1983 in the sport of athletics

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1983 in athletics
Major world events World Championship in Athletics
1982
1984

This article contains an overview of the year 1983 in athletics.

Contents

International Events

World records

Men

EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE
100 metres Flag of the United States.svg  Calvin Smith  (USA)9.933 July Air Force Academy, CO, USA
1500 m Flag of the United States.svg  Sydney Maree  (USA)3:31.2428 August Köln, West Germany
1500 m Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Steve Ovett  (GBR)3:30.774 September Rieti, Italy
400m Hurdles Flag of the United States.svg  Ed Moses  (USA)47.0231 August Koblenz, West Germany
4x100m Relay Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)
Emmit King
Willie Gault
Calvin Smith
Carl Lewis
37.8610 August Helsinki
High Jump Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhu Jianhua  (CHN)2.37m11 June Beijing, PR China
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhu Jianhua  (CHN)2.38m22 September Shanghai, PR China
Pole Vault Flag of France.svg  Pierre Quinon  (FRA)5.82m28 August Köln, West Germany
Pole Vault Flag of France.svg  Thierry Vigneron  (FRA)5.83m1 September Rome, Italy
Shot Put Flag of East Germany.svg  Udo Beyer  (GDR)22.22m25 June Los Angeles, United States
Discus Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yuriy Dumchev  (URS)71.86m29 May Moscow, Soviet Union
Hammer Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Sergey Litvinov  (URS)84.14m21 June Moscow, Soviet Union
Javelin (old) Flag of the United States.svg  Tom Petranoff  (USA)99.72m15 May Westwood, United States
Decathlon Flag of Germany.svg  Jürgen Hingsen  (FRG)88254-5 June Bernhausen, West Germany
Half Marathon Flag of the United States.svg  Paul Cummings  (USA)1:01:3225 September Dayton, Ohio, United States

Women

EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE
100 metres Flag of East Germany.svg  Marlies Göhr  (GDR)10.818 June East Berlin
Flag of the United States.svg  Evelyn Ashford  (USA)10.793 July Colorado Springs
400 metres Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Jarmila Kratochvílová  (TCH)47.9910 August Helsinki
800 metres Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Jarmila Kratochvílová  (TCH)1:53.2826 July Munich
10,000 metres Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Lyudmila Baranova  (URS)31:35.0129 May Krasnodar
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Raysa Sadreydinova  (URS)31:27.587 September Odessa
400m Hurdles Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Anna Ambrazienė  (URS)54.0211 June Moscow
4x100m Relay Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)
Silke Möller
Marita Koch
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr
41.5331 July East Berlin
High Jump Flag of Germany.svg  Ulrike Meyfarth  (FRG)2.03m21 August London
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tamara Bykova  (URS)2.04m25 August Pisa, Italy
Heptathlon Flag of East Germany.svg  Ramona Neubert  (GDR)693518-19 June Moscow
Half Marathon Flag of the United States.svg  Joan Benoit  (USA)1:09:1018 September Philadelphia

Men's Best Year Performers

100 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 100 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Calvin Smith  (USA)9.93
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Carl Lewis  (USA)9.97
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Mel Lattany  (USA)10.03
4.Flag of Cuba.svg  Leandro Peñalver  (CUB)10.06
Flag of the United States.svg  Ron Brown  (USA)
Flag of the United States.svg  Emmit King  (USA)

200 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 200 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Carl Lewis  (USA)19.75
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Calvin Smith  (USA)19.99
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Larry Myricks  (USA)20.03
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Elliott Quow  (USA)20.16
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Mel Lattany  (USA)20.22

400 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 400 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of Germany.svg  Erwin Skamrahl  (FRG)44.50
2.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Bert Cameron  (JAM)44.62
3.Flag of the United States.svg  James Rolle  (USA)44.73
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Chris Whitlock  (USA)44.80
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Sunder Nix  (USA)44.87

800 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 800 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Steve Cram  (GBR)1:43.61
2.Flag of Germany.svg  Willi Wülbeck  (FRG)1:43.65
3.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Sebastian Coe  (GBR)1:43.80
4.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Peter Elliott  (GBR)1:43.98
5.Flag of Brazil.svg  Joaquim Cruz  (BRA)1:44.04

