This article contains an overview of the year 1987 in athletics.

International Events All-Africa Games Asian Championships Central American and Caribbean Championships European Indoor Championships Mediterranean Games Pan American Games World Championships World Indoor Championships World Cross Country Championships World Student Games

World records Men EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE2,000 metres4:50.8116 JulyParis5,000 metres12:58.3922 JulyRome, ItalyHigh jump2.42 m30 JuneStockholm, SwedenPole vault6.03 m23 JunePrague, CzechoslovakiaShot put22.72m12 AugustViareggio, Italy22.84m12 AugustViareggio, Italy22.91m12 AugustViareggio, ItalyJavelin (new)87.66 m31 MayNitra, Czechoslovakia

Carl Lewis (USA) equalled the world record in the men's 100 metres held by countryman Calvin Smith since 1983-07-03, clocking 9.93 seconds on 1987-08-30 at the World Championships in Rome, Italy.

Women EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE100m hurdles12.25 s8 AugustDrama, GreeceHigh Jump2.09 m30 AugustRome, ItalyShot put22.60 m7 JuneMoscow, Soviet Union22.63 m7 JuneMoscow, Soviet UnionJavelin (old)78.90 m29 JulyLeipzig, East Germany

Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA) equalled the world record in the women's long jump held by East Germany's Heike Drechsler since 1986-06-21, jumping 7.45 metres on 1987-08-13 at a meet in Indianapolis.

Men's Best Year Performers 100 metres Main race this year: World Championships 100 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.9.9312.10.033.10.044.10.065.10.07—10.07

200 metres Main race this year: World Championships 200 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.19.922.19.953.20.084.20.105.20.11

400 metres Main race this year: World Championships 400 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.44.102.44.173.44.334.44.475.44.50

800 metres Main race this year: World Championships 800 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:43.062.1:43.41—1:43.764.1:43.955.1:44.09

1,500 metres Main race this year: World Championships 1.500 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:30.692.3:31.433.3:31.714.3:33.015.3:33.23

Mile RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:46.762.3:50.083.3:50.754.3:50.825.3:51.02

3,000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7:40.252.7:42.733.7:42.934.7:42.995.7:43.13

5,000 metres Main race this year: World Championships 5.000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12:58.392.13:10.483.13:12.344.13:12.495.13:13.02

10,000 metres Main race this year: World Championships 10.000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.27:26.952.27:29.413.27:34.384.27:35.335.27:38.63

Half marathon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:00:10

Marathon Main race this year: World Championships Marathon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:08:182.2:09:503.2:10:094.2:10:115.2:10:15

110m hurdles Main race this year: World Championships 110m hurdles RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.13.172.13.193.13.234.13.29—13.29—13.29

400m hurdles Main race this year: World Championships 400m hurdles RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.47.462.47.48—47.484.48.035.48.15

3,000m steeplechase RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:08.572.8:10.323.8:12.184.8:12.805.8:13.88

High jump RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.422.2.38—2.384.2.375.2.36—2.36

Long jump RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.8.862.8.753.8.664.8.515.8.43

Triple jump RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.17.922.17.873.17.774.17.655.17.61

Discus RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.69.522.68.983.68.304.67.925.67.80

Shot put RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.22.912.22.523.22.474.22.315.22.01

Hammer RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.83.482.82.963.82.244.82.025.82.00

Javelin (new design) RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.87.662.86.643.85.244.85.165.84.30

Pole vault RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.6.032.5.963.5.904.5.855.5.83

Decathlon Main competition this year: World Championships Decathlon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.86802.86453.83754.83595.8340

Women's Best Year Performers 100 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.10.86—10.863.10.874.10.935.10.95

200 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.21.742.21.963.22.014.22.06—22.06

400 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.49.382.49.643.49.874.49.955.49.96

800 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:55.262.1:55.323.1:55.564.1:55.845.1:56.51

1,500 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:58.562.3:58.673.3:59.274.3:59.905.4:00.07

Mile RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.4:24.052.4:25.133.4:25.774.4:26.115.4:26.70

3,000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:38.12.8:38.53.8:38.734.8:39.285.8:39.45

5,000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.15:01.082.15:13.223.15:19.764.15:21.455.15:23.48

10,000 metres RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.31:05.852.31:09.403.31:11.344.31:18.385.31:19.82

Half marathon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:06:40

Marathon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:22:482.2:25:173.2:25:244.2:26:345.2:26:51

100m hurdles RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12.252.12.333.12.444.12.45

400m hurdles RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.53.242.53.583.53.954.54.235.54.38

High Jump RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.09 m2.2.04 m3.2.01 m4.2.00 m—2.00 m—2.00 m

Long Jump RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.7.45 m2.7.40 m3.7.39 m4.7.27 m5.7.17 m

Shot put RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.22.63 m2.22.19 m3.21.34 m4.21.21 m5.21.20 m

Javelin (old design) RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.78.902.76.643.69.684.69.605.68.84

Heptathlon RANK1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.71282.66923.65854.65645.6533

Births January 1 — Rytis Sakalauskas, Lithuanian sprinter January 17 — Svetlana Radzivil, Uzbekistani high jumper January 27 — Liliya Kulyk, Ukrainian triple jumper March 5 — Vitalij Kozlov, Lithuanian middle-distance runner April 17 — Atsede Baysa, Ethiopian long-distance runner April 20 — Elijah Kipterege, Kenyan long-distance runner April 24 — Franklin Nazareno, Ecuadorian sprinter July 14 — Margus Hunt, Estonian discus thrower July 22 — Hugo Chila, Ecuadorian long jumper and triple jumper August 9 — Marek Niit, Estonian sprinter September 1 — Leonel Suárez, Cuban decathlete September 13 — Vincent Kipruto, Kenyan long-distance runner October 3 — Ancuța Bobocel, Romanian long-distance runner November 1 — Jimmy Adar, Ugandan middle-distance runner November 17 — Nadiya Dusanova, Uzbekistani high jumper December 1 — Tabarie Henry, United States Virgin Islands sprinter December 21 — Denis Alekseyev, Russian sprinter

Deaths March 17 — Georg Lammers (81), German athlete (b. 1905) October 20 — Jerzy Chromik (56), Polish long-distance runner (b. 1931)

References Year Lists 1987 Year Rankings Association of Road Racing Statisticians