1983 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 200 metres

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These are the official results of the Women's 200 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 44 participating athletes, with six qualifying heats and the final held on Sunday 1983-08-14.

Contents

Out of the blocks, world record holder Marita Koch in lane 6 slowly made up the stagger on Merlene Ottey in lane 7. By the time they hit the straightaway, Koch had two metres on Ottey who was about even with Florence Griffith in lane 1. Down the straightaway, Ottey steadily ate into Koch's lead while the long striding Kathy Cook came from behind to cruise past Griffith. Sensing the challenge from Ottey, Koch started to lean and struggle the last few steps, but realizing she had won she threw her arms up in victory.

Two years later, Koch would set the world record in the 400 metres to go along with her 200 world record. She would retire in 1987 with both records; the 400 record has never been beaten. Five years later, Griffith as Florence Griffith-Joyner would slice more than a second off her time to set the world record that lasts today. 6th place Grace Jackson would slice .9 off her time to finish second to Griffith-Joyner as the #9 performer of all time with Ottey a distant fourth in that race, still .2 faster than this race. Ottey became the (at the time) #2 performer of all time in 1990. Surpassed by Marion Jones in 1998, Dafne Schippers in 2015, Gabrielle Thomas in 2021, Elaine Thompson-Herah also in 2021 and Shericka Jackson in 2022. Ottey remains #7 on the all-time list after the longest career for an elite sprinter ever.

Medalists

Gold Flag of East Germany.svg Marita Koch
East Germany (GDR)
Silver Flag of Jamaica.svg Merlene Ottey
Jamaica (JAM)
Bronze Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Kathy Cook
Great Britain (GBR)

Records

Existing records at the start of the event.

World RecordFlag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)21.71 Chemnitz, East Germany June 10, 1979
Championship RecordNew event

Final

RANKFINAL wind +1.5TIME
Med 1.png Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)22.13
Med 2.png Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)22.19
Med 3.png Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Kathy Cook  (GBR)22.37
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith  (USA)22.46
5.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Grace Jackson  (JAM)22.63
6.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Anelia Nuneva  (BUL)22.68
7.Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Angela Bailey  (CAN)22.93
8.Flag of Poland.svg  Ewa Kasprzyk  (POL)23.03

Semifinals

RANKHEAT 1 wind +2.1TIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith  (USA)22.41 w
2.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Kathy Cook  (GBR)22.57 w
3.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Anelia Nuneva  (BUL)22.62 w
4.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Grace Jackson  (JAM)22.76 w
5.Flag of Finland.svg  Helinä Marjamaa  (FIN)22.86 w
6.Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Denise Boyd  (AUS)23.26 w
7.Flag of Italy.svg  Marisa Masullo  (ITA)23.36 w
8.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Irina Olkhovnikova  (URS)23.38 w


RANKHEAT 2 wind +0.8TIME
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)22.67
2.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)22.68
3.Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Angela Bailey  (CAN)22.82
4.Flag of Poland.svg  Ewa Kasprzyk  (POL)23.02
5.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Joan Baptiste  (GBR)23.24
6.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Nadezhda Georgieva  (BUL)23.26
7.Flag of the United States.svg  Randy Givens  (USA)23.34
8.Flag of France.svg  Liliane Gaschet  (FRA)23.37

Quarterfinals

RANKHEAT 1 wind +1.3TIME
1.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Grace Jackson  (JAM)23.06
2.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Anelia Nuneva  (BUL)23.22
3.Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Denise Boyd  (AUS)23.28
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Irina Olkhovnikova  (URS)23.48
5.Flag of Denmark.svg  Dorthe A. Rasmussen  (DEN)23.61
6.Flag of Germany.svg  Ute Thimm  (FRG)23.68
7.Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg  Lydia de Vega  (PHI)24.16
Flag of Ghana.svg  Mary Mensah  (GHA)DNS


RANKHEAT 2 wind +1.4TIME
1.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Kathy Cook  (GBR)22.78
2.Flag of Poland.svg  Ewa Kasprzyk  (POL)22.93
3.Flag of Finland.svg  Helinä Marjamaa  (FIN)23.11
4.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Nadezhda Georgieva  (BUL)23.14
5.Flag of France.svg  Marie-Christine Cazier  (FRA)23.30
6.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Štěpánka Sokolová  (TCH)23.75
7.Flag of Uruguay.svg  Margarita Grun  (URU)24.59
8.Flag of South Korea.svg  Mo Myong-hee  (KOR)24.74


