# ISTAF Berlin

The Internationales Stadionfest (ISTAF) is an annual track and field athletics meeting at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany. It was first held in July 1921 at the Deutsches Stadion, which was replaced from 1937 by the Stadium of the 1936 Olympic Games. Since 2006 ISTAF has been sponsored by DKB and officially known as the DKB-ISTAF and from 2010, had been part of the IAAF World Challenge, the second tier of global one day athletics events. Nowadays, the meeting is a part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Silver tier, the third ranked tier.

## History

On 3 July 1921 the Berliner Sport-Club (BSC), the Sport-Club Charlottenburg (SCC) and the Schwimm-Club Poseidon organised the first sports festival under the current name of Internationales Stadionfest or ISTAF. On 23 March 1937 the BSC, the Deutscher Sport-Club (DSC, later Olympischer Sport-Club OSC) and the SCC, agreed to hold international sports festivals together and organized the first meeting on 1 August 1937 at the Olympic Stadium, where the event is still held today. Four ISTAF meetings, in 1938, 1941, the first post-war in 1949, as well as 1953, were all held at the Mommsen Stadium, but since 1955 meetings have been held annually at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in Charlottenburg. The 2002 and 2003 ISTAF meetings were held at the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark instead, due to reconstruction of the Olympic Stadium in preparation for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
There were several ISTAF-free years during the Second World War and after: 1940, as well as 1943-48 and again in 1950 and 1951. A meeting wasn't held in 1972 because of the 1972 Summer Olympics and again in 1973, as a result of the terrorist attack at the 1972 Olympic Games. From 1993 to 1997, the IAAF classified ISTAF among the Golden Four meetings and from 1998 to 2009, it became part of the IAAF Golden League. When the Diamond League was conceived, it had been provisionally planned for Berlin to hold one of its meetings, but it was unable to meet the criteria set for the new elite series, therefore as from 2010, ISTAF became part of the second tier World Challenge circuit instead.

## Indoor events

ISTAF was also held as an indoor meeting at the Deutschlandhalle for a few years until 1968, and from 2014 onwards as the ISTAF Indoor at the Mercedes Benz Arena (formerly O2 World Berlin), the first large indoor athletics event in Berlin for some time.
On 31 January 2021, the ISTAF Indoor Düsseldorf was held in Düsseldorf as the successor to the PSD Bank Meeting, against a larger backdrop at the ISS Dome. Meeting director and managing director of the ISTAF is Martin Seeber.

## World records

Over the course of its history, many world records have been set at the ISTAF.
World records set at the ISTAF Berlin :
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
| 1937 | 100 m | 11.6 h | Stanisława Walasiewicz | Poland |
| 1937 | 80 m hurdles | 11.6 h | Barbara Burke | South Africa |
| 1939 | 3000 m | 8:24.4 h | Miklós Szabó | Hungary |
| 1939 | Long jump | 6.12 m | Christel Schulz | German Reich |
| 1970 | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:22.0 h | Kerry O'Brien | Australia |
| 1975 | 100 m | 9.9 h | Steve Williams | United States |
| 1975 | 110 m hurdles | 13.0 h | Guy Drut | France |
| 1977 | High jump | 1.97 m | Rosemarie Ackermann | East Germany |
| 1977 | High jump | 2.00 m | Rosemarie Ackermann | East Germany |
| 1978 | 1000 m | 2:32.0 h | Ulrike Bruns | East Germany |
| 1978 | 400 m hurdles | 55.44 | Krystyna Kacperczyk | Poland |
| 1985 | 1500 m | 3:29.46 | Saïd Aouita | Morocco |
| 1989 | 10,000 m | 27:08.23 | Arturo Barrios | Mexico |
| 1990 | 1000 m | 2:30.67 | Christine Wachtel | East Germany |
| 1999 | 2000 m | 4:44.79 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco |
| 2010 | 800 m | 1:41.09 | David Rudisha | Kenya |
| 2014 | Hammer throw | 79.58 m | Anita Włodarczyk | Poland |
| 2015 | 2000 m steeplechase | 6:02.16 | Virginia Nyambura Nganga | Kenya |
| 2017 | 600 m | 1:21.77 | Caster Semenya | South Africa |