1,500 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 1,500 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Steve Ovett  (GBR)3:30.77
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Sydney Maree  (USA)3:31.24
3.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Steve Cram  (GBR)3:31.66
4.Flag of Morocco.svg  Saïd Aouita  (MAR)3:32.54
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Steve Scott  (USA)3:32.71

Mile

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Steve Scott  (USA)3:49.21
2.Flag of New Zealand.svg  John Walker  (NZL)3:49.73
3.Flag of Germany.svg  Thomas Wessinghage  (FRG)3:49.98
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Sydney Maree  (USA)3:50.30
5.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Steve Ovett  (GBR)3:50.49

3,000 metres

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Doug Padilla  (USA)7:35.84
2.Flag of Ireland.svg  Eamonn Coghlan  (IRL)7:38.39
3.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  António Leitão  (POR)7:39.69
4.Flag of Germany.svg  Thomas Wessinghage  (FRG)7:39.71
5.Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Dragan Zdravković  (YUG)7:40.49

5,000 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 5,000 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Fernando Mamede  (POR)13:08.54
2.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  António Leitão  (POR)13:14.13
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Doug Padilla  (USA)13:17.69
4.Flag of Spain.svg  Antonio Prieto  (ESP)13:18.53
5.Flag of Germany.svg  Thomas Wessinghage  (FRG)13:18.86

10,000 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 10,000 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Carlos Lopes  (POR)27:23.44
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Werner Schildhauer  (GDR)27:24.95
3.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Fernando Mamede  (POR)27:25.13
4.Flag of East Germany.svg  Hansjörg Kunze  (GDR)27:30.69
5.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Nick Rose  (GBR)27:31.19

Half Marathon

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Paul Cummings  (USA)1:01:32WR

Marathon

Main race this year: World Championships Marathon
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Robert de Castella  (AUS)2:08:37
2.Flag of Japan.svg  Toshihiko Seko  (JPN)2:08:38
3.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Carlos Lopes  (POR)2:08:39
4.Flag of Japan.svg  Takeshi So  (JPN)2:08:55
Flag of Tanzania.svg  Juma Ikangaa  (TAN)

110m Hurdles

Main race this year: World Championships 110m Hurdles
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Greg Foster  (USA)13.11
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Sam Turner  (USA)13.17
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Tonie Campbell  (USA)13.32
4.Flag of Finland.svg  Arto Bryggare  (FIN)13.44
Flag of the United States.svg  Roger Kingdom  (USA)

400m Hurdles

Main race this year: World Championships 400m Hurdles
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Edwin Moses  (USA)47.02
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Andre Phillips  (USA)47.78
3.Flag of the United States.svg  David Patrick  (USA)48.05
4.Flag of the United States.svg  David Lee  (USA)48.42
5.Flag of Germany.svg  Harald Schmid  (FRG)48.49

3,000m Steeplechase

Main race this year: World Championships 3,000m Steeplechase
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Henry Marsh  (USA)8:12.37
2.Flag of Poland.svg  Bogusław Mamiński  (POL)8:12.62
3.Flag of Germany.svg  Patriz Ilg  (FRG)8:15.06
4.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Graeme Fell  (GBR)8:15.16
5.Flag of France.svg  Joseph Mahmoud  (FRA)8:15.59

High Jump

Main competition this year: World Championships High Jump
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT
1.Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  Zhu Jianhua  (CHN)2.38WR
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Valeriy Sereda  (URS)2.35
3.Flag of Germany.svg  Paul Frommeyer  (FRG)2.34
Flag of Germany.svg  Carlo Thränhardt  (FRG)
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Eddy Annys  (BEL)

Long Jump

Main competition this year: World Championships Long Jump
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Carl Lewis  (USA)8.79
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Jason Grimes  (USA)8.39
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Sergey Rodin  (URS)8.33
Flag of the United States.svg  Reginald Kelly  (USA)
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Aleksandr Beskrovniy  (URS)8.28

