The World Athletics Championships are a biennial athletics competition organized by World Athletics. The World Championships were started in 1976 in response to the International Olympic Committee dropping the men's 50 km walk from the Olympic programme for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, despite its constant presence at the games since 1932. The IAAF chose to host its own world championship event instead, a month and a half after the Olympics. It was the first World Championships that the IAAF had hosted separate from the Olympic Games. A second limited event was held in 1980, and the inaugural championships in 1983, with all the events, is considered the official start of the competition. Until 1980, the Olympic champions were considered as reigning World Champions. At their debut, these championships were then held every four years, until 1991, when they switched to a two-year cycle since.
The Netherlands Antilles competed at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, from 13 to 29 August 2004, sending track athletes Churandy Martina and Geronimo Goeloe and equestrian athlete Eddy Stibbe. The 2004 Games were the Netherlands Antilles' twelfth appearance in the Summer Olympics; they first competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. Before the 2004 games, the Netherlands Antilles had won one medal, a silver in sailing at the 1988 Summer Olympics, by Jan Boersma. There were no Dutch Antillean medalists at the Athens Olympics, although Martina advanced to the quarterfinal round in his event. The Dutch Antillean flagbearer at the ceremonies was Churandy Martina.
Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. British athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games. A total of 371 athletes represented Great Britain and the team won twenty medals, five gold, three silver and twelve bronze. This equalled the number of golds won at the previous three Summer Games but was the lowest total medals achieved since the Montreal Games in 1976. Archer Simon Terry and hurdlers Sally Gunnell and Kriss Akabusi each won two medals.
Ethiopia competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. The nation returned to the Olympic Games after a 12 year absence, having boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States and 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Twenty competitors, fourteen men and six women, took part in eleven events in two sports.
Venezuela competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland. The Venezuelan Olympic Committee selected 38 competitors, 36 men and two women, to take part in 37 events across eight sports. This was a much greater turnout than 1948, Venezuela's only previous entry, which had only one athlete. For the first time, women represented Venezuela at the Summer Olympics. Women have been absent in the Venezuelan team on four occasions, including the next Summer Games held in Melbourne.
Canada competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. 37 competitors, all men, took part in 30 events in 7 sports.
Russian Empire (Russia) competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. 159 competitors, all men, took part in 62 events in 15 sports.
Italy competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. 200 competitors, 196 men and 4 women, took part in 93 events in 18 sports.
Indonesia competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. At the games, twenty-two Indonesians had qualified to compete, while the other three had been granted a wildcard entry.
Guatemala competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. In what was the country's fourteenth Summer Olympics since its debut at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland. A total of twelve athletes competed in nine sports and twelve distinct events. It was the lowest number of participants for Guatemala since the 1980 Games in Moscow, USSR. Three of the twelve athletes were taking part in their second Olympics, and one of them, race walker Luis García, participated in his fourth. In any event that involved a progression through rounds, the Guatemalan athletes did not advance past the first round; as of the Beijing Olympics, there had yet to be a Guatemalan medalist. At the opening ceremony, badminton player Kevin Cordón bore Guatemala's flag.
Jamaica sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, People's Republic of China from August 8 to August 24, 2008. This was, by far, Jamaica's best showing at the Summer Olympics; it was the nation's largest delegation yet, and its athletes nearly doubled its total gold medal count in addition to breaking the nation's record for number of medals earned in a single games. Jamaica's appearance at Beijing was its fifteenth consecutive appearance and appearance as an independent nation, although it had previously participated in four other games as a British colony and as part of the West Indies Federation. In the 29 events that included Jamaican athletes, there were 26 cases in which a Jamaican athlete or relay progressed to a final round. Usain Bolt won three of Jamaica's six gold medals at Beijing, breaking an Olympic and world record in all three of the events in which he participated. Shelly-Ann Fraser led an unprecedented Jamaican sweep of the medals in the Women's 100 m. Female sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown carried Jamaica's flag at the ceremonies.
The men's 10 kilometres walk event at the 1948 Summer Olympic Games took place from 3 to 7 August. The final was won by Swede John Mikaelsson. This was the first time since 1924 the event took place.
The People's Republic of China competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom, between 27 July and 12 August 2012. This was the nation's ninth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in 1952. A total of 396 Chinese athletes, 171 men and 225 women, were selected by the Chinese Olympic Committee to compete in 23 sports. For the fourth time in its Olympic history, China was represented by more female than male athletes.
The men's 5000 metres event at the 1952 Olympic Games took place July 22 and July 24. The final was won by Emil Zátopek of Czechoslovakia.
The men's 110 metres hurdles event at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games took place July 23 and July 24. The final was won by the American Harrison Dillard. Dillard's compatriots, Jack Davis and Arthur Barnard took 2nd and 3rd place.
The men's 400 metres hurdles event at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games took place July 20 and July 21. The final was won by American Charles Moore.
The men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games took place July 23 and July 25. The final was won by the American Horace Ashenfelter.
The men's 4 × 100 metres relay event at the 1952 Olympic Games took place on July 26 & July 27. The United States team won the final.
Race walking events at the Summer Olympics have been contested over a variety of distances at the multi-sport event. There are three race walking events in the current Olympic athletics programme: a men's and a women's 20 kilometres walk, and a men's 50 kilometres walk. The races are held in a final-only format.
The men's coxed four competition at the 1952 Summer Olympics took place at Mei Bay, Helsinki, Finland. It was held from 20 to 23 August and was won by the team from Czechoslovakia.
