# Weltklasse Zürich

Weltklasse Zürich (English: World Class Zurich) is an annual, invitation-only, world-class track and field meeting at the Letzigrund in Zürich, Switzerland, generally held at the end of August or beginning of September. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it now serves as a final of the Wanda Diamond League, alongside Memorial Van Damme between 2010 and 2019. In 2021 and 2022, Weltklasse Zürich served as the sole final of the Diamond League, and this is also planned for 2025 and 2027. So far, 27 world records have been set at Weltklasse Zürich. In 1988, Carl Lewis won the 100-meter duel against Ben Johnson. The time of 9.93 seconds was upgraded to a world record a year later, following Johnson’s doping case.
One of the first large-scale international athletics events (outside the Summer Olympics), it is sometimes referred to as the one-day Olympics. With a budget of about ten million Swiss francs, Weltklasse Zürich ranks among the most expensive events in athletics. Every year, it draws around 25,000 fans to Letzigrund Stadium, with competitions broadcast in up to 135 countries. Since 2014, Christoph Joho and Andreas Hediger have led the organization as co-directors.
Weltklasse Zürich first took place on 12 August 1928. In the beginning, the meeting was nicknamed by the public the "Nurmi meeting" after the most admired and celebrated participant at the time, Paavo Nurmi. On 21 June 1960, on the Letzigrund track, Armin Hary became the first human to run the 100 m dash in 10.0 seconds.
UBS has supported Weltklasse Zürich as its main sponsor since 1981. Other sponsors are Vaudoise Assurances, Migros, Le Gruyère Switzerland, Medica, Omega, Swiss, Lexus, Erdgas and Puma.

## History

The meeting was conceived in 1924 by the athletic section of the FC Zürich which became the Leichtathletik Club Zürich in 1934, and was first held at the Letzigrund on a dirt track on 12 August 1928 as the Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting in Zürich. Since 1935 it also became known as the "American Meeting", similar to the Bislett Games, and this continued into the 1950s. A notable hiatus occurred after the 1952 meeting until the rebuilt Letzigrund Stadium opened in 1958, although a meeting had still been planned for August 1954. The name "Weltklasse Zürich" was adopted in 1959. The meet would not be held regularly on an annual basis until 1973, and the Weltklasse introduced electronic timing the following year.
During 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Weltklasse Zürich from taking place, instead an event called Inspiration Games was held.

## Track surface

The first surface was made of dirt in 1928, and the first synthetic track surface in Europe was installed in 1968. The number of lanes was increased to eight in the early 1970s which forced the Weltklasse to be put on hold for two years for the construction to take place.
The current surface at the Letzigrund Stadium was developed in 2014 by the Swiss company CONICA. The new surface was installed in June 2014 at a cost of 800,000 CHF and was paid for by the city of Zurich, which owns Letzigrund Stadium.

