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World Athletics Indoor Championships

Bi-annual global indoor track and field competition

Bi-annual global indoor track and field competition

FieldValue
nameWorld Athletics Indoor Championships
statusactive
genreAthletics World championship
datevarying
frequencybiennial
countryvarying
first1985
last2025
next2026
organisedWorld Athletics
website

The World Athletics Indoor Championships are a biennial indoor track and field competition served as the global championship for that version of the sport. Organised by the World Athletics, the competition was inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently renamed to IAAF World Indoor Championships in 1987. The current name was adapted with the name change of the sports governing body in 2019.

They have been held every two years except for when they were held in consecutive years 2003 and 2004 to facilitate the need for them to be held in alternate years to the outdoor World Athletics Championships in the future, and in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The Championships due to be held in China in 2020 were postponed because of the COVID pandemic, as were the attempted running of the China edition in then 2021 and 2023, eventually being scheduled for 2025. Two standard editions of the Championships were held in 2022 and 2024.

Events

The events held have been composed of a regular disciplines, with the main alterations coming in the earlier years. The 4 x 400 m relay race for both men and women was added to the full schedule in 1991 with the women's triple jump, the latter as an exhibition event, and gaining full status at the following championships.

Racewalking events were dropped after 1993, and a 1600 m medley relay was tried but was discontinued were due to alleged poor interest. This same year, a men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon were successfully introduced as non-championship events, and have remained on the program since.

In 1997 the women's pole vault entered the fray, two years before it made an appearance at the event's outdoor counterpart.

Despite the event's popularity, the 200 m was removed from the program after the 2004 championships, as the event was deemed unfair to all participants and too predictable, with the tighter bends of an indoor track causing any athletes not drawn in either of the outside lanes having minimal or no chance of winning.

Championships

EditionYearHost cityHost countryDateVenueEventsNationsAthletesTop of the medal tableIIIIIIIVVVIVIIVIIIIXXXIXIIXIIIXIVXVXVIXVIIXVIIIXIXXXXXIXXII
1985ParisFrance France18–19 January 1985Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy2469319East Germany
1987IndianapolisUnited States United States6–8 March 1987Hoosier Dome2485419Soviet Union
1989BudapestHungary Hungary3–5 March 1989Budapest Sportcsarnok2462373Soviet Union
1991SevilleSpain Spain8–10 March 1991Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo2680518Soviet Union
1993TorontoCanada Canada12–14 March 1993SkyDome2793537Russia
1995BarcelonaSpain Spain10–12 March 1995Palau Sant Jordi27131594Russia
1997ParisFrance France7–9 March 1997Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy28118712United States
1999MaebashiJapan Japan5–7 March 1999Green Dome Maebashi28115451United States
2001LisbonPortugal Portugal9–11 March 2001Pavilhão Atlântico28136510United States
2003BirminghamUnited Kingdom United Kingdom14–16 March 2003National Indoor Arena28131583United States
2004BudapestHungary Hungary5–7 March 2004Budapest Sports Arena28139677Russia
2006MoscowRussia Russia10–12 March 2006Olimpiysky Stadium26129562United States
2008ValenciaSpain Spain7–9 March 2008Luis Puig Palace26147574United States
2010DohaQatar Qatar12–14 March 2010Aspire Dome26146585United States
2012IstanbulTurkey Turkey9–11 March 2012Ataköy Athletics Arena26171629United States
2014SopotPoland Poland7–9 March 2014Ergo Arena26134538United States
2016PortlandUnited States United States17–20 March 2016Oregon Convention Center26137487United States
2018BirminghamUnited Kingdom United Kingdom1–4 March 2018National Indoor Arena26134554United States
2022BelgradeSerbia Serbia18–20 March 2022Belgrade Arena26128611Ethiopia
2024GlasgowUnited Kingdom United Kingdom1–3 March 2024Emirates Arena26128587United States
2025NanjingChina China21–23 March 2025Nanjing's Cube26118517United States
*2026*ToruńPoland Poland20–22 March 2026Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Toruń

Outstanding achievements

Seven gold medals

  • Mozambique's Maria de Lurdes Mutola won seven gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the women's 800 m from 1993 to 2008.
  • Natalya Nazarova has won seven gold and one silver medal from 1999 to 2008 in the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay.

