# 1987 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres

These are the official results of the Men's 200 metres event at the 1987 IAAF World Championships in Rome, Italy. There were a total number of 47 participating athletes, with six qualifying heats and the final held on Thursday 1987-09-03.

## Medalists

| Gold | Calvin Smith United States (USA) |
| Silver | Gilles Quénéhervé France (FRA) |
| Bronze | John Regis Great Britain (GBR) |

## Records

Existing records at the start of the event.
| World Record | Pietro Mennea (ITA) | 19.72 | Mexico City, Mexico | September 12, 1979 |
| Championship Record | Calvin Smith (USA) | 20.14 | Helsinki, Finland | August 14, 1983 |

## Final

| RANK | FINAL wind -0.4 | TIME |
| | Calvin Smith (USA) | 20.16 |
| | Gilles Quénéhervé (FRA) | 20.16 |
| | John Regis (GBR) | 20.18 |
| 4. | Robson da Silva (BRA) | 20.22 |
| 5. | Vladimir Krylov (URS) | 20.23 |
| 6. | Floyd Heard (USA) | 20.25 |
| 7. | Pierfrancesco Pavoni (ITA) | 20.45 |
| 8. | Atlee Mahorn (CAN) | 20.78 |

## Semifinals

* Held on Thursday 1987-09-03
| RANK | HEAT 1 wind +0.5 | TIME |
| 1. | John Regis (GBR) | 20.54 |
| 2. | Calvin Smith (USA) | 20.54 |
| 3. | Atlee Mahorn (CAN) | 20.69 |
| 4. | Pierfrancesco Pavoni (ITA) | 20.78 |
| 5. | Wallace Spearmon (USA) | 20.87 |
| 6. | Andreas Berger (AUT) | 20.99 |
| 7. | István Nagy (HUN) | 21.22 |
| 8. | Andrey Fedoriv (URS) | 21.28 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 wind +1.2 | TIME |
| 1. | Gilles Quénéhervé (FRA) | 20.31 |
| 2. | Floyd Heard (USA) | 20.31 |
| 3. | Vladimir Krylov (URS) | 20.34 |
| 4. | Robson Caetano da Silva (BRA) | 20.38 |
| 5. | Attila Kovács (HUN) | 20.47 |
| 6. | Clive Wright (JAM) | 20.50 |
| 7. | Stefano Tilli (ITA) | 20.86 |
| 8. | Simeon Kipkemboi (KEN) | 20.90 |

## Quarterfinals

* Held on Tuesday 1987-09-01
| RANK | HEAT 1 wind -1.5 | TIME |
| 1. | Floyd Heard (USA) | 20.56 |
| 2. | Vladimir Krylov (URS) | 20.79 |
| 3. | István Nagy (HUN) | 21.11 |
| 4. | Daniel Sangouma (FRA) | 21.11 |
| 5. | Peter Klein (FRG) | 21.12 |
| 6. | Sergio Querol (CUB) | 21.37 |
| 7. | Achmed de Kom (NED) | 21.39 |
| 8. | Neville Hodge (ISV) | 21.68 |
| RANK | HEAT 2 wind -1.3 | TIME |
| 1. | Calvin Smith (USA) | 20.38 |
| 2. | Atlee Mahorn (CAN) | 20.64 |
| 3. | Simeon Kipkemboi (KEN) | 20.88 |
| 4. | Stefano Tilli (ITA) | 20.89 |
| 5. | Christian Haas (FRG) | 20.94 |
| 6. | Luís Barroso (POR) | 21.20 |
| 7. | Bruno Marie-Rose (FRA) | 26.25 |
| | Nelson Boateng (GHA) | DNS |
| RANK | HEAT 3 wind +0.4 | TIME |
| 1. | Gilles Quénéhervé (FRA) | 20.48 |
| 2. | Wallace Spearmon (USA) | 20.55 |
| 3. | John Regis (GBR) | 20.60 |
| 4. | Andreas Berger (AUT) | 20.86 |
| 5. | Andrey Fedoriv (URS) | 20.87 |
| 6. | Volker Westhagemann (FRG) | 20.98 |
| 7. | Arnaldo Oliveira Silva (BRA) | 21.15 |
| 8. | Robert Stone (AUS) | 21.23 |
| RANK | HEAT 4 wind +0.8 | TIME |
| 1. | Robson Caetano da Silva (BRA) | 20.48 |
| 2. | Attila Kovács (HUN) | 20.61 |
| 3. | Pierfrancesco Pavoni (ITA) | 20.65 |
| 4. | Clive Wright (JAM) | 20.67 |
| 5. | Besik Gotsiridze (URS) | 20.90 |
| 6. | Jindrich Roun (TCH) | 21.12 |
| 7. | Mustapha Kamel Selmi (ALG) | 21.26 |
| 8. | Harouna Pale (BUR) | 21.46 |