## Editions

Some of the earliest editions were bilateral matches that are not counted among the 29 "Internationales" and Weltklasse meetings organized from 1928 til 1977.
Weltklasse Zürich editions :
| Ed. | Meeting | Series | Date |
| | 1928 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 12 Aug 1928 |
| | 1929 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 13 Aug 1929 |
| | 1932 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 3 Sep 1932 |
| | 1934 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 12 Aug 1934 |
| | 1935 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 8 Aug 1935 |
| | 1937 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 29 Aug 1937 |
| | 1939 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 13 Aug 1939 |
| | 1946 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 18 Jul 1946 |
| | 1947 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 5 July 1947 |
| | 1948 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 21 Aug 1948 |
| | 1949 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 21 Aug 1949 |
| | 1951 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 19 Jun 1951 |
| | 1951 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 28 Jul 1951 |
| | 1952 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 12 Aug 1952 |
| | 1958 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 1 Jul 1958 |
| | 1958 Internationales Leichtathletik-Meeting | | 17 Jul 1958 |
| 1st | 1959 Weltklasse Zürich | | 7 Jul 1959 |
| 2nd | 1960 Weltklasse Zürich | | 21 Jun 1960 |
| 3rd | 1961 Weltklasse Zürich | | 27 Jun 1961 |
| 4th | 1962 Weltklasse Zürich | | 10 Jul 1962 |
| 5th | 1963 Weltklasse Zürich | | 2 Jul 1963 |
| 6th | 1964 Weltklasse Zürich | | 23 Jun 1964 |
| 7th | 1965 Weltklasse Zürich | | 29 Jun 1965 |
| 8th | 1966 Weltklasse Zürich | | 30 Jun 1966 |
| 9th | 1967 Weltklasse Zürich | | 4 Jul 1967 |
| 10th | 1968 Weltklasse Zürich | | 2 Jul 1968 |
| 11th | 1969 Weltklasse Zürich | | 4 Jul 1969 |
| 12th | 1970 Weltklasse Zürich | | 3 Jul 1970 |
| 13th | 1973 Weltklasse Zürich | | 6 Jul 1973 |
| 14th | 1974 Weltklasse Zürich | | 16 Aug 1974 |
| 15th | 1975 Weltklasse Zürich | | 20 Aug 1975 |
| 16th | 1976 Weltklasse Zürich | | 18 Aug 1976 |
| 17th | 1977 Weltklasse Zürich | | 24 Aug 1977 |
| 18th | 1978 Weltklasse Zürich | | 16 Aug 1978 |
| 19th | 1979 Weltklasse Zürich | | 15 Aug 1979 |
| 20th | 1980 Weltklasse Zürich | | 13 Aug 1980 |
| 21st | 1981 Weltklasse Zürich | | 19 Aug 1981 |
| 22nd | 1982 Weltklasse Zürich | | 18 Aug 1982 |
| 23rd | 1983 Weltklasse Zürich | | 24 Aug 1983 |
| 24th | 1984 Weltklasse Zürich | | 22 Aug 1984 |
| 25th | 1985 Weltklasse Zürich | 1985 IAAF Grand Prix | 21 Aug 1985 |
| 26th | 1986 Weltklasse Zürich | 1986 IAAF Grand Prix | 13 Aug 1986 |
| 27th | 1987 Weltklasse Zürich | 1987 IAAF Grand Prix | 19 Aug 1987 |
| 28th | 1988 Weltklasse Zürich | 1988 IAAF Grand Prix | 17 Aug 1988 |
| 29th | 1989 Weltklasse Zürich | 1989 IAAF Grand Prix | 16 Aug 1989 |
| 30th | 1990 Weltklasse Zürich | 1990 IAAF Grand Prix | 15 Aug 1990 |
| 31st | 1991 Weltklasse Zürich | 1991 IAAF Grand Prix | 7 Aug 1991 |
| 32nd | 1992 Weltklasse Zürich | 1992 IAAF Grand Prix | 19 Aug 1992 |
| 33rd | 1993 Weltklasse Zürich | 1993 IAAF Grand Prix | 4 Aug 1993 |
| 34th | 1994 Weltklasse Zürich | 1994 IAAF Grand Prix | 17 Aug 1994 |
| 35th | 1995 Weltklasse Zürich | 1995 IAAF Grand Prix | 16 Aug 1995 |
| 36th | 1996 Weltklasse Zürich | 1996 IAAF Grand Prix | 14 Aug 1996 |
| 37th | 1997 Weltklasse Zürich | 1997 IAAF Grand Prix | 13 Aug 1997 |
| 38th | 1998 Weltklasse Zürich | 1998 IAAF Golden League | 12 Aug 1998 |
| 39th | 1999 Weltklasse Zürich | 1999 IAAF Golden League | 11 Aug 1999 |
| 40th | 2000 Weltklasse Zürich | 2000 IAAF Golden League | 11 Aug 2000 |
| 41st | 2001 Weltklasse Zürich | 2001 IAAF Golden League | 17 Aug 2001 |
| 42nd | 2002 Weltklasse Zürich | 2002 IAAF Golden League | 16 Aug 2002 |
| 43rd | 2003 Weltklasse Zürich | 2003 IAAF Golden League | 15 Aug 2003 |
| 44th | 2004 Weltklasse Zürich | 2004 IAAF Golden League | 6 Aug 2004 |
| 45th | 2005 Weltklasse Zürich | 2005 IAAF Golden League | 19 Aug 2005 |
| 46th | 2006 Weltklasse Zürich | 2006 IAAF Golden League | 18 Aug 2006 |
| 47th | 2007 Weltklasse Zürich | 2007 IAAF Golden League | 7 Sep 2007 |
| 48th | 2008 Weltklasse Zürich | 2008 IAAF Golden League | 29 Aug 2008 |
| 49th | 2009 Weltklasse Zürich | 2009 IAAF Golden League | 28 Aug 2009 |
| 50th | 2010 Weltklasse Zürich | 2010 Diamond League | 18–19 Aug 2010 |
| 51st | 2011 Weltklasse Zürich | 2011 Diamond League | 7–8 Sep 2011 |
| 52nd | 2012 Weltklasse Zürich | 2012 Diamond League | 29–30 Aug 2012 |
| 53rd | 2013 Weltklasse Zürich | 2013 Diamond League | 28–29 Aug 2013 |
| 54th | 2014 Weltklasse Zürich | 2014 Diamond League | 28 Aug 2014 |
| 55th | 2015 Weltklasse Zürich | 2015 Diamond League | 2–3 Sep 2015 |
| 56th | 2016 Weltklasse Zürich | 2016 Diamond League | 31 Aug, 1 Sep 2016 |
| 57th | 2017 Weltklasse Zürich | 2017 Diamond League | 23–24 Aug 2017 |
| 58th | 2018 Weltklasse Zürich | 2018 Diamond League | 29–30 Aug 2018 |
| 59th | 2019 Weltklasse Zürich | 2019 Diamond League | 28–29 Aug 2019 |
| | 2020 Inspiration Games | 2020 Diamond League | 9 Jul 2020 |
| 60th | 2021 Weltklasse Zürich | 2021 Diamond League | 8–9 Sep 2021 |
| 61st | 2022 Weltklasse Zürich | 2022 Diamond League | 7–8 Sep 2022 |
| 62nd | 2023 Weltklasse Zürich | 2023 Diamond League | 30–31 Aug 2023 |
| 63rd | 2024 Weltklasse Zürich | 2024 Diamond League | 4–5 Sep 2024 |

