# Bislett Games

The Bislett Games is an annual track and field meeting at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League.

## History

The first international athletics meeting at Bislett was held in 1924. Until 1937 the competitions are known as "The American Meetings", similar to the international meetings in Zürich. Different organizers staged the meetings between 1947 and 1965 until the three athletics associations BUL, Vidar and Tjalve formed the Bislett Alliance. At this year Arne Haukvik founded the Bislett Games. He was a former politician and director of the meeting, who used to invite the athletes, sponsors and the press to his home for his traditional "strawberry party" the day before the event each year. He died of cancer in 2002 at age 76. The tradition however is continued.
Bislett Stadium was used for speed skating events at the Olympics, but nowadays it is better known for its Bislett Games athletics meeting. Bislett Games attract the best track and field athletes from all over the world, and 65 world records have been set on its forgiving, brick-coloured track so far. Due to the building of the new Bislett Stadium in Oslo, which started in April 2004, the 2004 edition of the traditional athletics meeting was staged on Fana stadion in Bergen under the name Bergen Bislett Games.
In 2009, a severe storm delayed proceedings and even caused damage to the track-side clock display. Sanya Richards recorded the fastest women's 400 metres time since 2006 while the Dream Mile brought a number of records with winner Deresse Mekonnen improving upon his Ethiopian record, Kenyan William Biwott Tanui setting a world junior record and third-placed Augustine Choge beating his personal best. Former javelin winners Andreas Thorkildsen and Tero Pitkämäki continued their five-year shared dominance of the Bislett Games, with Pitkämäki taking the victory this time.

### Alternative events

During 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Bislett Games from taking place, instead an event called Impossible Games was held. In 2021 there were still restrictions which caused the main event to be postponed to July 1. A restricted event called Night of Highlights was additionally held on June 4, 2021.