| 2019 | 2000 m steeplechase | 5:52.80 | Gesa-Felicitas Krause | Germany |
| 2024 | 600 m | 1:21.63 | Mary Moraa | Kenya |

## Meeting records
### Men

Men's meeting records of the ISTAF Berlin :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date |
| 100 m | 9.82 (−0.1 m/s) | Yohan Blake | Jamaica | 11 September 2011 |
| 200 m | 19.97 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia | 30 August 1996 |
| 400 m | 43.94 | Michael Johnson | United States | 27 August 1993 |
| 800 m | 1:41.09 | David Rudisha | Kenya | 22 August 2010 |
| 1500 m | 3:29.46 | Saïd Aouita | Morocco | 23 August 1985 |
| Mile | 3:45.60 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 26 August 1997 |
| 2000 m | 4:44.79 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 7 September 1999 |
| 3000 m | 7:28.99 | Tariku Bekele | Ethiopia | 22 August 2010 |
| Two miles | 8:17.6 h | Rod Dixon | New Zealand | 21 August 1974 |
| 5000 m | 12:50.55 | Moses Ndiema Masai | Kenya | 1 June 2008 |
| 10,000 m | 27:08.23 | Arturo Barrios | Mexico | 18 August 1989 |
| 110 m hurdles | 12.97 (+1.2 m/s) | Aries Merritt | United States | 2 September 2012 |
| 400 m hurdles | 47.08 | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 13 September 2020 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 8:04.48 | Paul Kipsiele Koech | Kenya | 11 September 2011 |
| High jump | 2.36 m | Javier Sotomayor | Cuba | 30 August 1994 |
| Pole vault | 6.05 m | Sergey Bubka | Ukraine | 30 August 1994 |
| Long jump | 8.57 m (+0.5 m/s) | Mike Powell | United States | 21 August 1992 |
| Triple jump | 17.69 m (−0.5 m/s) | Jonathan Edwards | United Kingdom | 30 August 1996 |
| Shot put | 21.61 m | Ryan Whiting | United States | 11 September 2011 |
| Discus throw | 70.60 m | Lars Riedel | Germany | 30 August 1996 |
| Hammer throw | 82.84 m | Heinz Weis | West Germany | 18 August 1989 |
| Javelin throw | 93.52 m (old design) | Bob Roggy | United States | 20 August 1982 |
| Javelin throw | 91.30 m (current design) | Jan Železný | Czechoslovakia | 1 September 1995 |
| 4 × 100 m relay | 37.65 | Team USA I: Jon Drummond Bernard Williams Curtis Johnson Maurice Greene | United States | 1 September 2000 |

### Women

Women's meeting records of the ISTAF Berlin :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date |
| 100 m | 10.78 | Marion Jones | United States | 1 September 2000 |
| 200 m | 21.96 (+0.2 m/s) | Katrin Krabbe | Germany | 10 September 1991 |
| 400 m | 49.07 | Tonique Williams-Darling | Bahamas | 12 September 2004 |
| 600 m | 1:21.63 | Mary Moraa | Kenya | 1 September 2024 |
| 800 m | 1:54.99 | Pamela Jelimo | Kenya | 1 June 2008 |
| 1000 m | 2:30.67 | Christine Wachtel | East Germany | 17 August 1990 |
| 1500 m | 3:57.40 | Laura Muir | Great Britain | 13 September 2020 |
| Mile | 4:22.45 | Marta Pen Freitas | Portugal | 2 September 2018 |
| 3000 m | 8:46.66 | Natalya Artyomova | Soviet Union | 18 August 1989 |
| 5000 m | 14:08.79 | Letesenbet Gidey | Ethiopia | 3 September 2023 |
| 100 m hurdles | 12.37 (+1.4 m/s) | Yordanka Donkova | Bulgaria | 15 August 1986 |
| 400 m hurdles | 53.26 | Deon Hemmings | Jamaica | 26 August 1997 |
| 2000 m steeplechase | 5:52.80 | Gesa-Felicitas Krause | Germany | 1 September 2019 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 9:03.70 | Norah Jeruto | Kenya | 27 August 2017 |
| High jump | 2.06 m | Ariane Friedrich | Germany | 14 June 2009 |
| Pole vault | 4.83 m | Elena Isinbaeva | Russia | 14 June 2009 |
| Long jump | 7.10 m | Heike Drechsler | Germany | 16 September 1992 |
| Triple jump | 14.88 m (−0.2 m/s) | Tatyana Lebedeva | Russia | 10 August 2003 |
| Shot put | 20.98 m | Helena Fibingerová | Czech Republic | 17 August 1984 |
| Discus throw | 71.16 m | Valarie Allman | United States | 12 September 2021 |
| Hammer throw | 79.58 m | Anita Włodarczyk | Poland | 31 August 2014 |
| Javelin throw | 74.56 m (old design) | Petra Felke | East Germany | 23 August 1985 |
| Javelin throw | 70.53 m (current design) | Maria Abakumova | Russia | 1 September 2013 |
| 4 × 100 m relay | 41.55 | Team USA: Alice Brown Diane Williams Florence Griffith Joyner Jeanette Bolden | United States | 21 August 1987 |
