1979 in the sport of athletics

This page contains an overview of the year 1979 in athletics.

Major Events

World

Regional

World records

Men
Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date
200 m Pietro Mennea  Italy 19.72 Mexico City, Mexico 12 September
800 m Sebastian Coe  United Kingdom 1:42.33 Oslo, Norway 5 July
1500 m Sebastian Coe  United Kingdom 3:32.03 Zurich, Switzerland 15 August
Mile Sebastian Coe  United Kingdom 3:48.95 Oslo, Norway 17 July
110 m hurdles Renaldo Nehemiah  United States 13.16 San Jose, United States 14 April
110 m hurdles Renaldo Nehemiah  United States 13.00 Westwood, Los Angeles, California, United States 6 May

Women
Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date
200 m Marita Koch  East Germany 22.02 Leipzig, East Germany 3 June
200 m Marita Koch  East Germany 21.71 Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany 10 June
400 m Marita Koch  East Germany 48.89 Potsdam, East Germany 29 July
400 m Marita Koch  East Germany 48.60 Turin, Italy 4 August
Mile Natalia Marasescu  Romania 4:22.1 Auckland, New Zealand 27 January
100 m hurdles Grazyna Rabsztyn  Poland 12.48[1] Warsaw, Poland 18 June
400 m hurdles Marina Styepanova  Russia 54.78 Moscow, Russia 27 July
Javelin throw Ruth Fuchs  East Germany 69.52 m Dresden, East Germany 13 June
4 × 100 metres relay Marita Koch
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr		  East Germany 42.10 Karl-Marx-Stadt, East Germany 10 June
4 × 100 metres relay Christina Lathan
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr		  East Germany 42.09 Turin, Italy 4 August
4 × 200 metres relay Raisa Makhova
Nina Zyuskova
Tatyana Prorochenko
Maria Kulchunova		  Soviet Union 1:30.74[2] Moscow, Soviet Union 29 July

Season's bests
Best marks of the year
Event Men Women
Athlete Mark Notes Athlete Mark Notes
100 metres  Pietro Mennea (ITA)10.01  Marlies Göhr (GDR)
 Evelyn Ashford (USA)		10.97
200 metres  Pietro Mennea (ITA)19.72WR  Marita Koch (GDR)21.71WR
400 metres  Harald Schmid (FRG)44.92  Marita Koch (GDR)48.60WR
800 metres  Sebastian Coe (GBR)1:42.33WR  Totka Petrova (BUL)1:56.2
1500 metres  Sebastian Coe (GBR)3:32.03WR  Totka Petrova (BUL)3:57.4
3000 metres  Rudy Chapa (USA)7:37.70  Grete Waitz (NOR)8:31.75
5000 metres  Suleiman Nyambui (TAN)13:12.29 —
10,000 metres  Karl Fleschen (FRG)27:36.8 —
100/110 metres hurdles  Renaldo Nehemiah (USA)13.00WR  Grazyna Rabsztyn (POL)12.48WR
400 metres hurdles  Edwin Moses (USA)47.53  Marina Styepanova (RUS)54.78WR
3000 metres steeplechase  Henry Rono (KEN)8:17.92 —
High jump  Dietmar Mögenburg (GER)2.32 m  Rosemarie Ackermann (GDR)1.99 m
Pole Vault  Patrick Abada (FRA)
 Philippe Houvion (FRA)		5.65 m —
Long jump  Larry Myricks (USA)8.52 m  Brigitte Wujak (GDR)6.90 m
Triple jump  João Carlos de Oliveira (BRA)17.27 m —
Shot put  Udo Beyer (GER)21.74 m  Ilona Slupianek (GDR)22.04 m
Discus throw  Mac Wilkins (USA)70.66 m  Evelin Jahl (GDR)69.82 m
Hammer Throw  Sergey Litvinov (URS)79.82 m —
Javelin throw  Pentti Sinersaari (FIN)93.84 m  Ruth Fuchs (GDR)69.52 mWR
Decathlon  Guido Kratschmer (FRG)8476 pts —
4×100 metres relay  United States
Mike Roberson
Harvey Glance
Bill Collins
Mel Lattany		38.30  East Germany
Christina Lathan
Romy Müller
Ingrid Auerswald
Marlies Göhr		42.09WR
4×400 metres relay  United States
Herman Frazier
Bill Green
Willie Smith
Tony Darden		3:00.70  East Germany
Gabriele Kotte
Christina Lathan
Brigitte Rohde
Marita Koch		3:19.62

Notes
  1. This time did not set a new world record. Rather, it equaled Rabsztyn's existing world record.
  2. This team represented Ukraine, at the time a part of the Soviet Union.

References
  • Matti Koskimies (1 January 2012). "Season Bests by Year (Men)". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  • Matti Koskimies (1 January 2012). "Season Bests by Year (Women)". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  • Matti Koskimies (1 January 2012). "World Record Progression (Men)". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  • Matti Koskimies (1 January 2012). "World Record Progression (Women)". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
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