## Editions

During some of the earliest editions, there were two meetings held per year.
Bislett Games editions :
| Ed. | Meeting | Series | Date |
| 1st | 1965 Bislett Games | | 14 Jul 1965 |
| 2nd | 1966 Bislett Games | | 1966 |
| 3rd | 1967 Bislett Games | | 1967 |
| 4th | 1968 Bislett Games | | 1968 |
| 5th | 1969 Bislett Games | | 1969 |
| 6th | 1970 Bislett Games | | 1970 |
| 7th | 1971 Bislett Games | | 1971 |
| 8th | 1972 Bislett Games | | 3-4 Aug 1972 |
| 9th | 1973 Bislett Games | | 24 Jul 1973 |
| 10th | 1974 Bislett Games | | 30–31 Jul 1974 |
| 11th | 1975 Bislett Games | | 3 Jul 1975 |
| 12th | 1976 Bislett Games | | 30 Jun 1976 |
| 13th | 1977 Bislett Games | | 28 Jun 1977 |
| 14th | 1978 Bislett Games | | 27 Jun 1978 |
| 15th | 1979 Bislett Games | | 5 Jul, 17 Jul 1979 |
| 16th | 1980 Bislett Games | | 1 Jul 1980 |
| 17th | 1981 Bislett Games | | 11 Jul 1981 |
| 18th | 1982 Bislett Games | | 26 Jun 1982 |
| 19th | 1983 Bislett Games | | 22–23 Aug 1983 |
| 20th | 1984 Bislett Games | | 28 Jun 1984 |
| 21st | 1985 Bislett Games | 1985 IAAF Grand Prix | 16 Jul, 27 Jul 1985 |
| 22nd | 1986 Bislett Games | 1986 IAAF Grand Prix | 5 Jul 1986 |
| 23rd | 1987 Bislett Games | 1987 IAAF Grand Prix | 4 Jul 1987 |
| 24th | 1988 Bislett Games | 1988 IAAF Grand Prix | 2 Jul 1988 |
| 25th | 1989 Bislett Games | 1989 IAAF Grand Prix | 1 Jul 1989 |
| 26th | 1990 Bislett Games | 1990 IAAF Grand Prix | 14 Jul 1990 |
| 27th | 1991 Bislett Games | 1991 IAAF Grand Prix | 6 Jul 1991 |
| 28th | 1992 Bislett Games | 1992 IAAF Grand Prix | 4 Jul 1992 |
| 29th | 1993 Bislett Games | 1993 IAAF Grand Prix | 10 Jul 1993 |
| 30th | 1994 Bislett Games | 1994 IAAF Grand Prix | 22 Jul 1994 |
| 31st | 1995 Bislett Games | 1995 IAAF Grand Prix | 21 Jul 1995 |
| 32nd | 1996 Bislett Games | 1996 IAAF Grand Prix | 5 Jul 1996 |
| 33rd | 1997 Bislett Games | 1997 IAAF Grand Prix | 4 Jul 1997 |
| 34th | 1998 Bislett Games | 1998 IAAF Golden League | 9 Jul 1998 |
| 35th | 1999 Bislett Games | 1999 IAAF Golden League | 30 Jun 1999 |
| 36th | 2000 Bislett Games | 2000 IAAF Golden League | 28 Jul 2000 |
| 37th | 2001 Bislett Games | 2001 IAAF Golden League | 13 Jul 2001 |
| 38th | 2002 Bislett Games | 2002 IAAF Golden League | 28 Jun 2002 |
| 39th | 2003 Bislett Games | 2003 IAAF Golden League | 27 Jun 2003 |
| 40th | 2004 Bislett Games | 2004 IAAF Golden League | 11 Jun 2004 |
| 41st | 2005 Bislett Games | 2005 IAAF Golden League | 29 Jul 2005 |
| 42nd | 2006 Bislett Games | 2006 IAAF Golden League | 2 Jun 2006 |
| 43rd | 2007 Bislett Games | 2007 IAAF Golden League | 15 Jun 2007 |
| 44th | 2008 Bislett Games | 2008 IAAF Golden League | 6 Jun 2008 |
| 45th | 2009 Bislett Games | 2009 IAAF Golden League | 3 Jul 2009 |
| 46th | 2010 Bislett Games | 2010 Diamond League | 4 Jun 2010 |
| 47th | 2011 Bislett Games | 2011 Diamond League | 9 Jun 2011 |
| 48th | 2012 Bislett Games | 2012 Diamond League | 7 Jun 2012 |
| 49th | 2013 Bislett Games | 2013 Diamond League | 13 Jun 2013 |
| 50th | 2014 Bislett Games | 2014 Diamond League | 11 Jun 2014 |
| 51st | 2015 Bislett Games | 2015 Diamond League | 11 Jun 2015 |
| 52nd | 2016 Bislett Games | 2016 Diamond League | 9 Jun 2016 |
| 53rd | 2017 Bislett Games | 2017 Diamond League | 15 Jun 2017 |
| 54th | 2018 Bislett Games | 2018 Diamond League | 7 Jun 2018 |
| 55th | 2019 Bislett Games | 2019 Diamond League | 13 Jun 2019 |
| | 2020 Impossible Games | 2020 Diamond League | 11 Jun 2020 |
| 56th | 2021 Bislett Games | 2021 Diamond League | 1 Jul 2021 |
| 57th | 2022 Bislett Games | 2022 Diamond League | 16 Jun 2022 |
| 58th | 2023 Bislett Games | 2023 Diamond League | 15 Jun 2023 |
| 59th | 2024 Bislett Games | 2024 Diamond League | 30 May 2024 |

## World records

Over the course of its history, numerous world records have been set at the Games and former athletics meetings at Bislett stadium. In 1985 three new records were set at the same evening.

### Bislett Games

World records set at the Bislett Games :
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
| 1965 | 10,000 m | 27:39.4 h | Ron Clarke | Australia |
| 1974 | 1000 m | 2:13.9 h | Rick Wohlhuter | United States |
| 1975 | 3000 m | 8:46.6 h | Grete Waitz | Norway |
| 1975 | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:10.4 h | Anders Gärderud | Sweden |
| 1976 | 3000 m | 8:45.4 h | Grete Waitz | Norway |
| 1979 | 800 m | 1:42.33 | Sebastian Coe | Great Britain |
| 1980 | Mile | 3:48.8 h | Steve Ovett | United Kingdom |
| 1981 | 1000 m | 2:12.18 | Sebastian Coe | Great Britain |
| 1982 | 5000 m | 13:00.41 | David Moorcroft | Great Britain |
| 1984 | 5000 m | 14:58.89 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway |
| 1985 | 10,000 m | 30:59.42 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway |
| 1985 | 5000 m | 13:00.40 | Saïd Aouita | Morocco |
| 1985 | Mile | 3:46.32 | Steve Cram | United Kingdom |
| 1986 | 10,000 m | 30:13.74 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway |
| 1993 | 10,000 m | 26:58.38 | Yobes Ondieki | Kenya |
| 1994 | 10,000 m | 26:52.23 | William Sigei | Kenya |
| 1994 | 20,000 m walk | 2:04:55 | Bernardo Segura | Mexico |
| 1997 | 10,000 m | 26:31.32 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia |
| 2000 | Javelin throw | 69.48 m | Trine Hattestad | Norway |
| 2004 | 5000 m | 14:24.68 | Elvan Abeylegesse | Turkey |
| 2004 | 5000 m | 14:30.88 WJR | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia |
| 2007 | 5000 m | 14:16.63 | Meseret Defar | Ethiopia |
| 2008 | 5000 m | 14:11.15 | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia |
| 2008 | 800 m | 1:42.69 WJR | Abubaker Kaki | Sudan |
| 2021 | 400 m hurdles | 46.70 | Karsten Warholm | Norway |
| 2023 | Mile | 4:17.13 WJR | Birke Haylom | Ethiopia |