| 4 × 100 m mixed relay | 40.58 | Kerron Stewart Aleen Bailey Mario Forsythe Kemar Bailey-Cole | Jamaica | 2 September 2012 |

## List of winners
### Track disciplines

100 m, Men :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | Gerd Hornberger | Nazi Germany | 10.6 |
| 1938 | Tinus Osendarp | Netherlands | 10.5 |
| 1939 | Karl Neckermann | Nazi Germany | 10.7 |
| 1941 | Karl Fehrmann | Nazi Germany | 10.8 |
| 1942 | Tinus Osendarp | Nazi Germany | 10.8 |
| 1949 | Ernst Rohrssen | West Germany | 10.8 |
| 1952 | Andrew Stanfield | United States | 10.5 |
| 1953 | George Brown | United States | 10.9 |
| 1955 | Carl Kaufmann | West Germany | 10.9 |
| 1956 | Manfred Steinbach | East Germany | 10.5 |
| 1957 | Leamon King | United States | 10.4 |
| 1958 | Armin Hary | West Germany | 10.5 |
| 1959 | Armin Hary | West Germany | 10.4 |
| 1960 | Armin Hary | West Germany | 10.2 |
| 1961 | Manfred Germar | West Germany | 10.5 |
| 1962 | Peter Gamper | West Germany | 10.2 |
| 1963 | Peter Gamper | West Germany | 10.3 |
| 1964 | Heinz Schumann (de) | West Germany | 10.2 |
| 1965 | Jürgen Schröter | West Germany | 10.4 |
| 1966 | Hideo Iijima | Japan | 10.1 |
| 1967 | Karl-Peter Schmidtke | West Germany | 10.3 |
| 1969 | Günther Nickel | West Germany | 10.5 |
| 1970 | Donald Quarrie | Jamaica | 10.4 |
| 1971 | Bobby Turner | United States | 10.4 |
| 1974 | Steve Riddick | United States | 10.2 |
| 1975 | Steve Williams | United States | 9.9 =WR |
| 1976 | Donald Quarrie | Jamaica | 10.0 |
| 1977 | Clancy Edwards | United States | 10.37 |
| 1978 | Steve Williams | United States | 10.21 |
| 1979 | Houston McTear | United States | 10.17 |
| 1980 | Stanley Floyd | United States | 10.25 |
| 1981 | Herman Panzo | France | 10.14 |
| 1982 | Carl Lewis | United States | 10.08 |
| 1983 | Carl Lewis | United States | 10.07 |
| 1984 | Calvin Smith | United States | 10.23 |
| 1985 | Marian Woronin | Poland | 10.20 |
| 1986 | Chidi Imoh | Nigeria | 10.00 |
| 1987 | Calvin Smith | United States | 10.12 |
| 1988 | Calvin Smith | United States | 10.12 |
| 1989 | Leroy Burrell | United States | 10.08 |
| 1990 | Leroy Burrell | United States | 10.17 |
| 1991 | Leroy Burrell | United States | 10.04 |
| 1992 | Linford Christie | United Kingdom | 9.99 |
| 1993 | Leroy Burrell | United States | 10.12 |
| 1994 | Dennis Mitchell | United States | 10.00 |
| 1995 | Donovan Bailey | Canada | 10.10 |
| 1996 | Dennis Mitchell | United States | 10.08 |
| 1997 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia | 9.99 |
| 1998 | Maurice Greene | United States | 9.94 |
| 1999 | Bruny Surin | Canada | 10.07 |
| 2000 | Maurice Greene | United States | 9.86 |
| 2001 | Francis Obikwelu | Nigeria | 9.98 |
| 2002 | Dwain Chambers | United Kingdom | 10.02 |
| 2003 | Darvis Patton | United States | 10.17 |
| 2004 | not held | not held | not held |
| 2005 | Dwight Thomas | Jamaica | 10.01 |
| 2006 | Asafa Powell | Jamaica | 9.86 |
| 2007 | Jaysuma Saidy Ndure | Norway | 10.14 |
| 2008 | Nesta Carter | Jamaica | 10.08 |
| 2009 | Daniel Bailey | Antigua and Barbuda | 10.03 |
| 2010 | Nesta Carter | Jamaica | 9.96 |
| 2011 | Yohan Blake | Jamaica | 9.82 |
| 2012 | Kemar Bailey-Cole | Jamaica | 10.00 |
| 2013 | Kemar Bailey-Cole | Jamaica | 10.04 |
| 2014 | Richard Thompson | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.15 |
100 m, Women :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | Stanisława Walasiewicz | Poland | 11.9 |
| 1938 | Stanisława Walasiewicz | Poland | 11.8 |
| 1939 | Fanny Koen | Netherlands | 12.0 |
| 1941 | not held | not held | not held |
| 1942 | Christel Schulz (de) | Nazi Germany | 12.3 |
| 1949 | not held | not held | not held |
| 1952 | Fanny Blankers-Koen | Netherlands | 11.7 |
| 1953 | Ingrid Kühn | West Germany | 11.3 |
| 1955 | Gisela Köhler | East Germany | 12.0 |
| 1956 | Gisela Köhler | East Germany | 11.5 |
| 1957 | Brunhilde Hendrix | West Germany | 11.9 |
| 1958 | Inge Fuhrmann | West Germany | 11.8 |
| 1959 | Anni Biechl | West Germany | 11.7 |
| 1960 | Wilma Rudolph | United States | 11.5 |
| 1961 | Jutta Heine | West Germany | 11.7 |
| 1962 | Joke Bijleveld | Netherlands | 11.7 |
