200 metres at the World Athletics Championships

Last updated

200 metres
at the World Athletics Championships
Campbell Jeter 200 m final Daegu 2011.jpg
Overview
GenderMen and women
Years heldMen: 19832025
Women: 19832025
Championship record
Men19.19 Usain Bolt (2009)
Women21.41 Shericka Jackson (2023)
Reigning champion
MenFlag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)
WomenFlag of the United States.svg  Melissa Jefferson-Wooden  (USA)

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.

Contents

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 2025. [1] 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

DistinctionMaleFemale
AthleteAgeDateAthleteAgeDate
Youngest championFlag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)22 years, 75 days1 Oct 2019Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)19 years, 267 days12 Aug 2005
Youngest medalistFlag of the United States.svg  Erriyon Knighton  (USA)18 years, 173 days21 Jul 2022Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)19 years, 267 days12 Aug 2005
Youngest finalistFlag of Japan.svg  Abdul Hakim Sani Brown  (JPN)18 years, 157 days10 Aug 2017Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Shaunae Miller  (BAH)19 years, 123 days16 Aug 2013
Youngest participantFlag of Japan.svg  Abdul Hakim Sani Brown  (JPN)16 years, 172 days25 Aug 2015Flag of Somalia.svg  Fowzio Abdikarim Sheikh  (SOM)15 years, 323 days29 Aug 2007
Oldest championFlag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)29 years, 6 days27 Aug 2015Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)35 years, 92 days10 Aug 1995
Oldest medalistFlag of the United States.svg  Justin Gatlin  (USA)33 years, 198 days27 Aug 2015Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)37 years, 90 days8 Aug 1997
Oldest finalistFlag of Namibia.svg  Frankie Fredericks  (NAM)35 years, 331 days29 Aug 2003Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)37 years, 90 days8 Aug 1997
Oldest participantFlag of the Netherlands.svg  Troy Douglas  (NED)40 years, 270 days27 Aug 2003Flag of Slovenia.svg  Merlene Ottey  (SLO)43 years, 108 days26 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. [3] [4]

The next 200 m athlete to be disqualified for doping was Ruqaya Al-Ghasra (a competitor in the heats only). [3] 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. [5]

Medalists

Men

ChampionshipsGoldSilverBronze
1983 Helsinki
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Calvin Smith  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Elliott Quow  (USA)Flag of Italy.svg  Pietro Mennea  (ITA)
1987 Rome
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Calvin Smith  (USA)Flag of France.svg  Gilles Quénéhervé  (FRA)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  John Regis  (GBR)
1991 Tokyo
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Michael Johnson  (USA)Flag of Namibia.svg  Frankie Fredericks  (NAM)Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Atlee Mahorn  (CAN)
1993 Stuttgart
details
Flag of Namibia.svg  Frankie Fredericks  (NAM)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  John Regis  (GBR)Flag of the United States.svg  Carl Lewis  (USA)
1995 Gothenburg
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Michael Johnson  (USA)Flag of Namibia.svg  Frankie Fredericks  (NAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Jeff Williams  (USA)
1997 Athens
details
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Ato Boldon  (TRI)Flag of Namibia.svg  Frankie Fredericks  (NAM)Flag of Brazil.svg  Claudinei da Silva  (BRA)
1999 Seville
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Maurice Greene  (USA)Flag of Brazil.svg  Claudinei da Silva  (BRA)Flag of Nigeria.svg  Francis Obikwelu  (NGR)
2001 Edmonton
details
Flag of Greece.svg  Konstantinos Kenteris  (GRE)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Christopher Williams  (JAM)Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  Kim Collins  (SKN)
Flag of the United States.svg  Shawn Crawford  (USA)
2003 Saint-Denis
details
Flag of the United States.svg  John Capel Jr.  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Darvis Patton  (USA)Flag of Japan.svg  Shingo Suetsugu  (JPN)
2005 Helsinki
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Justin Gatlin  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Wallace Spearmon  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  John Capel  (USA)
2007 Osaka
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Tyson Gay  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Wallace Spearmon  (USA)
2009 Berlin
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)Flag of Panama.svg  Alonso Edward  (PAN)Flag of the United States.svg  Wallace Spearmon  (USA)
2011 Daegu
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Walter Dix  (USA)Flag of France.svg  Christophe Lemaitre  (FRA)
2013 Moscow
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Warren Weir  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Curtis Mitchell  (USA)
2015 Beijing
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Usain Bolt  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Justin Gatlin  (USA)Flag of South Africa.svg  Anaso Jobodwana  (RSA)
2017 London
details
Flag of Turkey.svg  Ramil Guliyev  (TUR)Flag of South Africa.svg  Wayde van Niekerk  (RSA)Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Jereem Richards  (TTO)
2019 Doha
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Andre De Grasse  (CAN)Flag of Ecuador.svg  Álex Quiñónez  (ECU)
2022 Eugene
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Kenny Bednarek  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Erriyon Knighton  (USA)
2023 Budapest
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Erriyon Knighton  (USA)Flag of Botswana.svg  Letsile Tebogo  (BOT)
2025 Tokyo
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Noah Lyles  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Kenny Bednarek  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Bryan Levell  (JAM)