Triple Jump

Main competition this year: World Championships Triple Jump
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Vasiliy Grishchenkov  (URS)17.55
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Aleksandr Beskrovniy  (URS)17.53
3.Flag of Poland.svg  Zdzislaw Hoffmann  (POL)17.42
4.Flag of Cuba.svg  Lázaro Betancourt  (CUB)17.40
5.Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Ken Lorraway  (AUS)17.35

Discus

Main competition this year: World Championships Discus Throw
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yuriy Dumchev  (URS)71.86WR
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Ben Plucknett  (USA)71.32
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Art Burns  (USA)71.18
4.Flag of Cuba.svg  Luis Delís  (CUB)71.06
5.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Imrich Bugár  (TCH)70.72

Hammer

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Sergey Litvinov  (URS)84.14
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Igor Nikulin  (URS)82.92
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yuriy Tarasyuk  (URS)81.18
4.Flag of Finland.svg  Juha Tiainen  (FIN)81.02
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yuriy Syedikh  (URS)80.94

Shot Put

Main competition this year: World Championships Shot Put
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Udo Beyer  (GDR)22.22WR
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Dave Laut  (USA)21.94
3.Flag of Poland.svg  Edward Sarul  (POL)21.68
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Kevin Akins  (USA)21.61
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Mike Lehmann  (USA)21.43

Javelin (old design)

Main competition this year: World Championships Javelin Throw
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Tom Petranoff  (USA)99.72
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Detlef Michel  (GDR)96.72
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Heino Puuste  (URS)94.20
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Dainis Kula  (URS)91.88
5.Flag of Germany.svg  Klaus Tafelmeier  (FRG)91.44

Pole Vault

Main competition this year: World Championships Pole Vault
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT
1.Flag of France.svg  Thierry Vigneron  (FRA)5.83
2.Flag of France.svg  Pierre Quinon  (FRA)5.82
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Billy Olson  (USA)5.80
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Jeff Buckingham  (USA)5.76
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Brad Pursley  (USA)5.75

Decathlon

Main competition this year: World Championships Decathlon
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS
1.Flag of Germany.svg  Jürgen Hingsen  (FRG)8779WR
2.Flag of Germany.svg  Siegfried Wentz  (FRG)8718
3.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Daley Thompson  (GBR)8666
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Grigoriy Degtyaryev  (URS)8538
5.Flag of East Germany.svg  Uwe Freimuth  (GDR)8501

Women's Best Year Performers

100 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 100 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Evelyn Ashford  (USA)10.79WR
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marlies Göhr  (GDR)10.81WR
3.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)10.83
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Diane Williams  (USA)10.94
5.Flag of East Germany.svg  Silke Gladisch  (GDR)11.03

200 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 200 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)21.82
2.Flag of the United States.svg  Evelyn Ashford  (USA)21.88
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Chandra Cheeseborough  (USA)21.99
4.Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)22.19
5.Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith  (USA)22.23

400 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 400 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Jarmila Kratochvílová  (TCH)47.99WR
2.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Tatána Kocembová  (TCH)48.59
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Mariya Pinigina  (URS)49.19
4.Flag of Germany.svg  Gaby Bußmann  (FRG)49.75
5.Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Marita Payne  (CAN)50.06

800 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 800 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Jarmila Kratochvílová  (TCH)1:53.28WR
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yekaterina Podkopayeva  (URS)1:55.96
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Lyubov Gurina  (URS)1:56.11
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Zamira Zaytseva  (URS)1:56.21
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Providokhina  (URS)1:56.81

1,500 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 1,500 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Mary Decker  (USA)3:57.12
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Ravilya Agletdinova  (URS)3:59.31
3.Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Fiţa Lovin  (ROU)4:00.12
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yekaterina Podkopayeva  (URS)4:00.3
5.Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Maria Radu  (ROU)4:00.62

3,000 metres

Main race this year: World Championships 3,000 metres
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Kazankina  (URS)8:32.08
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Alla Yushina  (URS)8:34.02
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Galina Zakharova  (URS)8:34.60
4.Flag of the United States.svg  Mary Decker  (USA)8:34.62
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Svetlana Guskova  (URS)8:35.06