| 1963 | Jutta Heine | West Germany | 11.6 |
| 1964 | Erika Pollmann (de) | West Germany | 11.5 |
| 1965 | Maureen Tranter | United Kingdom | 11.7 |
| 1966 | Hannelore Trabert (de) | West Germany | 11.7 |
| 1967 | Hannelore Trabert (de) | West Germany | 11.5 |
| 1969 | Jutta Stöck (de) | West Germany | 11.6 |
| 1970 | Annelie Wilden (de) | West Germany | 11.6 |
| 1971 | Elfgard Schittenhelm | West Germany | 11.4 |
| 1974 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | 11.1 |
| 1975 | Inge Helten | West Germany | 11.2 |
| 1976 | Annegret Richter | West Germany | 11.24 |
| 1977 | Elvira Possekel | West Germany | 11.61 |
| 1978 | Annegret Richter | West Germany | 11.16 |
| 1979 | Evelyn Ashford | United States | 11.02 |
| 1980 | Angella Taylor | Canada | 11.25 |
| 1981 | Linda Haglund | Sweden | 11.06 |
| 1982 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 11.14 |
| 1983 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 11.09 |
| 1984 | Evelyn Ashford | United States | 10.94 |
| 1985 | Alice Brown | United States | 11.06 |
| 1986 | Evelyn Ashford | United States | 10.93 |
| 1987 | Gail Devers | United States | 10.98 |
| 1988 | Alice Brown | United States | 11.18 |
| 1989 | Nelli Fiere-Cooman | Netherlands | 11.23 |
| 1990 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 10.82 |
| 1991 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 10.84 |
| 1992 | Irina Privalova | Russia | 10.93 |
| 1993 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 11.01 |
| 1994 | not held |
| 1995 | not held |
| 1996 | Gail Devers | United States | 10.89 |
| 1997 | Marion Jones | United States | 10.81 |
| 1998 | Marion Jones | United States | 10.81 |
| 1999 | not held | not held | not held |
| 2000 | Marion Jones | United States | 10.78 |
| 2001 | Myriam Léonie Mani | Cameroon | 11.13 |
| 2002 | Marion Jones | United States | 11.01 |
| 2003 | Kelli White | United States | 10.84 |
| 2004 | Debbie Ferguson | Bahamas | 11.14 |
| 2005 | Christine Arron | France | 11.01 |
| 2006 | Sherone Simpson | Jamaica | 10.92 |
| 2007 | Carmelita Jeter | United States | 11.15 |
| 2008 | Verena Sailer | Germany | 11.53 |
| 2009 | Kerron Stewart | Jamaica | 11.00 |
| 2010 | Sherone Simpson | Jamaica | 11.09 |
| 2011 | Kelly-Ann Baptiste | Trinidad and Tobago | 11.15 |
| 2012 | Kelly-Ann Baptiste | Trinidad and Tobago | 11.25 |
| 2013 | LaKeisha Lawson | United States | 11.18 |
| 2014 | Kerron Stewart | Jamaica | 11.25 |
200 m, Men :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | Jakob Scheuring (de) | Nazi Germany | 21.7 |
| 1939 | Jakob Scheuring (de) | Nazi Germany | 21.2 |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | Harald Mellerowicz (de) | Nazi Germany | 21.5 |
| 1949 | Hans Hieke | West Germany | 22.8 |
| 1952 | McDonald Bailey | United States | 20.9 |
| 1953 | George Brown | United States | 21.9 |
| 1954 | Walter Sichling | West Germany | 22.5 |
| 1955 | Heinz Fütterer | West Germany | 21.4 |
| 1956 | Martin Lauer | West Germany | 21.6 |
| 1957 | Leamon King | United States | 21.3 |
| 1958 | Manfred Germar | West Germany | 21.7 |
| 1959 | Livio Berruti | Italy | 21.1 |
| 1960 | Tom Robinson | Bahamas | 21.0 |
| 1961 | Johannes Kaiser | West Germany | 21.3 |
| 1962 | Seraphino Antao | Kenya | 20.8 |
| 1963 | Seraphino Antao | Kenya | 21.2 |
| 1964 | Heinz Schumann (de) | West Germany | 20.9 |
| 1965 | Jürgen Schröter | West Germany | 21.4 |
| 1966 | Josef Schwarz | West Germany | 21.0 |
| 1967 | Josef Schwarz | West Germany | 21.2 |
| 1969 | Ossi Karttunen | Finland | 20.9 |
| 1970 | Donald Quarrie | Jamaica | 20.4 |
| 1971 | Heinz Rienecker | West Germany | 21.3 |
| 1974 | Donald Quarrie | Jamaica | 20.5 |
| 1975 | Manfred Ommer (de) | West Germany | 21.0 |
| 1976 | James Gilkes | Guyana | 20.51 |
| 1977 | Clancy Edwards | United States | 20.14 |
| 1978 | James Gilkes | Guyana | 20.34 |
| 1979 | James Gilkes | Guyana | 20.44 |
| 1980 | Fred Taylor | United States | 20.82 |
| 1981 | Allan Wells | United Kingdom | 20.15 |
| 1982 | Jeffrey Phillips | United States | 20.40 |
| 1983 | Mel Lattany | United States | 20.22 |
| 1984 | James Butler | United States | 20.45 |
