
| Discus throw details | Beatrice Faumuina New Zealand (NZL) | 66.82 m | Ellina Zvereva Belarus (BLR) | 65.90 m | Natalya Sadova Russia (RUS) | 65.14 m |
| Javelin throw details | Trine Hattestad Norway (NOR) | 68.78 m | Joanna Stone Australia (AUS) | 68.64 m PB | Tanja Damaske Germany (GER) | 67.12 m PB |
| Heptathlon details | Sabine Braun Germany (GER) | 6739 pts | Denise Lewis Great Britain & N.I. (GBR) | 6654 pts | Remigija Nazarovienė Lithuania (LTU) | 6566 pts |
| WR world record | AR area record | CR championship record | GR games record | NR national record | OR Olympic record | PB personal best | SB season best | WL world leading (in a given season) |||||| |

## Medal table

* Host nation (Greece)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 6 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| 2 | Germany (GER) | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | Cuba (CUB) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 4 | Kenya (KEN) | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 5 | Ukraine (UKR) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 6 | Morocco (MAR) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Norway (NOR) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Russia (RUS) | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 10 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 11 | Spain (ESP) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 12 | Portugal (POR) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 13 | Australia (AUS) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 | Italy (ITA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | Poland (POL) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | Romania (ROM) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 17 | Canada (CAN) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 17 | South Africa (RSA) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 | France (FRA) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 19 | Japan (JPN) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 19 | Mexico (MEX) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 22 | Denmark (DEN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Ethiopia (ETH) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | New Zealand (NZL) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Sweden (SWE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Jamaica (JAM) | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 28 | Belarus (BLR) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 29 | Greece (GRE)* | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 29 | Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 31 | Bulgaria (BUL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Finland (FIN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Namibia (NAM) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Nigeria (NGR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Sri Lanka (SRI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 31 | Uganda (UGA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 37 | Bahamas (BAH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Brazil (BRA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Mozambique (MOZ) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Slovakia (SVK) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 37 | Switzerland (SUI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (41 entries) | Totals (41 entries) | 44 | 45 | 43 | 132 |