# 200 metres at the World Athletics Championships

The 200 metres at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. It is the second most prestigious title in the discipline after the 200 metres at the Olympics. The competition format typically has two or three qualifying rounds leading to a final between eight athletes.
The championship records for the event are 19.19 seconds for men, set by Usain Bolt in 2009, and 21.41 seconds for women, set by Shericka Jackson in 2023. The men's world record has been broken at the competition on one occasion, and Bolt's championship record set in 2009 remains the world record as of 2015. The women's world record has never been broken at the competition.
Usain Bolt is the most successful athlete of the event, having won four successive titles from 2009 to 2015, and also a silver in 2007. Allyson Felix is the most successful woman, having won three straight titles (2005 to 2009). Two-time champion Merlene Ottey has won more medals in the 200 m than any other athlete, reaching the podium six times in a period stretching from 1983 to 1997. Calvin Smith and Michael Johnson are the only others to have won two world titles over the distance.
The United States is the most successful nation in the discipline, with twelve gold medals among a total of 31. Jamaica is the next most successful with seventeen medals and seven titles. East Germany and the Netherlands, with two golds, are the only other nations to have provided multiple gold medallists.

## Age records

* All information from World Athletics.
| Distinction | Male | Male | Male | Female | Female | Female |
| Distinction | Athlete | Age | Date | Athlete | Age | Date |
| Youngest champion | Noah Lyles (USA) | 22 years, 75 days | 1 Oct 2019 | Allyson Felix (USA) | 19 years, 267 days | 12 Aug 2005 |
| Youngest medalist | Erriyon Knighton (USA) | 18 years, 173 days | 21 Jul 2022 | Allyson Felix (USA) | 19 years, 267 days | 12 Aug 2005 |
| Youngest finalist | Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (JPN) | 18 years, 157 days | 10 Aug 2017 | Shaunae Miller (BAH) | 19 years, 123 days | 16 Aug 2013 |
| Youngest participant | Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (JPN) | 16 years, 172 days | 25 Aug 2015 | Fowzio Abdikarim Sheikh (SOM) | 15 years, 323 days | 29 Aug 2007 |
| Oldest champion | Usain Bolt (JAM) | 29 years, 6 days | 27 Aug 2015 | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | 35 years, 92 days | 10 Aug 1995 |
| Oldest medalist | Justin Gatlin (USA) | 33 years, 198 days | 27 Aug 2015 | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | 37 years, 90 days | 8 Aug 1997 |
| Oldest finalist | Frankie Fredericks (NAM) | 35 years, 331 days | 29 Aug 2003 | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | 37 years, 90 days | 8 Aug 1997 |
| Oldest participant | Troy Douglas (NED) | 40 years, 270 days | 27 Aug 2003 | Merlene Ottey (SLO) | 43 years, 108 days | 26 Aug 2003 |

## Doping

The first instances of doping bans affecting the 200 m at the World Championships came at the 2001 edition. The champion Marion Jones was stripped of her gold medal and bronze medalist Kelli White met the same fate. Debbie Ferguson, the sole remaining original medalist, was elevated to the gold medal. A third female athlete, Yekaterina Leshchova who ran in the heats, was also disqualified for doping. The first male doping disqualifications happened the same year, with quarter-finalists Christophe Cheval and Ramon Clay being the offenders. Doping persisted at the 2003 World Championships – White was the champion that year and her retrospective ban also affected this result. The 1997 champion Zhanna Block, fourth in 2003, was also disqualified. Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (herself banned for steroids in 2004) was promoted to the position of 2003 world champion.
The next 200 m athlete to be disqualified for doping was Ruqaya Al-Ghasra (a competitor in the heats only). Two positive drug tests were recorded by 200 m athletes at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics: Yelena Ryabova, who ran in the heats, and semi-finalist Yelyzaveta Bryzhina.