| 1985 | Kirk Baptiste | United States | 20.45 |
| 1986 | not held |
| 1987 | Carl Lewis | United States | 20.09 |
| 1988 | not held |
| 1989 | Robson da Silva | Brazil | 20.28 |
| 1990 | Robson da Silva | Brazil | 20.28 |
| 1991 | not held |
| 1992 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia | 20.01 |
| 1993 | not held |
| 1994 | not held |
| 1995 | not held |
| 1996 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia | 19.97 |
| 1997 | Jon Drummond | United States | 20.07 |
| 1998 | not held |
| 1999 | Maurice Greene | United States | 20.21 |
| 2000-03 | not held |
| 2004 | Asafa Powell | Jamaica | 20.24 |
| 2005 | Christopher Williams | Jamaica | 20.33 |
| 2006 | not held |
| 2007 | Wallace Spearmon | United States | 20.22 |
| 2008 | not held |
| 2009-12 | not held |
| 2013 | not held |
| 2014 | not held |
200 m, Women :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | not held |
| 1939 | Dorle Voigt | Nazi Germany | 25.1 |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | not held |
| 1949 | not held |
| 1952 | not held |
| 1953 | not held |
| 1954 | not held |
| 1955 | not held |
| 1956 | not held |
| 1957 | not held |
| 1958 | Barbara Janiczewska | Poland | 24.2 |
| 1959 | not held |
| 1960 | not held |
| 1961 | not held |
| 1962 | Brenda Fletcher | United Kingdom | 25.2 |
| 1963 | Helga Henning (de) | West Germany | 24.4 |
| 1964 | not held |
| 1965 | not held |
| 1966 | not held |
| 1967 | not held |
| 1969 | Rita Jahn | West Germany | 23.4 |
| 1970 | Annelie Wilden (de) | West Germany | 23.8 |
| 1971 | Alice Anum | Ghana | 23.2 |
| 1974 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | 22.6 |
| 1975 | not held |
| 1976 | Lorna Forde | Barbados | 23.95 |
| 1977 | Jacqueline Pusey (de) | Jamaica | 23.28 |
| 1978 | Evelyn Ashford | United States | 23.41 |
| 1979 | Annegret Richter | West Germany | 22.83 |
| 1980 | Angella Taylor | Canada | 23.03 |
| 1981 | not held |
| 1982 | not held |
| 1983 | not held |
| 1984 | not held |
| 1985 | not held |
| 1986 | not held |
| 1987 | Angella Taylor-Issajenko | Canada | 22.55 |
| 1988 | Grace Jackson | Jamaica | 22.70 |
| 1989 | not held |
| 1990 | not held |
| 1991 | Katrin Krabbe | Germany | 21.96 |
| 1992 | not held |
| 1993 | not held |
| 1994 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 22.07 |
| 1995 | Gwen Torrence | United States | 21.98 |
| 1996 | not held |
| 1997 | not held |
| 1998 | not held |
| 1999 | Debbie Ferguson | Bahamas | 22.55 |
| 2000-03 | not held |
| 2004 | not held |
| 2005 | not held |
| 2006 | not held |
| 2007 | Lauryn Williams | United States | 22.95 |
| 2008 | Sherone Simpson | Jamaica | 22.43 |
| 2009-12 | not held |
| 2013 | Tiffany Townsend | United States | 22.77 |
| 2014 | not held |
400 m, Men :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | Rudolf Harbig | Nazi Germany | 47.8 |
| 1938 | Rudolf Harbig | Nazi Germany | 48.0 |
| 1939 | not held |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | Mario Lanzi | Italy | 47.5 |
| 1949 | not held |
| 1952 | Georg Sallen | West Germany | 49.6 |
| 1953 | Jim Lea | United States | 46.9 |
| 1954 | Joachim Seifert | West Germany | 51.2 |
| 1955 | Hans-Joachim Kowalewsky | West Germany | 49.0 |
| 1956 | Manfred Poerschke (de) | West Germany | 48.0 |
| 1957 | Manfred Poerschke (de) | West Germany | 47.5 |
| 1958 | Udo Waldheim | West Germany | 48.2 |
| 1959 | Carl Kaufmann | West Germany | 47.6 |
| 1960 | George Kerr | Jamaica | 46.4 |
| 1961 | Manfred Kinder | West Germany | 46.9 |
| 1962 | Hansruedi Bruder | Switzerland | 46.6 |
| 1963 | Johannes Schmitt | West Germany | 46.9 |
| 1964 | Jean-Paul Boccardo | France | 46.8 |
| 1965 | Manfred Kinder | West Germany | 46.9 |
| 1966-67 | not held |
| 1969 | Horst-Rüdiger Schlöske | West Germany | 46.5 |
| 1970 | Lee Evans | United States | 45.9 |
| 1971 | Thomas Jordan | West Germany | 46.1 |
| 1972-73 | not held |
| 1974 | Hermann Köhler | West Germany | 46.5 |
| 1975 | Franz Hofmeister | West Germany | 46.6 |
| 1976 | Fred Newhouse | United States | 45.86 |
| 1977 | Robert Taylor | United States | 45.22 |
| 1978 | Jerzy Pietrzyk | Poland | 46.28 |
