1979 in the sport of athletics

Last updated
1979 in athletics
1978
1980

This article contains an overview of the year 1979 in athletics.

Contents

Major events

World

Regional

World records

Men

EventAthleteNationPerformanceMeetingPlaceDate
200 m Pietro Mennea Flag of Italy.svg Italy19.72 Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico City, Mexico12 September
800 m Sebastian Coe Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1:42.33 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway5 July
1500 m Sebastian Coe Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom3:32.03 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Zürich, Switzerland15 August
Mile Sebastian Coe Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom3:48.95 Flag of Norway.svg Oslo, Norway17 July
110 m hurdles Renaldo Nehemiah Flag of the United States.svg United States13.16 Flag of the United States.svg San Jose, United States14 April
110 m hurdles Renaldo Nehemiah Flag of the United States.svg United States13.00 Flag of the United States.svg Westwood, Los Angeles, California, United States6 May

Women

EventAthleteNationPerformanceMeetingPlaceDate
200 m Marita Koch Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 22.02 Flag of East Germany.svg Leipzig, East Germany3 June
200 m Marita Koch Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 21.71 Flag of East Germany.svg Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany10 June
400 m Marita Koch Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 48.89 Flag of East Germany.svg Potsdam, East Germany29 July
400 m Marita Koch Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 48.60 Flag of Italy.svg Turin, Italy4 August
Mile Natalia Mărășescu Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 4:22.1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland, New Zealand27 January
100 m hurdles Grażyna Rabsztyn Flag of Poland.svg Poland12.48 [1] Flag of Poland.svg Warsaw, Poland18 June
400 m hurdles Marina Styepanova Flag of Russia.svg Russia54.78 Flag of Russia.svg Moscow, Russia27 July
Javelin throw Ruth Fuchs Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 69.52 m Flag of East Germany.svg Dresden, East Germany13 June
4 × 100 metres relay Marita Koch
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 42.10 Flag of East Germany.svg Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany10 June
4 × 100 metres relay Christina Lathan
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr
Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany 42.09 Flag of Italy.svg Turin, Italy4 August
4 × 200 metres relay Raisa Makhova
Nina Zyuskova
Tatyana Prorochenko
Maria Kulchunova
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union 1:30.74 [2] Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow, Soviet Union29 July

Season's bests

Best marks of the year
EventMenWomen
AthleteMarkNotesAthleteMarkNotes
100 metres Flag of Italy.svg  Pietro Mennea  (ITA)10.01Flag of East Germany.svg  Marlies Göhr  (GDR)
Flag of the United States.svg  Evelyn Ashford  (USA)
10.97
200 metres Flag of Italy.svg  Pietro Mennea  (ITA)19.72WRFlag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)21.71WR
400 metres Flag of Germany.svg  Harald Schmid  (FRG)44.92Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)48.60WR
800 metres Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sebastian Coe  (GBR)1:42.33WRFlag of Bulgaria.svg  Totka Petrova  (BUL)1:56.2
1500 metres Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sebastian Coe  (GBR)3:32.03WRFlag of Bulgaria.svg  Totka Petrova  (BUL)3:57.4
3000 metres Flag of the United States.svg  Rudy Chapa  (USA)7:37.70Flag of Norway.svg  Grete Waitz  (NOR)8:31.75
5000 metres Flag of Tanzania.svg  Suleiman Nyambui  (TAN)13:12.29
10,000 metres Flag of Germany.svg  Karl Fleschen  (FRG)27:36.8
100/110 metres hurdles Flag of the United States.svg  Renaldo Nehemiah  (USA)13.00WRFlag of Poland.svg  Grażyna Rabsztyn  (POL)12.48WR
400 metres hurdles Flag of the United States.svg  Edwin Moses  (USA)47.53Flag of Russia.svg  Marina Styepanova  (RUS)54.78WR
3000 metres steeplechase Flag of Kenya.svg  Henry Rono  (KEN)8:17.92
High jump Flag of Germany.svg  Dietmar Mögenburg  (GER)2.32 mFlag of East Germany.svg  Rosemarie Ackermann  (GDR)1.99 m
Pole vault Flag of France.svg  Patrick Abada  (FRA)
Flag of France.svg  Philippe Houvion  (FRA)
5.65 m
Long jump Flag of the United States.svg  Larry Myricks  (USA)8.52 mFlag of East Germany.svg  Brigitte Wujak  (GDR)6.90 m
Triple jump Flag of Brazil.svg  João Carlos de Oliveira  (BRA)17.27 m
Shot put Flag of Germany.svg  Udo Beyer  (GER)21.74 mFlag of East Germany.svg  Ilona Slupianek  (GDR)22.04 m
Discus throw Flag of the United States.svg  Mac Wilkins  (USA)70.66 mFlag of East Germany.svg  Evelin Jahl  (GDR)69.82 m
Hammer throw Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Sergey Litvinov  (URS)79.82 m
Javelin throw Flag of Finland.svg  Pentti Sinersaari  (FIN)93.84 mFlag of East Germany.svg  Ruth Fuchs  (GDR)69.52 mWR
Decathlon Flag of Germany.svg  Guido Kratschmer  (FRG)8476 pts
4 × 100 metres relay Flag of the United States.svg United States
Mike Roberson
Harvey Glance
Bill Collins
Mel Lattany
38.30Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Christina Lathan
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr
42.09WR
4 × 400 metres relay Flag of the United States.svg United States
Herman Frazier
Bill Green
Willie Smith
Tony Darden
3:00.70Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany
Gabriele Kotte
Christina Lathan
Brigitte Rohde
Marita Koch
3:19.62

Notes

  1. This time did not set a new world record. Rather, it equaled Rabsztyn's existing world record.
  2. This team represented Ukraine, at the time a part of the Soviet Union.

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References