## World records

Over the course of its history, numerous world records have been set at Weltklasse Zürich.
World records set at the Weltklasse Zürich :
| Year | Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality |
| 1959 | 200 m hurdles (bend) | 22.5 h (+1.2 m/s) | Martin Lauer | West Germany |
| 1959 | 120 yd hurdles | 13.2 h (+1.9 m/s) / 13.56 | Martin Lauer | West Germany |
| 1959 | 110 m hurdles | 13.2 h (+1.9 m/s) / 13.56 | Martin Lauer | West Germany |
| 1960 | 100 m | 10.0 h | Armin Hary | West Germany |
| 1969 | 110 m hurdles | 13.2 h | Willie Davenport | United States |
| 1973 | 110 m hurdles | 13.1 h | Rod Milburn | United States |
| 1975 | Discus throw | 70.20 m | Faina Melnik | Soviet Union |
| 1979 | 1500 m | 3:32.1 h | Sebastian Coe | United Kingdom |
| 1980 | 1500 m | 3:52.47 | Tatyana Kazankina | Soviet Union |
| 1981 | Mile | 3:48.53 | Sebastian Coe | United Kingdom |
| 1981 | 110 m hurdles | 12.93 (−0.2 m/s) | Renaldo Nehemiah | United States |
| 1984 | 100 m | 10.76 (+1.7 m/s) | Evelyn Ashford | United States |
| 1985 | Mile | 4:16.71 | Mary Slaney | United States |
| 1988 | 400 m | 43.29 | Harry ("Butch") Reynolds | United States |
| 1989 | 110 m hurdles | 12.92 (−0.1 m/s) | Roger Kingdom | United States |
| 1991 | 4 × 100 m relay | 37.67 | Michael Marsh Leroy Burrell Dennis Mitchell Carl Lewis | United States |
| 1992 | 3000 m steeplechase | 8:02.08 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya |
| 1995 | 5000 m | 12:44.39 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia |
| 1995 | 3000 m steeplechase | 7:59.18 | Moses Kiptanui | Kenya |
| 1996 | Mile | 4:12.56 | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia |
| 1997 | 800 m | 1:41.24 | Wilson Kipketer | Denmark |
| 1997 | 3000 m steeplechase | 7:59.08 | Wilson Boit Kipketer | Kenya |
| 1997 | 5000 m | 12:41.86 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia |
| 2006 | 100 m | 9.77 (+1.0 m/s) | Asafa Powell | Jamaica |
| 2009 | Pole vault | 5.06 m | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia |

## Meeting records
### Men

Men's meeting records of the Weltklasse Zürich :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet |
| 100 m | 9.76 (+1.4 m/s) | Yohan Blake | Jamaica | 30 August 2012 | 2012 |
| 200 m | 19.52 (−0.6 m/s) | Noah Lyles | United States | 8 September 2022 | 2022 |
| 400 m | 43.29 | Harry ("Butch") Reynolds | United States | 17 August 1988 | 1988 |
| 800 m | 1:41.24 | Wilson Kipketer | Denmark | 13 August 1997 | 1997 |
| 1500 m | 3:26.45 | Hicham El Guerrouj | Morocco | 12 August 1998 | 1998 |
| Mile | 3:45.19 | Noureddine Morceli | Algeria | 16 August 1995 | 1995 |
| 3000 m | 7:32.54 | Said Aouita | Morocco | 13 August 1986 | 1986 |
| 5000 m | 12:41.86 | Haile Gebrselassie | Ethiopia | 13 August 1997 | 1997 |
| 110 m hurdles | 12.92 (−0.1 m/s) | Roger Kingdom | United States | 16 August 1989 | 1989 |
| 400 m hurdles | 46.92 | Karsten Warholm | Norway | 29 August 2019 | 2019 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 7:56.54 | Saif Saeed Shaheen | Qatar | 18 August 2006 | 2006 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 7:53.17 X | Brahim Boulami | Morocco | 16 August 2002 | 2002 |
| High jump | 2.40 m | Charles Austin | United States | 7 August 1991 | 1991 |
| Pole vault | 6.07 m | Armand Duplantis | Sweden | 8 September 2022 | 2022 |
| Long jump | 8.65 m (−0.5 m/s) DLR | Juan Miguel Echevarría | Cuba | 29 August 2019 | 2019 |
| Triple jump | 17.80 m (+0.1 m/s) | Christian Taylor | United States | 1 September 2016 | 2016 |
| Shot put | 23.23 m DLR | Joe Kovacs | United States | 7 September 2022 | 2022 |
| Discus throw | 71.12 m | Virgilijus Alekna | Lithuania | 11 August 2000 | 2000 |
| Hammer throw | 83.24 m | Andrey Abduvaliyev | Uzbekistan | 17 August 1994 | 1994 |
| Javelin throw | 92.28 m | Raymond Hecht | Germany | 14 August 1996 | 1996 |
| 4 × 100 m relay | 37.45 DLR | Trell Kimmons Wallace Spearmon Tyson Gay Michael Rodgers | United States | 19 August 2010 | 2010 |

### Women

Women's meeting records of the Weltklasse Zürich :
| Event | Record | Athlete | Nationality | Date | Meet |
| 100 m | 10.65 (+0.6 m/s) | Elaine Thompson-Herah | Jamaica | 9 September 2021 | 2021 |
| 100 m | 10.65 (−0.8 m/s) | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica | 8 September 2022 | 2022 |
| 200 m | 21.66 (−1.0 m/s) | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica | 15 August 1990 | 1990 |
| 400 m | 48.86 | Jarmila Kratochvílová | Czechoslovakia | 18 August 1982 | 1982 |
| 800 m | 1:54.01 | Pamela Jelimo | Kenya | 29 August 2008 | 2008 |
| 1000 m | 2:32.70 | Jolanta Januchta | Poland | 19 August 1981 | 1981 |
| 1500 m | 3:52.47 | Tatyana Kazankina | Soviet Union | 13 August 1980 | 1980 |
| Mile | 4:12.56 | Svetlana Masterkova | Russia | 14 August 1996 | 1996 |
| 3000 m | 8:22.34 | Almaz Ayana | Ethiopia | 3 September 2015 | 2015 |
| 5000 m | 14:09.52 | Beatrice Chebet | Kenya | 5 September 2024 | 2024 |
| 100 m hurdles | 12.29 (−0.3 m/s) | Tobi Amusan | Nigeria | 8 September 2022 | 2022 |
| 400 m hurdles | 52.80 | Femke Bol | Netherlands | 9 September 2021 | 2021 |
| 3000 m steeplechase | 8:55.29 | Ruth Jebet | Bahrain | 24 August 2017 | 2017 |
| High jump | 2.05 m | Mariya Lasitskene | ANA | 8 September 2021 | 2021 |
| Pole vault | 5.06 m (outdoor) | Yelena Isinbayeva | Russia | 28 August 2009 | 2009 |
| Pole vault | 4.91 m (indoor) | Nina Kennedy | Australia | 30 August 2023 | 2023 |
| Long jump | 7.39 m (+0.3 m/s) | Heike Drechsler | East Germany | 21 August 1985 | 1985 |
| Triple jump | 15.48 m (+0.3 m/s) | Yulimar Rojas | Venezuela | 9 September 2021 | 2021 |
| Shot put | 20.98 m | Valerie Adams | New Zealand | 28 August 2013 | 2013 |
| Discus throw | 70.20 m | Faina Melnik | Soviet Union | 20 August 1975 | 1975 |
| Javelin throw | 69.57 m DLR | Christina Obergföll | Germany | 8 September 2011 | 2011 |
| 4 × 100 m relay | 41.60 | Sherone Simpson Natasha Morrison Elaine Thompson Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica | 3 September 2015 | 2015 |