5,000 metres

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  Zola Budd  (RSA)15:10.65
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Anna Domoradskaya  (URS)15:19.0

10,000 metres

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Raysa Sadreydinova  (URS)31:27.58WR
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Lyudmila Baranova  (URS)31:35.01WR
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Pozdnyakova  (URS)31:48.94
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Olga Bondarenko  (URS)31:49.44
5.Flag of Portugal (official).svg  Aurora Cunha  (POR)31:52.85

Half Marathon

RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Joan Benoit  (USA)1:09:10

Marathon

Main race this year: World Championships Marathon
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the United States.svg  Joan Benoit  (USA)2:22:43
2.Flag of Norway.svg  Grete Waitz  (NOR)2:25:17
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Julie Brown  (USA)2:26:26
4.Flag of New Zealand.svg  Mary O'Connor  (NZL)2:28:20
5.Flag of Germany.svg  Charlotte Teske  (FRG)2:28:32

100m Hurdles

Main race this year: World Championships 100m Hurdles
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Bettine Jahn  (GDR)12.42
2.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Ginka Zagorcheva  (BUL)12.49
3.Flag of East Germany.svg  Kerstin Knabe  (GDR)12.62
4.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Yordanka Donkova  (BUL)12.65
5.Flag of East Germany.svg  Cornelia Riefstahl  (GDR)12.72

400m Hurdles

Main race this year: World Championships 400m Hurdles
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Anna Ambrazienė  (URS)54.02WR
2.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yekaterina Fesenko  (URS)54.14
3.Flag of East Germany.svg  Ellen Fiedler  (GDR)54.20
4.Flag of East Germany.svg  Petra Pfaff  (GDR)54.64
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yelena Filipishina  (URS)54.72

High Jump

Main competition this year: World Championships High Jump
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tamara Bykova  (URS)2.04WR
2.Flag of Germany.svg  Ulrike Meyfarth  (FRG)2.03WR
3.Flag of the United States.svg  Louise Ritter  (USA)2.01
4.Flag of East Germany.svg  Kerstin Brandt  (GDR)1.99
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Larisa Kositsyna  (URS)1.98
Flag of Cuba.svg  Silvia Costa  (CUB)
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Valentina Poluyko  (URS)

Long Jump

Main competition this year: World Championships Long Jump
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Anişoara Cuşmir  (ROU)7.43
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Heike Daute  (GDR)7.14
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Svetlana Zorina  (URS)7.04
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Tatyana Proskuryakova  (URS)
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Margarita Butkiené  (URS)7.00

Discus

Main competition this year: World Championships Discus Throw
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Galina Savinkova  (URS)73.26
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Gisela Beyer  (GDR)70.96
3.Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg  Mariya Petkova  (BUL)70.74
4.Flag of East Germany.svg  Martina Hellmann  (GDR)70.26
5.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Zdeňka Šilhavá  (TCH)70.00

Shot Put

Main competition this year: World Championships Shot Put
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Ilona Slupianek  (GDR)22.40
2.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Helena Fibingerová  (TCH)21.46
3.Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Zdeňka Šilhavá  (TCH)21.05
4.Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg  Mihaela Loghin  (ROU)20.95
5.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Nunu Abashidze  (URS)20.94

Javelin (old design)

Main competition this year: World Championships Javelin Throw
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE
1.Flag of Finland.svg  Tiina Lillak  (FIN)74.76
2.Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Tessa Sanderson  (GBR)73.58
3.Flag of Greece.svg  Sofia Sakorafa  (GRE)72.28
4.Flag of East Germany.svg  Antje Zöllkau  (GDR)71.00
5.Flag of Greece.svg  Anna Verouli  (GRE)70.90

Heptathlon

Main competition this year: World Championships Heptathlon
RANK1983 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS
1.Flag of East Germany.svg  Ramona Neubert  (GDR)6935WR
2.Flag of East Germany.svg  Sabine Paetz  (GDR)6713
3.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Lyudmila Kolyadina  (URS)6541
4.Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Yekaterina Smirnova  (URS)6536
5.Flag of East Germany.svg  Anke Vater  (GDR)6531

Births

Deaths

References