## Medalists
### Men

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

#### Medalists by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States (USA) | 11 | 7 | 8 | 26 |
| 2 | Jamaica (JAM) | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | Namibia (NAM) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Greece (GRE) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Turkey (TUR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Brazil (BRA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Canada (CAN) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | France (FRA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 6 | South Africa (RSA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Panama (PAN) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Botswana (BOT) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Ecuador (ECU) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Italy (ITA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Japan (JPN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Nigeria (NGR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 8 | Saint Kitts and Nevis (SKN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Period | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica (JAM) | 2007–2015 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2 | Noah Lyles | United States (USA) | 2019–2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Calvin Smith | United States (USA) | 1983–1987 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Michael Johnson | United States (USA) | 1995–1999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia (NAM) | 1991–1997 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Justin Gatlin | United States (USA) | 2005–2017 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | John Capel | United States (USA) | 2003–2005 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 8 | Wallace Spearmon | United States (USA) | 2005–2009 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | John Regis | Great Britain (GBR) | 1987–1993 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Claudinei da Silva | Brazil (BRA) | 1997–1999 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Erriyon Knighton | United States (USA) | 2022-2023 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

### Women

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1983 Helsinki details | Marita Koch (GDR) | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | Kathy Smallwood-Cook (GBR) |
| 1987 Rome details | Silke Gladisch (GDR) | Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) | Merlene Ottey (JAM) |
| 1991 Tokyo details | Katrin Krabbe (GER) | Gwen Torrence (USA) | Merlene Ottey (JAM) |
| 1993 Stuttgart details | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | Gwen Torrence (USA) | Irina Privalova (RUS) |
| 1995 Gothenburg details | Merlene Ottey (JAM) | Irina Privalova (RUS) | Galina Malchugina (RUS) |
| 1997 Athens details | Zhanna Pintusevich-Block (UKR) | Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) | Merlene Ottey (JAM) |
| 1999 Seville details | Inger Miller (USA) | Beverly McDonald (JAM) | Merlene Frazer (JAM) Andrea Philipp (GER) |
| 2001 Edmonton details | Debbie Ferguson (BAH) | LaTasha Jenkins (USA) | Cydonie Mothersille (CAY) |
| 2003 Saint-Denis details | Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (RUS) | Torri Edwards (USA) | Muriel Hurtis (FRA) |
| 2005 Helsinki details | Allyson Felix (USA) | Rachelle Boone-Smith (USA) | Christine Arron (FRA) |
| 2007 Osaka details | Allyson Felix (USA) | Veronica Campbell (JAM) | Susanthika Jayasinghe (SRI) |
| 2009 Berlin details | Allyson Felix (USA) | Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM) | Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie (BAH) |
| 2011 Daegu details | Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM) | Carmelita Jeter (USA) | Allyson Felix (USA) |
| 2013 Moscow details | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) | Murielle Ahouré (CIV) | Blessing Okagbare (NGR) |
| 2015 Beijing details | Dafne Schippers (NED) | Elaine Thompson (JAM) | Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM) |
| 2017 London details | Dafne Schippers (NED) | Marie-Josée Ta Lou (CIV) | Shaunae Miller-Uibo (BAH) |
| 2019 Doha details | Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) | Brittany Brown (USA) | Mujinga Kambundji (SUI) |
| 2022 Eugene details | Shericka Jackson (JAM) | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM) | Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) |
| 2023 Budapest details | Shericka Jackson (JAM) | Gabrielle Thomas (USA) | Sha'Carri Richardson (USA) |

#### Medalists by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Jamaica (JAM) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 17 |
| 2 | United States (USA) | 4 | 9 | 2 | 15 |
| 3 | East Germany (GDR) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Germany (GER) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Russia (RUS) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 7 | Ukraine (UKR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Ivory Coast (CIV) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Sri Lanka (SRI) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 11 | Cayman Islands (CAY) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Switzerland (SUI) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Nigeria (NGR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Period | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Allyson Felix | United States (USA) | 2005–2011 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica (JAM) | 1983–1997 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | Veronica Campbell-Brown | Jamaica (JAM) | 2007–2015 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Dafne Schippers | Netherlands (NED) | 2015–2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica (JAM) | 2022-2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | Jamaica (JAM) | 2013–2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Debbie Ferguson | Bahamas (BAH) | 2001–2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Dina Asher-Smith | Great Britain (GBR) | 2019–2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Gwen Torrence | United States (USA) | 1991–1993 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Irina Privalova | Russia (RUS) | 1993–1995 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Susanthika Jayasinghe | Sri Lanka (SRI) | 1997–2007 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