## Qualifying heats

* Held on Tuesday 1987-09-01
| RANK | HEAT 1 wind +0.5 | TIME |
| 1. | Floyd Heard (USA) | 20.37 |
| 2. | Vladimir Krylov (URS) | 20.77 |
| 3. | Peter Klein (FRG) | 20.89 |
| 4. | Mustapha Kamel Selmi (ALG) | 21.14 |
| 5. | Nelson Boateng (GHA) | 21.19 |
| 6. | Harouna Pale (BUR) | 21.26 |
| 7. | Dazel Jules (TRI) | 21.53 |
| | Linford Christie (GBR) | DNS |
| RANK | HEAT 2 wind -0.9 | TIME |
| 1. | Attila Kovács (HUN) | 20.77 |
| 2. | Bruno Marie-Rose (FRA) | 20.82 |
| 3. | Besik Gotsiridze (URS) | 20.89 |
| 4. | Sergio Querol (CUB) | 20.94 |
| 5. | Stefano Tilli (ITA) | 21.01 |
| 6. | Feng Li (CHN) | 21.47 |
| 7. | Felix Sandy (SLE) | 21.67 |
| 8. | Yaya Seyba (MLI) | 21.93 |
| RANK | HEAT 3 wind -0.1 | TIME |
| 1. | Gilles Quénéhervé (FRA) | 20.59 |
| 2. | Clive Wright (JAM) | 20.88 |
| 3. | Achmed de Kom (NED) | 21.11 |
| 4. | Volker Westhagemann (FRG) | 21.15 |
| 5. | Neville Hodge (ISV) | 21.33 |
| 6. | Haron Mundir (SIN) | 21.51 |
| 7. | John Dinan (AUS) | 21.62 |
| 8. | Mark Sherwin (COK) | 23.41 |
| RANK | HEAT 4 wind +0.7 | TIME |
| 1. | Robson Caetano da Silva (BRA) | 20.56 |
| 2. | Atlee Mahorn (CAN) | 20.62 |
| 3. | Andreas Berger (AUT) | 20.82 |
| 4. | Andrey Fedoriv (URS) | 20.93 |
| 5. | István Nagy (HUN) | 21.06 |
| 6. | Luís Barroso (POR) | 21.15 |
| 7. | Leung Wing Kwong (HKG) | 21.48 |
| 8. | Sahim Saleh Mehdi (YEM) | 23.07 |
| RANK | HEAT 5 wind -0.8 | TIME |
| 1. | Calvin Smith (USA) | 20.62 |
| 2. | Daniel Sangouma (FRA) | 20.80 |
| 3. | Simeon Kipkemboi (KEN) | 20.84 |
| 4. | Christian Haas (FRG) | 20.96 |
| 5. | Jindrich Roun (TCH) | 21.04 |
| 6. | Ian Morris (TRI) | 21.36 |
| 7. | Takale Tuna (PNG) | 22.06 |
| 8. | Peauope Suli (TGA) | 22.45 |
| RANK | HEAT 6 wind +0.3 | TIME |
| 1. | John Regis (GBR) | 20.76 |
| 2. | Pierfrancesco Pavoni (ITA) | 20.80 |
| 3. | Wallace Spearmon (USA) | 20.82 |
| 4. | Arnaldo Oliveira Silva (BRA) | 21.03 |
| 5. | Robert Stone (AUS) | 21.23 |
| 6. | Alvin Daniel (TRI) | 21.37 |
| 7. | Secundino Borabota (GEQ) | 23.66 |