| 1979 | Tony Darden | United States | 45.45 |
| 1980 | Rick Mitchell Willie Smith | Australia United States | 45.33 |
| 1981 | Walter McCoy | United States | 45.60 |
| 1982 | Walter McCoy | United States | 45.45 |
| 1983 | Bert Cameron | Jamaica | 45.01 |
| 1984 | Alonzo Babers | United States | 45.52 |
| 1985 | Ray Armstead | United States | 45.36 |
| 1986 | Darrell Robinson | United States | 44.86 |
| 1987 | Butch Reynolds | United States | 44.49 |
| 1988 | not held |
| 1989 | Danny Everett | United States | 44.80 |
| 1990 | Danny Everett | United States | 44.61 |
| 1991 | Steve Lewis | United States | 44.56 |
| 1992 | Samson Kitur | Kenya | 44.75 |
| 1993 | Michael Johnson | United States | 43.94 |
| 1994 | Michael Johnson | United States | 44.04 |
| 1995 | Michael Johnson | United States | 44.56 |
| 1996 | not held |
| 1997 | Iwan Thomas | United Kingdom | 44.90 |
| 1998 | Michael Johnson | United States | 44.62 |
| 1999 | not held |
| 2000 | Michael Johnson | United States | 45.00 |
| 2001 | not held |
| 2002 | Michael Blackwood | Jamaica | 44.87 |
| 2003 | Jerome Young | United States | 45.11 |
| 2004 | not held |
| 2006 | Jeremy Wariner | United States | 44.26 |
| 2007 | Jeremy Wariner | United States | 44.05 |
| 2008 | LaShawn Merritt | United States | 44.03 |
| 2009 | Chris Brown | Bahamas | 45.61 |
| 2010 | Jermaine Gonzales | Jamaica | 44.90 |
| 2011 | Kirani James | Grenada | 45.33 |
| 2014 | Isaac Makwala | Botswana | 44.26 |
400 m, Women :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | not held |
| 1939 | not held |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | not held |
| 1949 | not held |
| 1952 | not held |
| 1953 | not held |
| 1954 | not held |
| 1955 | not held |
| 1956 | not held |
| 1957 | not held |
| 1958 | not held |
| 1959 | not held |
| 1960 | not held |
| 1961 | not held |
| 1962 | not held |
| 1963 | not held |
| 1964 | not held |
| 1965 | not held |
| 1966-67 | not held |
| 1969 | Colette Besson | France | 52.9 |
| 1970 | Marilyn Neufville | Jamaica | 52.3 |
| 1971 | Christel Frese | West Germany | 53.6 |
| 1972-73 | not held |
| 1974 | Krystina Kacperczyk (pl) | Poland | 52.0 |
| 1975 | Rita Wilden | West Germany | 52.6 |
| 1976 | Pirjo Häggman | Finland | 51.07 |
| 1977 | Irena Szewińska | Poland | 49.97 |
| 1978 | Pirjo Häggman | Finland | 51.29 |
| 1979 | not held |
| 1980 | not held |
| 1981 | not held |
| 1982 | not held |
| 1983 | not held |
| 1984 | not held |
| 1985 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States | 49.56 |
| 1986 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States | 50.31 |
| 1987 | Valerie Brisco-Hooks | United States | 50.01 |
| 1988 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | Cuba | 50.27 |
| 1989 | not held |
| 1990 | not held |
| 1991 | not held |
| 1992 | not held |
| 1993 | not held |
| 1994 | not held |
| 1995 | Cathy Freeman | Australia | 50.98 |
| 1996 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 50.31 |
| 1997 | Sandie Richards | Jamaica | 49.87 |
| 1998 | Falilat Ogunkoya | Nigeria | 50.31 |
| 1999 | not held |
| 2000 | not held |
| 2001 | Grit Breuer | Germany | 50.78 |
| 2002 | Ana Guevara | Mexico | 49.91 |
| 2003 | Lorraine Fenton | Jamaica | 49.98 |
| 2004 | Tonique Williams-Darling | Bahamas | 49.07 |
| 2006 | Sanya Richards | United States | 49.81 |
| 2007 | Sanya Richards | United States | 49.27 |
| 2008 | not held |
| 2009 | Sanya Richards | United States | 49.57 |
| 2010 | Debbie Dunn | United States | 50.56 |
| 2011 | Anastasiya Kapachinskaya | Russia | 50.75 |
| 2014 | not held |
800 m, Men :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (min:s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | Waclav Gassowski | Poland | 1:53.1 |
| 1939 | Rudolf Harbig | Nazi Germany | 1:48.7 |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | Hans Seibert | Nazi Germany | 1:54.2 |
| 1949 | Gerhard Audorf (de) | West Germany | 1:56.8 |
| 1952 | Mal Whitfield | United States | 1:54.4 |
| 1953 | Mal Whitfield | United States | 1:49.7 |
| 1954 | Günter Dohrow | West Germany | 1:51.0 |
| 1955 | not held |
| 1956 | Roger Moens | Belgium | 1:47.2 |
| 1957 | not held |