## Championship record progression
### Men

Men's 200 metres World Championships record progression :
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 20.95 | Frank Emmelmann | East Germany (GDR) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.80 | Pietro Mennea | Italy (ITA) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.76 | Carlo Simionato | Italy (ITA) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.75 | Carlo Simionato | Italy (ITA) | 1983 | Quarter-finals | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.68 | Pietro Mennea | Italy (ITA) | 1983 | Quarter-finals | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.29 | Calvin Smith | United States (USA) | 1983 | Semi-finals | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.14 | Calvin Smith | United States (USA) | 1983 | Final | 1983-08-12 |
| 20.05 | Michael Johnson | United States (USA) | 1991 | Quarter-finals | 1991-08-26 |
| 20.01 | Michael Johnson | United States (USA) | 1991 | Final | 1991-08-27 |
| 19.85 | Frankie Fredericks | Namibia (NAM) | 1993 | Final | 1993-08-20 |
| 19.79 | Michael Johnson | United States (USA) | 1995 | Final | 1995-08-11 |
| 19.76 | Tyson Gay | United States (USA) | 2007 | Final | 2007-08-30 |
| 19.19 WR | Usain Bolt | Jamaica (JAM) | 2009 | Final | 2009-08-20 |

### Women

Women's 200 metres World Championships record progression :
| Time | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 23.34 | Joan Baptiste | Great Britain (GBR) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 23.05 | Florence Griffith Joyner | United States (USA) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 23.01 | Randy Givens | United States (USA) | 1983 | Heats | 1983-08-12 |
| 22.78 | Kathy Smallwood-Cook | Great Britain (GBR) | 1983 | Quarter-finals | 1983-08-12 |
| 22.38 | Merlene Ottey | Jamaica (JAM) | 1983 | Quarter-finals | 1983-08-12 |
| 22.13 | Marita Koch | East Germany (GDR) | 1983 | Final | 1983-08-14 |
| 21.74 | Silke Möller | East Germany (GDR) | 1987 | Final | 1987-09-03 |
| 21.63 | Dafne Schippers | Netherlands (NED) | 2015 | Final | 2015-08-28 |
| 21.45 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica (JAM) | 2022 | Final | 2022-07-21 |
| 21.41 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica (JAM) | 2023 | Final | 2023-08-25 |

## Finishing times
### Top ten fastest World Championship times

Fastest men's times at the World Championships :
| Rank | Time (sec) | Athlete | Nation | Games | Date |
| 1 | 19.19 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2009 | 2009-08-20 |
| 2 | 19.31 | Noah Lyles | United States | 2022 | 2022-07-21 |
| 3 | 19.40 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2011 | 2011-09-03 |
| 4 | 19.52 | Noah Lyles | United States | 2023 | 2023-08-25 |
| 5 | 19.55 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2015 | 2015-08-27 |
| 6 | 19.62 | Noah Lyles | United States | 2022 | 2022-07-21 |
| 7 | 19.66 | Usain Bolt | Jamaica | 2013 | 2013-08-17 |
| 8 | 19.70 | Walter Dix | United States | 2011 | 2011-09-03 |
| 9 | 19.74 | Justin Gatlin | United States | 2015 | 2015-08-27 |
| 10 | 19.76 | Erriyon Knighton | United States | 2023 | 2023-08-25 |
Fastest women's times at the World Championships :
| Rank | Time (sec) | Athlete | Nation | Games | Date |
| 1 | 21.41 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica | 2023 | 2023-08-25 |
| 2 | 21.45 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica | 2022 | 2022-07-21 |
| 3 | 21.63 | Dafne Schippers | Netherlands | 2015 | 2015-08-27 |
| 4 | 21.66 | Elaine Thompson | Jamaica | 2015 | 2015-08-27 |
| 5 | 21.67 | Shericka Jackson | Jamaica | 2022$^{SF}$ | 2022-07-19 |
| 6 | 21.74 | Silke Gladisch-Moller | East Germany | 1987 | 1987-09-03 |
| 7 | 21.77 | Inger Miller | United States | 1999 | 1999-08-27 |
| 8 | 21.81 | Allyson Felix | United States | 2007 | 2007-08-31 |
| Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce | 21.81 | Jamaica | 2022 | 2022-07-21 |
| Gabrielle Thomas | 21.81 | United States | 2023 | 2023-08-25 |