### Differently named meetings

World records set at differently named meetings :
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
| 1952 | Hammer throw | 61.25 m | Sverre Strandli | Norway |
| 1953 | Hammer throw | 62.36 m | Sverre Strandli | Norway |
| 1955 | 1500 m | 3:40.8 h | László Tábori Gunnar Nielsen | Hungary Denmark |
| 1955 | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:45.4 h | Pentti Karvonen | Finland |
| 1964 | Javelin throw | 87.12 m & 91.72 m | Terje Pedersen | Norway |

### American meetings

World records set at the American meetings :
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
| 1924 | 110 m hurdles | 14.2 h | Percy Beard | Canada |
| 1925 | Pole vault | 4.23 m | Charles Hoff | Norway |
| 1934 | Shot put | 17.40 m | Jack Torrance | United States |
| 1934 | Discus throw | 52.42 m | Harald Andersson | Sweden |
| 1935 | 110 m hurdles | 14.2 h | Alvin Moreau | United States |
| 1936 | 110 m hurdles | 13.7 h | Forrest Towns | United States |

## Meeting records
### Men

Men's meeting records of the Bislett Games :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet |
| 100 m | 9.79 (+0.6 m/s) | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 7 June 2012 | 2012 |
| 200 m | 19.77 (+0.6 m/s) | Erriyon Knighton | United States | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| 400 m | 43.86 | Michael Johnson | United States | 21 July 1995 | 1995 |
| 800 m | 1:42.04 | David Rudisha | Kenya | 4 June 2010 | 2010 |
| 1000 m | 2:12.18 | Sebastian Coe | Great Britain | 11 July 1981 | 1981 |
| 1500 m | 3:27.95 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| Mile | 3:44.90 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 4 July 1997 | 1997 |
| 2000 m | 4:50.01 | Jakob Ingebrigtsen | Norway | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 3000 m | 7:26.25 | Yomif Kejelcha | Ethiopia | 1 July 2021 | 2021 |
| Two miles | 8:15.2 h | Rod Dixon | New Zealand | 17 July 1979 | 1979 |
| 5000 m | 12:36.73 | Hagos Gebrhiwet | Ethiopia | 30 May 2024 | 2024 |
| 6 miles | 26:47.0 h | Ron Clarke | Australia | 14 July 1965 | 1965 |
| 10,000 m | 26:31.32 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | 4 July 1997 | 1997 |
| 25,000 m (track) | 1:12:46.51 | Sondre Nordstad Moen | Norway | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 110 m hurdles | 13.00 (−0.1 m/s) | Ladji Doucouré | France | 29 July 2005 | 2005 |
| 300 m hurdles | 33.78 | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 400 m hurdles | 46.52 | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| 2000 m steeplechase | 5:20.00 | Krzysztof Wesołowski | Poland | 28 June 1984 | 1984 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 8:01.83 | Paul Kipsiele Koech | Kenya | 9 June 2011 | 2011 |
| High jump | 2.38 m | Mutaz Essa Barshim | Qatar | 15 June 2017 | 2017 |
| Pole vault | 6.02 m | Armand Duplantis | Sweden | 16 June 2022 | 2022 |
| Long jump | 8.53 m | Irving Saladino | Panama | 2 June 2006 | 2006 |
| Triple jump | 18.01 m (+0.4 m/s) | Jonathan Edwards | Great Britain | 9 July 1998 | 1998 |
| Shot put | 22.29 m | Tomas Walsh | New Zealand | 7 June 2018 | 2018 |
| Discus throw | 70.91 m | Mykolas Alekna | Lithuania | 30 May 2024 | 2024 |
| Hammer throw | 81.92 m DLR | Wojciech Nowicki | Poland | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| Javelin throw | 94.22 m (old design) | Michael Wessing | West Germany | 3 August 1978 | 1978 |
| Javelin throw | 92.60 m (current design) | Raymond Hecht | Germany | 21 July 1995 | 1995 |
| 5000 m walk | 20:27.0+ h | Erling Andersen | Norway | 3 August 1979 | 1979 |
| 10,000 m walk | 40:50.0 h | Erling Andersen | Norway | 3 August 1979 | 1979 |
| 20,000 m walk | 1:27:56.8 h | Erling Andersen | Norway | 23 August 1981 | 1981 |
| 30,000 m walk | 2:35:45.6 h | Tore Brustad | Norway | 20 July 1970 | 1970 |
| 50,000 m walk | 4:42:10.0 h | Per Ola Sverre | Norway | 9 August 1974 | 1974 |
| 4 × 1500 m relay | 14:40.4 h | Tony Polhill 3:42.9 John Walker 3:40.4 Rod Dixon 3:41.2 Dick Quax 3:35.9 | New Zealand | 22 August 1973 | 1973 |