| 1958 | Roger Moens | Belgium | 1:49.2 |
| 1959 | Peter Adam | West Germany | 1:49.5 |
| 1960 | George Kerr | Jamaica | 1:49.6 |
| 1961 | not held |
| 1962 | Jozef Lambrechts | Belgium | 1:49.8 |
| 1963 | Rudolf Klaban | Austria | 1:49.6 |
| 1964 | Mamoru Morimoto | Japan | 1:47.6 |
| 1965 | Bill Crothers | Canada | 1:49.3 |
| 1966 | Bodo Tümmler | West Germany | 1:47.0 |
| 1967 | Franz-Josef Kemper | West Germany | 1:46.9 |
| 1969 | Philip Lewis | United Kingdom | 1:48.8 |
| 1970 | Franz-Josef Kemper | West Germany | 1:48.3 |
| 1971 | Mark Winzenried | United States | 1:46.2 |
| 1972-73 | not held |
| 1974 | Mike Boit | Kenya | 1:44.3 |
| 1975 | Mike Boit | Kenya | 1:44.9 |
| 1976 | Mike Boit | Kenya | 1:43.57 |
| 1977 | Mike Boit | Kenya | 1:45.09 |
| 1978 | Mike Boit | Kenya | 1:46.20 |
| 1979 | James Robinson | United States | 1:46.09 |
| 1980 | Willi Wülbeck | West Germany | 1:45.68 |
| 1981 | James Robinson | United States | 1:46.56 |
| 1982 | Willi Wülbeck | West Germany | 1:46.31 |
| 1983 | David Mack | United States | 1:44.43 |
| 1984 | Sammy Koskei | Kenya | 1:46.46 |
| 1985 | Joaquim Cruz | Brazil | 1:42.98 |
| 1986 | Johnny Gray | United States | 1:45.90 |
| 1987 | Billy Konchellah | Kenya | 1:44.40 |
| 1988 | Tom McKean | United Kingdom | 1:47.60 |
| 1989 | Johnny Gray | United States | 1:44.02 |
| 1990 | Johnny Gray | United States | 1:45.57 |
| 1991 | Billy Konchellah | Kenya | 1:45.95 |
| 1992 | Nixon Kiprotich | Kenya | 1:44.72 |
| 1993 | Billy Konchellah | Kenya | 1:44.22 |
| 1994 | Wilson Kipketer | Kenya | 1:43.95 |
| 1995 | Atle Douglas | Norway | 1:44.95 |
| 1996 | Wilson Kipketer | Denmark | 1:43.34 |
| 1997 | not held |
| 1998 | not held |
| 1999 | Wilson Kipketer | Denmark | 1:44.03 |
| 2000 | not held |
| 2001 | André Bucher | Switzerland | 1:43.82 |
| 2002 | Wilfred Bungei | Kenya | 1:44.62 |
| 2003 | Hezekiél Sepeng | South Africa | 1:44.71 |
| 2004 | Yusuf Saad Kamel | Bahrain | 1:45.07 |
| 2005 | Mbulaeni Mulaudzi | South Africa | 1:44.26 |
| 2006 | Mbulaeni Mulaudzi | South Africa | 1:44.37 |
| 2007 | not held |
| 2008 | Abraham Chepkirwok | Uganda | 1:44.53 |
| 2009 | Robin Schembera | Germany | 1:45.96 |
| 2010 | David Rudisha | Kenya | 1:41.09 WR |
| 2011 | not held |
| 2012 | Mohammed Aman | Ethiopia | 1:43.62 |
| 2013 | Mohammed Aman | Ethiopia | 1:43.97 |
| 2014 | Mohammed Aman | Ethiopia | 1:43.52 |
800 m, Women :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (min:s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | not held |
| 1939 | not held |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | not held |
| 1949 | not held |
| 1952 | not held |
| 1953 | not held |
| 1954 | not held |
| 1955 | not held |
| 1956 | not held |
| 1957 | not held |
| 1958 | not held |
| 1959 | not held |
| 1960 | not held |
| 1961 | not held |
| 1962 | Gerda Kraan | Netherlands | 2:06.2 |
| 1963 | not held |
| 1964 | Maryvonne Dupureur | France | 2:03.9 |
| 1965 | not held |
| 1966 | not held |
| 1967 | not held |
| 1969 | Anne-Marie Nenzell (sv) | Sweden | 2:05:00 |
| 1970 | Vera Nikolić | SFR Yugoslavia | 2:02.2 |
| 1971 | Vera Nikolić | SFR Yugoslavia | 2.01.0 |
| 1972-73 | not held |
| 1974 | not held |
| 1975 | Mariana Suman | Romania | 2.02.40 |
| 1976 | Francie Laprieu | United States | 2:00.22 |
| 1977 | Elżbieta Katolik (pl) | Poland | 2:00.10 |
| 1978 | not held |
| 1979 | not held |
| 1980 | Margrit Klinger | West Germany | 2:00.50 |
| 1981 | Margrit Klinger | West Germany | 2:00.07 |
| 1982 | Jolanta Januchta (pl) | Poland | 2:01.87 |
| 1983 | Mary Decker | United States | 1:59.14 |
| 1984 | not held |
| 1985 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 1:58.38 |
| 1986 | Gaby Bußmann | West Germany | 1:58.11 |
| 1987 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | Cuba | 1:56.56 |
| 1988 | not held |
| 1989 | Ana Fidelia Quirot | Cuba | 1:57.90 |
| 1990 | not held |
| 1991 | not held |
| 1992 | Ellen van Langen | Netherlands | 1:59.55 |
| 1993 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:57.99 |
| 1994 | not held |
| 1995 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:57.61 |
| 1996 | not held |