RANKHEAT 3 wind -0.3TIME
1.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)22.38
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith  (USA)22.55
3.Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Angela Bailey  (CAN)23.25
4.Flag of Italy.svg  Marisa Masullo  (ITA)23.58
5.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sandra Whittaker  (GBR)23.58
6.Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Pauline Davis  (BAH)23.64
7.Flag of Nigeria.svg  Rufina Ubah  (NGR)24.72
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Evelyne Farrell  (AHO)DNS


RANKHEAT 4 wind +1.2TIME
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)23.03
2.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Joan Baptiste  (GBR)23.29
3.Flag of France.svg  Liliane Gaschet  (FRA)23.38
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Randy Givens  (USA)23.43
5.Flag of Sweden.svg  Lena Möller  (SWE)23.56
6.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yelena Vinogradova  (URS)23.60
7.Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Ruperta Charles  (ATG)24.09
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Elanga Buala  (PNG)DNS

Qualifying heats

RANKHEAT 1 wind +0.0TIME
1.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Joan Baptiste  (GBR)23.34
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)23.59
3.Flag of France.svg  Liliane Gaschet  (FRA)23.60
4.Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg  Lydia de Vega  (PHI)24.45
5.Flag of Benin (1975-1990).svg  Felicite Bada  (BEN)26.98
6.Flag of Belize.svg  Marjorie Gentle  (BIZ)27.90
7.Flag of Eswatini.svg  Annah Mathunjwa  (SWZ)29.38


RANKHEAT 2 wind +1.3TIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith  (USA)23.05
2.Flag of France.svg  Marie-Christine Cazier  (FRA)23.55
3.Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Angela Bailey  (CAN)23.93
4.Flag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Ruperta Charles  (ATG)24.11
5.Flag of Guinea.svg  Koumba Kante  (GUI)27.86
6.Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg  Rose Phillips-King  (IVB)28.50
Flag of The Gambia.svg  Amie Ndow  (GAM)DQ


RANKHEAT 3 wind +2.5TIME
1.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Kathy Cook  (GBR)23.20 w
2.Flag of Italy.svg  Marisa Masullo  (ITA)23.37 w
3.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Nadezhda Georgieva  (BUL)23.53 w
4.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Štěpánka Sokolová  (TCH)23.82 w
5.Flag of Nigeria.svg  Rufina Ubah  (NGR)24.12 w
6.Flag of Uruguay.svg  Margarita Grun  (URU)24.84 w
7.Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  Sandra Liburd  (SKN)26.13 w
8.Flag of Saint Lucia (1979-2002).svg  Cornelia Baptiste  (LCA)26.29 w


RANKHEAT 4 wind -0.7TIME
1.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Grace Jackson  (JAM)23.09
2.Flag of Poland.svg  Ewa Kasprzyk  (POL)23.21
3.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Anelia Nuneva  (BUL)23.31
4.Flag of Germany.svg  Ute Thimm  (FRG)23.56
5.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sandra Whittaker  (GBR)23.63
6.Flag of South Korea.svg  Mo Myong-hee  (KOR)24.63
7.Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg  Evelyne Farrell  (AHO)25.52
8.Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg  Florence Gaza  (SOL)30.43


RANKHEAT 5 wind -1.9TIME
1.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)23.23
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Irina Olkhovnikova  (URS)23.65
3.Flag of Finland.svg  Helinä Marjamaa  (FIN)23.82
4.Flag of Denmark.svg  Dorthe A. Rasmussen  (DEN)23.84
5.Flag of Sweden.svg  Lena Moller  (SWE)23.99
6.Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg  Elanga Buala  (PNG)25.59
7.Flag of Burundi.svg  Judith Nimpaye  (BDI)30.25


RANKHEAT 6 wind +1.9TIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Randy Givens  (USA)23.01
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yelena Vinogradova  (URS)23.37
3.Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Denise Boyd  (AUS)23.38
4.Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Pauline Davis  (BAH)23.57
5.Flag of Ghana.svg  Mary Mensah  (GHA)24.91
6.Flag of Nicaragua.svg  Marisol García  (NCA)25.92
7.Flag of Seychelles (1977-1996).svg  Marie-Ange Wirtz  (SEY)26.13

See also

References