Five gold medals

  • Iván Pedroso of Cuba won five straight golds in the men's long jump from 1993 to 2001.
  • Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria won five gold medals in the women's high jump.
  • Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia won 2 gold medals in the women's 1,500m and 3 gold medals in the 3,000m from 2012 to 2018

Four gold medals

  • Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia won three golds in the 3,000 m and one in the 1,500 m.
  • Sergey Bubka won four pole vault gold medals (three while competing for the Soviet Union and one for Ukraine).
  • Javier Sotomayor of Cuba won four gold and one bronze medal in the men's high jump.
  • Stefan Holm of Sweden has won four gold medals in the men's high jump.
  • Meseret Defar of Ethiopia has won four gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the women's 3,000 m.
  • Mikhail Shchennikov of Russia has won four gold medals in the 5000 m walk.
  • Gail Devers of the United States has won 3 golds at 60m and 1 gold and 1 silver at 60m hurdles
  • Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia has won 4 golds and 1 silver at pole vault
  • Valerie Adams of New Zealand has won 4 golds and 1 bronze at shot put

Championship records

Key to tables:

Men

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.Video
60 m6.37Christian ColemanUnited States3 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom
400 m45.00Jereem RichardsTrinidad and Tobago19 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
800 m1:42.67Wilson Kipketer9 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, Francehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwgZMIMzP7s
1500 m3:32.77Samuel TeferaEthiopia20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
3000 m7:34.71Haile Gebrselassie9 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, France
60 m hurdles7.29Grant HollowayUnited States20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom
High jump2.43 mJavier Sotomayor4 March 19891989 ChampionshipsBudapest, Hungary
Pole vault6.20 mArmand DuplantisSweden20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
Long jump8.62 mIván Pedroso7 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan
Triple jump17.90 mTeddy TamghoFrance14 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, Qatarhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m6gjPNVYC8
Shot put22.77 mRyan CrouserUnited States1 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom
Heptathlon6645 ptsAshton EatonUnited States9–10 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey
4 × 400 m relay3:01.77Karol Zalewski
Rafał Omelko
Łukasz Krawczuk
Jakub KrzewinaPoland4 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom

Women

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.Video
60 m6.95Gail DeversUnited States12 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada
400 m49.17Femke BolNetherlands2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdomhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWWXKhK7zfk
800 m1:56.90Ludmila Formanová7 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan
1500 m3:54.86Gudaf TsegayEthiopia23 March 20252025 ChampionshipsNanjing, China
3000 m8:20.87Elle St. PierreUnited States2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom
60 m hurdles7.65Devynne CharltonBahamas3 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom
High jump2.05 mStefka KostadinovaBUL8 March 19871987 ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United States
Pole vault4.95 mSandi MorrisUnited States3 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom
Long jump7.23 mBrittney ReeseUnited States11 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkeyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivq9_wPFNs4
Triple jump15.74 mYulimar RojasVenezuela20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
Shot put20.67 mValerie Adams8 March 20142014 ChampionshipsSopot, Poland
20.85 mNadzeya Ostapchuk14 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar
Pentathlon5013 ptsNataliya Dobrynska9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey
4 × 400 m relay3:23.85Quanera Hayes
Georganne Moline
Shakima Wimbley
Courtney OkoloUnited States4 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom

Heptathlon disciplines

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.Video
60 m6.61Chris HuffinsUnited States8 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, France
Long jump8.16 mAshton EatonUnited States9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkeyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsVjp6FkNVo
Shot put17.17 mAleksey DrozdovRussia12 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, Qatar
High jump2.21 mAndrei KrauchankaBelarus7 March 20142014 ChampionshipsSopot, Poland
60 m hurdles7.61Damian WarnerCanada19 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
Pole vault5.50 mErki Nool7 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan
1000 m2:29.04Curtis BeachUnited States19 March 20162016 ChampionshipsPortland, United States

Pentathlon disciplines

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.
60 m hurdles7.91Jessica EnnisGreat Britain9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey
High jump1.99 mTia HellebautBelgium7 March 20082008 ChampionshipsValencia, Spain
Shot put17.18 mNataliya DobrynskaUkraine7 March 20082008 ChampionshipsValencia, Spain
Long jump6.69 mNatalya SazanovichBelarus9 March 20012001 ChampionshipsLisbon, Portugal
Kendell WilliamsUnited States18 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia
800 m2:08.09Jessica EnnisGreat Britain9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey

Records in defunct events

Men's events

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.
200 m20.10Frank FredericksNamibia6 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan
5000 m walk18:23.55Mikhail ShchennikovSoviet Union10 March 19911991 ChampionshipsSeville, Spain
1600m medley relay
(non-championship event)3:15.10Mark Everett
James Trapp
Kevin Little
Butch ReynoldsUnited States14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada

Women's events

EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceRef.
200 m22.15Irina PrivalovaRussia14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada
3000 m walk11:49.73Yelena NikolayevaRussia13 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada
1600m medley relay
(non-championship event)3:45.90Joetta Clark
Wendy Vereen
Kim Batten
Jearl MilesUnited States14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada

All-time medal table

Medal table includes 1985–2025 Championships. ;Notes ANA was the name, under which Russian athletes competed in the 2018 Championships. Their medals were not included in the official medal table.