| 1997 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:56.93 |
| 1998 | not held |
| 1999 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:57.56 |
| 2000 | not held |
| 2001 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:59.19 |
| 2002 | not held |
| 2003 | Maria Mutola | Mozambique | 1:59.01 |
| 2004 | not held |
| 2005 | Zulia Calatayud | Cuba | 1:59.25 |
| 2006 | not held |
| 2007 | Janeth Jepkosgei | Kenya | 1:58.62 |
| 2008 | Pamela Jelimo | Kenya | 1:54.99 |
| 2009 | not held |
| 2010 | Caster Semenya | South Africa | 1:59.90 |
| 2011 | Janeth Jepkosgei | Kenya | 1:58.26 |
| 2012 | Pamela Jelimo | Kenya | 1:58.68 |
| 2013 | not held |
| 2014 | Tigist Assefa | Ethiopia | 2:00.16 |
1500 m, Men :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (min:s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | Herbert Jacob | Nazi Germany | 3:58.2 |
| 1939 | not held |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | Rolf Seidenschnur | Nazi Germany | 3:51.4 |
| 1949 | Lennart Strand | Sweden | 3:56.8 |
| 1952 | Josy Barthel | Luxembourg | 3:51.0 |
| 1953 | Werner Lueg | West Germany | 3:52.4 |
| 1954 | Günter Dohrow | West Germany | 3:53.8 |
| 1955-57 | not held |
| 1958 | Marian Jochman (pl) | Poland | 3:49.7 |
| 1959 | Tomás Barris | Spain | 3:51.9 |
| 1960 | Klaus Ostach | West Germany | 3:47.3 |
| 1961 | Klaus Lehmann | West Germany | 3:43.0 |
| 1962 | Karl Eyerkaufer (de) | West Germany | 3:47.1 |
| 1963 | Harald Norpoth | Austria | 3:46.9 |
| 1964 | Eugène Allonsius | Belgium | 3:45.5 |
| 1965 | Jim Grelle | United States | 3:44.0 |
| 1967-1983 | not held |
| 1984 | not held |
| 1985 | Saïd Aouita | Morocco | 3:29.46 WR |
| 1986 | Enda Fitzpatrick | Ireland | 3:39.18 |
| 1987 | not held |
| 1988 | not held |
| 1989-93 | not held |
| 1994 | Vénuste Niyongabo | Burundi | 3:31.18 |
| 1995 | not held |
| 1996 | not held |
| 1997 | not held |
| 1998 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 3:31.18 |
| 1999 | not held |
| 2000 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 3:30.90 |
| 2001 | not held |
| 2002 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 3:30.00 |
| 2003 | not held |
| 2004 | Paul Korir | Kenya | 3:32.46 |
| 2005 | Daniel Kipchirchir Komen | Kenya | 3:29.72 |
| 2006 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:32.48 |
| 2007 | Daniel Kipchirchir Komen | Kenya | 3:34.09 |
| 2008 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:31.57 |
| 2009 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:29.47 |
| 2010 | Silas Kiplagat | Kenya | 3:30.31 |
| 2011 | Augustine Kiprono Choge | Kenya | 3:31.14 |
| 2012 | Nixon Chepseba | Kenya | 3:33.11 |
| 2013 | İlham Tanui Özbilen | Turkey | 3:35.58 |
| 2014 | Mekonnen Gebremedhin | Ethiopia | 3:33.24 |
1500 m, Women :
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Time (min:s) |
| 1937 | not held |
| 1938 | not held |
| 1939 | not held |
| 1941 | not held |
| 1942 | not held |
| 1949 | not held |
| 1952 | not held |
| 1953 | not held |
| 1954 | not held |
| 1955-57 | not held |
| 1958 | not held |
| 1959 | not held |
| 1960 | not held |
| 1961 | not held |
| 1962 | not held |
| 1963 | not held |
| 1964 | not held |
| 1965 | not held |
| 1967-1983 | not held |
| 1984 | Brit McRoberts | Canada | 4:12.61 |
| 1985 | not held |
| 1986 | not held |
| 1987 | not held |
| 1988 | Paula Ivan | Romania | 4:00.24 |
| 1989-93 | not held |
| 1994 | Angela Chalmers | Canada | 4:04.39 |
| 1995 | not held |
| 1996 | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia | 4:06.87 |
| 1997 | not held |
| 1998 | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia | 4:03.19 |
| 1999 | not held |
| 2000 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 4:02.80 |
| 2001 | Violeta Szekely | Romania | 4:00.80 |
| 2002 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 3:58.43 |
| 2003 | Süreyya Ayhan | Turkey | 3:59.58 |
| 2004 | Tatyana Tomashova | Russia | 4:04.41 |
| 2005 | not held |
| 2006 | not held |
| 2007 | not held |
| 2008 | not held |
| 2009 | not held |
| 2010 | not held |
| 2011 | not held |
| 2012 | not held |
| 2013 | Yekaterina Sharmina | Russia | 4:10.47 |
| 2014 | not held |