Medalists by country

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)128828
2Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)4318
3Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia  (NAM)1304
4Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago  (TTO)1012
5Flag of Greece.svg  Greece  (GRE)1001
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey  (TUR)1001
6Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil  (BRA)0112
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada  (CAN)0112
Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)0112
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)0112
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa  (RSA)0112
7Flag of Panama.svg  Panama  (PAN)0101
8Flag of Botswana.svg  Botswana  (BOT)0011
Flag of Ecuador.svg  Ecuador  (ECU)0011
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA)0011
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan  (JPN)0011
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria  (NGR)0011
Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis.svg  Saint Kitts and Nevis  (SKN)0011

Multiple medalists

RankAthleteNationPeriodGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Usain Bolt Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)2007–20154105
2 Noah Lyles Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2019–20254004
3 Calvin Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1983–19872002
Michael Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1995–19992002
5 Frankie Fredericks Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia  (NAM)1991–19971304
6 Justin Gatlin Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2005–20171102
7 John Capel Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2003–20051012
8 Kenny Bednarek Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2022-20250202
9 Wallace Spearmon Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2005–20090123
10 John Regis Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)1987–19930112
Claudinei da Silva Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil  (BRA)1997–19990112
Erriyon Knighton Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2022-20230112

Women

ChampionshipsGoldSilverBronze
1983 Helsinki
details
Flag of East Germany.svg  Marita Koch  (GDR)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Kathy Smallwood-Cook  (GBR)
1987 Rome
details
Flag of East Germany.svg  Silke Gladisch  (GDR)Flag of the United States.svg  Florence Griffith-Joyner  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)
1991 Tokyo
details
Flag of Germany.svg  Katrin Krabbe  (GER)Flag of the United States.svg  Gwen Torrence  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)
1993 Stuttgart
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Gwen Torrence  (USA)Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg  Irina Privalova  (RUS)
1995 Gothenburg
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)Flag of Russia.svg  Irina Privalova  (RUS)Flag of Russia.svg  Galina Malchugina  (RUS)
1997 Athens
details
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Zhanna Pintusevich-Block  (UKR)Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Susanthika Jayasinghe  (SRI)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Ottey  (JAM)
1999 Seville
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Inger Miller  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Beverly McDonald  (JAM)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Merlene Frazer  (JAM)
Flag of Germany.svg  Andrea Philipp  (GER)
2001 Edmonton
details
Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Debbie Ferguson  (BAH)Flag of the United States.svg  LaTasha Jenkins  (USA)Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg  Cydonie Mothersille  (CAY)
2003 Saint-Denis
details
Flag of Russia.svg  Anastasiya Kapachinskaya  (RUS)Flag of the United States.svg  Torri Edwards  (USA)Flag of France.svg  Muriel Hurtis  (FRA)
2005 Helsinki
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Rachelle Boone-Smith  (USA)Flag of France.svg  Christine Arron  (FRA)
2007 Osaka
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Veronica Campbell  (JAM)Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Susanthika Jayasinghe  (SRI)
2009 Berlin
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Veronica Campbell-Brown  (JAM)Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie  (BAH)
2011 Daegu
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Veronica Campbell-Brown  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Carmelita Jeter  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Allyson Felix  (USA)
2013 Moscow
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce  (JAM)Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Murielle Ahouré  (CIV)Flag of Nigeria.svg  Blessing Okagbare  (NGR)
2015 Beijing
details
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Dafne Schippers  (NED)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Elaine Thompson-Herah  (JAM)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Veronica Campbell-Brown  (JAM)
2017 London
details
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Dafne Schippers  (NED)Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Marie-Josée Ta Lou  (CIV)Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Shaunae Miller-Uibo  (BAH)
2019 Doha
details
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Dina Asher-Smith  (GBR)Flag of the United States.svg  Brittany Brown  (USA)Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Mujinga Kambundji  (SUI)
2022 Eugene
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Shericka Jackson  (JAM)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce  (JAM)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Dina Asher-Smith  (GBR)
2023 Budapest
details
Flag of Jamaica.svg  Shericka Jackson  (JAM)Flag of the United States.svg  Gabrielle Thomas  (USA)Flag of the United States.svg  Sha'Carri Richardson  (USA)
2025 Tokyo
details
Flag of the United States.svg  Melissa Jefferson-Wooden  (USA)Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Amy Hunt  (GBR)Flag of Jamaica.svg  Shericka Jackson  (JAM)