All-time placing table

In the World Athletics placing table the total score is obtained from assigning eight points to the first place and so on to one point for the eight place. Points are shared in situations where a tie occurs.

Updated after 2022 Championships

RankCountry45678MedalsPoints
111381+173+269+151+440+334+2
251+140+336+125+13429+120+1
3242729+228+131+220+218
41827+127+121+123+126+314
5172212+116+120145
691512+11220+21016+1
713917+11413+117+215
830111212653
92191516+117+21715+1
104+11215+1258+218+35

;Notes Does not include results achieved by Authorized Neutral Athletes in 2018.

Includes results achieved by East Germany and West Germany between 1987 and 1989.

Multiple medallists

A total of 8 men and 19 women have won five or more medals at the competition.

Men

NameCountryYearsTotalGoldSilverBronze
Javier Sotomayor1985-19996411
Chris Brown2006-20166123
Iván Pedroso1993-20015500
Bernard Lagat/2003-20145320
Tom Walsh2014-20245212
Roman Šebrle1999-20065203
Yaroslav Rybakov2003-20105140
Jamie Baulch1997-20035122

Women

NameCountryYearsTotalGoldSilverBronze
Maria Mutola1993-20089711
Natalya Nazarova1999-20088710
Meseret Defar2003-20167421
Sandie Richards1993-20037340
Merlene Ottey/1987-20037322
Olesya Zykina2001-20086501
Gail Devers1993-20046420
Svetlana Goncharenko1995-20046321
Jearl Miles Clark1991-19996213
Stefka Kostadinova1985-19975500
Genzebe Dibaba2012-20185500
Gabriela Szabo1995-20015410
Yelena Isinbayeva2003-20125410
Olga Kotlyarova1997-20045410
Valerie Adams2008-20165401
Irina Privalova1991-19955320
Natasha Hastings2010-20165311
Grit Breuer1991-20035203
Svetlana Feofanova2001-20105122

Notes

References

References

  1. (1 September 2022). "World Indoor Athletics Championships 2023 in China postponed to 2025 due to COVID-19".
  2. (22 May 2023). "World Athletics Council competition decisions announced".
  3. (3 March 2018). "Men's 60m Results". IAAF.
  4. (19 March 2022). "400m Results". World Athletics.
  5. (20 March 2022). "1500m Final Results Summary". World Athletics.
  6. (20 March 2022). "60m Hurdles Semi-Final Results Summary". World Athletics.
  7. (2 March 2024). "60m Hurdles Final Results". World Athletics.
  8. (20 March 2022). "Pole Vault Final Results". World Athletics.
  9. (14 March 2010). "Triple Jump Results". [[IAAF]].
  10. (1 March 2024). "Shot Put Results". World Athletics.
  11. (10 March 2012). "Heptathlon Results". [[IAAF]].
  12. (4 March 2018). "Men's 4×400m Relay Results". IAAF.
  13. (2 March 2024). "400m Final Result". World Athletics.
  14. (23 March 2025). "2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships – 1500 Metres Women - Final results".
  15. (2 March 2024). "3000m Final Results". World Athletics.
  16. (3 March 2024). "Women's 60m Hurdles Final Results". World Athletics.
  17. (1 March 2024). "Results High Jump Women - Final".
  18. (3 March 2018). "Women's Pole Vault Results". IAAF.
  19. (11 March 2012). "Long Jump Results". [[IAAF]].
  20. (20 March 2022). "Triple Jump Final Results". World Athletics.
  21. (14 March 2010). "Shot Put Results". [[IAAF]].
  22. (9 March 2012). "Pentathlon Results". [[IAAF]].
  23. (4 March 2018). "Women's 4×400m Relay Results". IAAF.
  24. (9 March 2012). "Long Jump Results". [[IAAF]].
  25. (12 March 2010). "Shot Put Results". [[IAAF]].
  26. (7 March 2014). "Heptathlon – High Jump Results Summary". [[IAAF]].
  27. (19 March 2022). "Heptathlon – 60m Hurdles Results". World Athletics.
  28. (19 March 2016). "1000m Heptathlon Results". IAAF.
  29. (9 March 2012). "60 Metres Hurdles Results". [[IAAF]].
  30. (18 March 2022). "Pentathlon – Long Jump Results". World Athletics.
  31. (9 March 2012). "800 Metres Results". [[IAAF]].
  32. "Birmingham IAAF World Indoor Championships Medal Table".
  33. (29 February 2024). "World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 Facts and Figures".
  34. (29 February 2024). "World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 Facts and Figures".
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