### Women

Women's meeting records of the Bislett Games :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet |
| 100 m | 10.75 (+0.9 m/s) | Marie-Josée Ta Lou | Ivory Coast | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| 200 m | 21.93 (+0.7 m/s) | Dafne Schippers | Netherlands | 9 June 2016 | 2016 |
| 400 m | 49.23 | Taťána Kocembová | Czechoslovakia | 23 August 1983 | 1983 |
| 600 m | 1:29.06 | Hedda Hynne | Norway | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 800 m | 1:55.04 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 23 August 1983 | 1983 |
| 1500 m | 3:57.40 | Suzy Favor-Hamilton | United States | 28 July 2000 | 2000 |
| Mile | 4:17.13 | Birke Haylom | Ethiopia | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| 3000 m | 8:24.20 | Georgia Griffith | Australia | 30 May 2024 | 2024 |
| 5000 m | 14:11.15 | Tirunesh Dibaba | Ethiopia | 6 June 2008 | 2008 |
| 10,000 m | 30:13.74 | Ingrid Kristiansen | Norway | 5 July 1986 | 1986 |
| 100 m hurdles | 12.49 (+0.7 m/s) | Sally Pearson | Australia | 7 June 2012 | 2012 |
| 200 m hurdles | 26.11 (−0.9 m/s) | Line Kloster | Norway | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 300 m hurdles | 39.42 | Sara Petersen | Denmark | 11 June 2020 | 2020 |
| 400 m hurdles | 52.30 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 9:03.71 | Norah Jeruto | Kenya | 13 June 2019 | 2019 |
| High jump | 2.05 m | Stefka Kostadinova | Bulgaria | 4 July 1987 | 1987 |
| Pole vault | 4.85 m | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | 15 June 2007 | 2007 |
| Long jump | 7.29 m (+0.9 m/s) | Heike Drechsler | Germany | 22 July 1994 | 1994 |
| Triple jump | 15.11 m (+0.1 m/s) | Yamilé Aldama | Cuba | 27 June 2003 | 2003 |
| Shot put | 20.26 m | Valerie Adams | New Zealand | 9 June 2011 | 2011 |
| Discus throw | 71.00 m | Galina Savinkova | Soviet Union | 16 July 1985 | 1985 |
| Javelin throw | 76.34 m (old design) | Fatima Whitbread | United Kingdom | 4 July 1987 | 1987 |
| Javelin throw | 69.48 m (current design) | Trine Hattestad | Norway | 28 July 2000 | 2000 |
| 3000 m walk | 13:45.7 h | Frøydis Hilsen | Norway | 23 August 1981 | 1981 |
| 5000 m walk | 22:59.6 h | Anita Blomberg | Norway | 17 June 1988 | 1988 |
| 4 × 400 m relay | 3:28.38 DLR | Carys McAulay Ama Pipi Lina Nielsen Nicole Kendall | Great Britain | 15 June 2023 | 2023 |