Medalists by country

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)66618
2Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)59216
3Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR)2002
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED)2002
5Flag of Russia.svg  Russia  (RUS)1124
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)1124
7Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas  (BAH)1023
8Flag of Germany.svg  Germany  (GER)1012
9Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine  (UKR)1001
10Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg  Ivory Coast  (CIV)0202
11Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka  (SRI)0112
12Flag of France.svg  France  (FRA)0022
13Flag of the Cayman Islands.svg  Cayman Islands  (CAY)0011
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland  (SUI)0011
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria  (NGR)0011

Multiple medalists

RankAthleteNationPeriodGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Allyson Felix Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)2005–20113014
2 Merlene Ottey Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)1983–19972136
3 Shericka Jackson Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)2022-20252013
4 Dafne Schippers Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED)2015–20172002
5 Veronica Campbell-Brown Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)2007–20151214
6 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM)2013–20221102
7 Debbie Ferguson Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas  (BAH)2001–20091012
Dina Asher-Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR)2019–20221012
9 Gwen Torrence Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA)1991–19930202
10 Irina Privalova Flag of Russia.svg  Russia  (RUS)1993–19950112
Susanthika Jayasinghe Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka  (SRI)1997–20070112

Championship record progression

Men

Men's 200 metres World Championships record progression [6]
TimeAthleteNationYearRoundDate
20.95 Frank Emmelmann Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
20.80 Pietro Mennea Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
20.76 Carlo Simionato Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
20.75 Carlo Simionato Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA) 1983 Quarter-finals1983-08-12
20.68 Pietro Mennea Flag of Italy.svg  Italy  (ITA) 1983 Quarter-finals1983-08-12
20.29 Calvin Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1983 Semi-finals1983-08-12
20.14 Calvin Smith Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1983 Final1983-08-12
20.05 Michael Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1991 Quarter-finals1991-08-26
20.01 Michael Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1991 Final1991-08-27
19.85 Frankie Fredericks Flag of Namibia.svg  Namibia  (NAM) 1993 Final1993-08-20
19.79 Michael Johnson Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1995 Final1995-08-11
19.76 Tyson Gay Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 2007 Final2007-08-30
19.19 WR Usain Bolt Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM) 2009 Final2009-08-20

Women

Women's 200 metres World Championships record progression [7]
TimeAthleteNationYearRoundDate
23.34 Joan Baptiste Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
23.05 Florence Griffith Joyner Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
23.01 Randy Givens Flag of the United States.svg  United States  (USA) 1983 Heats1983-08-12
22.78 Kathy Smallwood-Cook Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain  (GBR) 1983 Quarter-finals1983-08-12
22.38 Merlene Ottey Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM) 1983 Quarter-finals1983-08-12
22.13 Marita Koch Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR) 1983 Final1983-08-14
21.74 Silke Möller Flag of East Germany.svg  East Germany  (GDR) 1987 Final1987-09-03
21.63 Dafne Schippers Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands  (NED) 2015 Final2015-08-28
21.45 Shericka Jackson Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM) 2022 Final2022-07-21
21.41 Shericka Jackson Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica  (JAM) 2023 Final2023-08-25

Finishing times

Top ten fastest World Championship times


References

  1. IAAF World Championships: IAAF Statistics Handbook Daegu 2011, pp. 595–6 (archived). IAAF. Retrieved on 2015-07-06.
  2. "World Athletics Championships - Budapest 23 Statistical Booklet" (PDF). www.worldathletics.org : 42–45.
  3. 1 2 Butler 2013, p. 67–9.
  4. "Kapachinskaya given ban". 2004-05-29. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  5. "More than 1900 blood samples collected – Moscow 2013 | PRESS-RELEASE | World Athletics". www.worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  6. "Track and Field Statistics". trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  7. "Track and Field Statistics". trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  8. "Men's 200m".
  9. "Women's 200m".

Bibliography