| Sport | Track and field |
|---|---|
| Founder | International Association of Athletics Federations |
| First season | 1985 |
| Ceased | 2002 |
| Replaced by | IAAF Golden League |
| Continent | Worldwide |
| Qualification | IAAF Grand Prix |
The IAAF Grand Prix Final was an athletics competition featuring track and field events staged by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was first held in 1985 and replaced in 2003 by the IAAF World Athletics Final. For the most part of its history, the events were staged in early September in European major cities which also played host to prominent annual athletics meetings. Fukuoka City became the first non-European host in 1997. Doha followed in 2000 (also the first time the event was staged in October) and Melbourne was that last non-European host before the final edition of the competition was held in Paris in 2002. [1]
The event programme was half that of a full traditional track and field programme, with events alternating each edition. For example, a men's 100 metres and women's 200 metres were contested in 1985, but not vice versa – that arrangement was reversed in 1986 and reversed again in 1987, and so forth. Middle-distance running was particularly prominent as a 1500 metres or a mile run were held at every edition of the tournament. [2]
From 1982 to 1992, the winners of the Grand Prix title in an event were decided by the overall seasonal points rankings gained from competing on the IAAF Grand Prix circuit. This was amended in 1993 when seasonal points served as a method of qualifying for the final, with the event winner being the victor at the Grand Prix Final event. The athlete with the greatest number of points accumulated in the season across all events was declared the overall Grand Prix Final champion. [2]
The Grand Prix Final had had a number of world records set in its history, including the Tim Montgomery 100 metres record that was later taken from him after the BALCO scandal.
| Games | Year | Dates | Host stadium | Host city | Host country | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1985 | 7 September | Olympic Stadium | Rome | Italy | 16 |
| 2nd | 1986 | 10 September | Olympic Stadium | Rome | Italy | 17 |
| 3rd | 1987 | 11 September | King Baudouin Stadium | Brussels | Belgium | 17 |
| 4th | 1988 | 26 August | Olympic Stadium | West Berlin | West Berlin | 17 |
| 5th | 1989 | 1 September | Stade Louis II | Fontvieille | Monaco | 17 |
| 6th | 1990 | 7 September | Olympic Stadium | Athens | Greece | 18 |
| 7th | 1991 | 20 September | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | Barcelona | Spain | 17 |
| 8th | 1992 | 4 September | Stadio delle Alpi | Turin | Italy | 18 |
| 9th | 1993 | 10 September | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre | London | United Kingdom | 18 |
| 10th | 1994 | 3 September | Stade Sébastien Charléty | Paris | France | 17 |
| 11th | 1995 | 9 September | Stade Louis II | Fontvieille | Monaco | 18 |
| 12th | 1996 | 7 September | Arena Civica | Milan | Italy | 18 |
| 13th | 1997 | 13 September | Hakatanomori Athletic Stadium | Fukuoka City | Japan | 18 |
| 14th | 1998 | 5 September | Luzhniki Stadium | Moscow | Russia | 18 |
| 15th | 1999 | 11 September | Olympic Stadium | Munich | Germany | 18 |
| 16th | 2000 | 5 October | Khalifa International Stadium | Doha | Qatar | 18 |
| 17th | 2001 | 9 September | Olympic Park Stadium | Melbourne | Australia | 19 |
| 18th | 2002 | 14 September | Stade Sébastien Charléty | Paris | France | 18 |
The IAAF World Athletics Final was an annual track and field competition organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). It was inaugurated in 2003 to replace the IAAF Grand Prix Final. The competition was part of the IAAF World Athletics Series and was the seasonal culmination of the IAAF World Outdoor Meetings series from 2003 to 2005, then the IAAF World Athletics Tour from 2006 to 2009. Due to changes in the one-day meeting system introduced by the IAAF, the World Athletics Final was discontinued after the 2009 season.
The 1997 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the thirteenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 13 September at the Hakatanomori Athletic Stadium in Fukuoka City, Japan.
The 1998 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the fourteenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 5 September at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
The 1999 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the fifteenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 11 September at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany.
The 2000 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the sixteenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 5 October at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. It was the first and only time that the event was held outside of September, due in part to Qatar's hot desert climate.
The 2001 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the seventeenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 9 September at the Olympic Park Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It was the first and only time the event was held in the southern hemisphere.
The 2002 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the eighteenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 14 September at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, France. Paris became the third city to host the event for a second time, following Rome and Fontvieille.
The 1996 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the twelfth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 7 September at the Arena Civica in Milan, Italy.
The 1995 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the eleventh edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 9 September at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille, Monaco.
The IAAF Grand Prix was an annual, global circuit of one-day outdoor track and field competitions organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). It was created in 1985 as the IAAF's first seasonal track and field circuit and lasted until 2009. Athletes scored points based on their performances on the circuit and the top athletes were invited to the annual IAAF Grand Prix Final.
The 1985 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the first edition of the season-ending competition for track and field, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy on 7 September 1985. Americans Doug Padilla and Mary Slaney were the overall points winners of the tournament.
The 1986 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the second edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy on 10 September 1986. Saïd Aouita and Yordanka Donkova were the overall points winners of the tournament.
The 1987 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the third edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 11 September at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, Belgium. Tonie Campbell and Merlene Ottey were the overall points winners of the tournament.
The 1988 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the fourth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 26 August at the Olympiastadion in West Berlin. Saïd Aouita and Paula Ivan were the overall points winners of the tournament, with this being Aouita's second win at the completion following his 1986 victory.
The 1989 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the fifth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 1 September at the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille, Monaco. Saïd Aouita and Paula Ivan were the overall points winners of the tournament, both repeating their victories from the previous year's competition. Ivan became the first woman to win the series twice. This was also Aouita's third career win at the completion – a feat which never went matched in the event's history.
The 1990 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the sixth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 7 September at the Olympic Stadium (Athens) in Athens, Greece. Leroy Burrell and Merlene Ottey were the overall points winners of the tournament. This was Ottey's second series win and made her the second woman to win the honour twice, after Paula Ivan. The number of athletics events in the programme reached eighteen for the first time, with ten for men and eight for women.
The 1991 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the seventh edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 20 September at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
The 1992 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the eighth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 4 September at the Stadio Olimpico di Torino in Turin, Italy. Kevin Young and Heike Drechsler were the overall points winners of the tournament. A total of 17 athletics events were contested, nine for men and eight for women.
The 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the ninth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 10 September at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London, United Kingdom.
The 1994 IAAF Grand Prix Final was the tenth edition of the season-ending competition for the IAAF Grand Prix track and field circuit, organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It was held on 3 September at the Stade Sébastien Charléty in Paris, France.
