This article contains an overview of the sport of athletics, including track and field, cross country and road running, in the year 2003.
The foremost competition of the year was the 2003 World Championships in Athletics, followed by the 2003 IAAF World Indoor Championships. At regional level, athletics was featured at two major games that were held that year: the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2003 All-Africa Games.
Major events World
World Championships in Athletics World Indoor Championships World Athletics Final World Cross Country Championships World Half Marathon Championships World Youth Championships World Student Games Military World Games Golden League World Outdoor Meetings World Marathon Majors
Regional
All-Africa Games African Junior Championships Asian Championships Asian Cross Country Championships Central Asian Games Indian Ocean Island Games Southeast Asian Games Central American and Caribbean Championships Pan American Games South American Athletics Championships South American Cross Country Championships Balkan Games European Cross Country Championships European Cup European Junior Championships European U23 Championships European Mountain Running Championships
World records
Men Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date30 kilometres (road)Takayuki Matsumiya1:28.36 Kumamoto, Japan16 FebruaryMarathonPaul Tergat2:04:55 Berlin, Germany28 September
Women Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date10 kilometres (road)Paula Radcliffe30:21 San Juan, Puerto Rico23 FebruaryMarathonPaula Radcliffe2:15:25 London, Great Britain13 April3000 m steeplechaseGulnara Samitova-Galkina9:08.33 Tula, Russia10 August400 m hurdlesYuliya Pechonkina52.34 m Tula, RUS8 AugustPole vaultYelena Isinbayeva4.82 m Gateshead, Great Britain13 July
Awards Men 2003 TRACK & FIELD AWARDSWINNERIAAF World Athlete of the YearTrack & Field Athlete of the YearEuropean Athlete of the Year AwardBest Male Track Athlete ESPY Award
Women 2003 TRACK & FIELD AWARDSWINNERIAAF World Athlete of the YearTrack & Field Athlete of the YearEuropean Athlete of the Year AwardBest Female Track Athlete ESPY Award
Men's best year performances 400m hurdles RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.47.252.48.053.48.174.48.185.48.23
3000m steeplechase RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7:57.382.7:57.423.8:02.494.8:06.915.8:07.74
Pole vault RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.5.95 m2.5.93 m3.5.91 m4.5.90 m5.5.87 m
Hammer throw
Decathlon
Women's best year performances 100 metres RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.10.862.10.893.10.934.10.975.10.99
200 metres RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.22.112.22.283.22.314.22.385.22.41
Half marathon RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:05:39
100m hurdles RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12.453.12.514.12.535.12.65
400m hurdles RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.52.342.53.223.53.344.53.715.53.87
3000m steeplechase RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.9:08.332.9:20.283.9:24.784.9:32.315.9:39.51
High jump RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.06 m2.06 m3.2.02 m4.2.01 m2.01 m2.01 m2.01 m2.01 m
Pole vault RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.4.82 m2.4.75 m3.4.70 m
Hammer throw
Heptathlon RANK2003 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.70012.67553.65244.64525.6282
Marathon Men's competition Pan American Games
RANK ATHLETETIME2:19:082:20:252:21:48
Best year performances RANK NAME ATHLETETIMEEVENT1.2:04:55 WRBerlin Marathon2.2:04:56Berlin Marathon3.2:05:50Chicago Marathon4.2:06:15Berlin Marathon5.2:06:33Paris Marathon6.2:06:36Paris Marathon7.2:06:38Amsterdam Marathon8.2:06:42Amsterdam Marathon9.2:06:47Paris Marathon10.2:06:48Paris Marathon
Women's competition Pan American Games
RANK ATHLETETIME2:39:542:42:552:44:52
Best year performances RANK NAME ATHLETETIMEEVENT1.2:15:24 WRLondon Marathon2.2:19:39Beijing Marathon3.2:19:55London Marathon4.2:21:15London Marathon5.2:21:18Osaka International Ladies Marathon6.2:21:45Osaka Marathon7.2:21:51Osaka Marathon8.2:22:22Osaka Marathon9.2:22:31New York Marathon10.2:23:03New York Marathon
Deaths April 22 — Mike Larrabee, American athlete (b. 1933) April 25 — Samson Kitur (37), Kenyan middle-distance runner (b. 1966) April 28 — Juha Tiainen (47), Finnish hammer thrower (b. 1955) September 24 — Benson Masya (33), Kenyan long-distance runner (b. 1970)
References ARRS