This article contains an overview of the year 1988 in athletics.
International events African Championships Balkan Games European Indoor Championships Olympic Games World Cross Country Championships World Junior Championships
World records
Men EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE100 metres9.9224 SeptemberSeoul, South Korea400 metres43.2917 AugustZürich, Switzerland4 × 400 metres relay• Danny Everett• Steve Lewis• Kevin Robinzine• Butch Reynolds2:56.161 OctoberSeoul, South KoreaHigh Jump2.43m8 SeptemberSalamanca, SpainPole vault6.05m9 JuneBratislava, Czechoslovakia6.06m10 JulyNice, FranceShot put23.06m22 MayChania, GreeceMarathon2:06:5017 AprilRotterdam, Netherlands Carl Lewis finished behind Ben Johnson (9.79) who was disqualified for a failed drugs test 4 × 400 team equalled the record by the United States on October 20, 1968, by Vincent Matthews, Ron Freeman, Larry James and Lee Evans.
Women EVENTATHLETEMARKDATEVENUE100 metres10.4916 JulyIndianapolis, United States200 metres21.5629 SeptemberSeoul, South Korea21.3429 SeptemberSeoul, South Korea25,000 metres1:29:29.222 AprilBudapest, Hungary30,000 metres1:47:05.622 AprilBudapest, Hungary100 metres hurdles12.2120 AugustStara Zagora, Bulgaria4 × 400 m Relay• Tatyana Ledovskaya• Olga Nazarova• Mariya Pinigina• Olga Bryzgina3:15.171 OctoberSeoul, South KoreaLong jump7.52 m11 JuneLeningrad, Soviet UnionDiscus throw76.80 m9 JulyNeubrandenburg, East GermanyJavelin throw80.00 m9 SeptemberPotsdam, East GermanyHeptathlon721516 JulyIndianapolis, United States729124 SeptemberSeoul, South Korea Many observers believe Griffith-Joyner's time of 10.49 should not have been accepted as a record due to excessive following wind Christyakova equalled the previous record of 7.45m with a prior jump
Men's Best Year Performers
100 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 100 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.9.922.9.97—9.974.10.03—10.03
200 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 200 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.19.752.19.793.19.874.20.045.20.05—20.05
400 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 400 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.43.292.43.873.43.984.44.225.44.38
800 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 800 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:42.652.1:43.203.1:43.424.1:43.455.1:43.86
1,500 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 1,500 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:30.952.3:31.013.3:32.694.3:32.945.3:33.33
Mile RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:48.852.3:49.203.3:49.224.3:49.405.3:50.09
3,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.7:38.792.7:43.223.7:43.464.7:43.585.7:43.65
5,000 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 5,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.13:11.702.13:15.523.13:15.624.13:15.735.13:15.85
10,000 metres Main race this year: Men's Olympic 10,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.27:21.462.27:23.063.27:23.554.27:25.075.27:25.16
Half marathon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:01:00
Marathon Main race this year: Men's Olympic Marathon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:06:502.2:07:073.2:07:354.2:07:405.2:08:20
Race Walking
110m hurdles Main race this year: Men's Olympic 110m hurdles RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12.972.13.113.13.17—13.175.13.20
400m hurdles Main race this year: Men's Olympic 400m hurdles RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.47.192.47.233.47.374.47.725.47.74
3,000m steeplechase Main race this year: Men's Olympic 3,000m steeplechase RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:05.512.8:06.793.8:07.964.8:12.005.8:12.17
High jump Main competition this year: Men's Olympic High Jump RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.432.2.38—2.384.2.37—2.37—2.37—2.37
Long jump Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Long Jump RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.8.762.8.743.8.494.8.465.8.44
Triple jump Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Triple Jump RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.17.772.17.693.17.684.17.595.17.56
Discus Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Discus Throw RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.70.462.70.303.70.064.68.925.68.88
Shot put Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Shot Put RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.23.062.22.753.22.424.22.105.21.88
Hammer RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.85.142.84.803.84.164.83.785.83.44
Javelin (new design) Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Javelin Throw RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.86.882.86.503.85.964.84.665.84.14
Pole vault Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Pole Vault RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.6.062.5.953.5.904.5.895.5.87
Decathlon Main competition this year: Men's Olympic Decathlon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.85122.85063.84884.84475.8424
Women's Best Year Performers Main race this year: Women's Olympic 100 metres
100 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.10.492.10.813.10.834.10.855.10.86
200 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 200 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.21.342.21.723.21.844.21.935.21.99
400 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 400 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.48.652.49.113.49.304.49.475.49.57
800 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 800 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:56.0—1:56.03.1:56.104.1:56.365.1:56.42
1,500 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 1,500 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.3:53.962.3:58.923.4:00.244.4:00.305.4:00.46
Mile RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.4:21.252.4:25.80
3,000 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 3,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.8:26.532.8:27.153.8:29.024.8:30.455.8:31.67
5,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.15:03.292.15:10.893.15:11.164.15:11.835.15:12.7
10,000 metres Main race this year: Women's Olympic 10,000 metres RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.31:05.212.31:06.993.31:19.824.31:26.795.31:31.37
Half marathon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.1:08:49
Marathon Main race this year: Women's Olympic Marathon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.2:23:512.2:24:303.2:25:414.2:26:215.2:27:05
Race Walking
100m hurdles Main race this year: Women's Olympic 100m hurdles RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.12.212.12.48—12.48—12.485.12.52
400m hurdles Main race this year: Women's Olympic 400m hurdles RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSTIME1.53.172.53.183.53.634.53.695.54.03
High Jump Main competition this year: Women's Olympic High Jump RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSHEIGHT1.2.07 m2.2.03 m3.2.02 m4.2.00 m—2.00 m—2.00 m
Long Jump Main competition this year: Women's Olympic Long Jump RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.7.52 m2.7.48 m3.7.40 m4.7.36 m5.7.29 m
Shot put Main competition this year: Women's Olympic Shot Put RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.22.55 m2.21.76 m3.21.73 m4.21.28 m5.21.27 m
Discus throw Main competition this year: Women's Olympic Discus Throw RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.76.80 m2.74.40 m3.73.84 m4.72.94 m5.72.30 m
Javelin (old design) Main competition this year: Women's Olympic Javelin Throw RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSDISTANCE1.80.00 m2.73.30 m3.71.70 m4.71.00 m5.70.48 m
Heptathlon Main competition this year: Women's Olympic Heptathlon RANK1988 WORLD BEST PERFORMERSPOINTS1.72912.68973.68584.67025.6660
Births January 17 — Anna Bulgakova, Russian hammer thrower January 21 — Ashton Eaton, American decathlete January 26 — Gilbert Yegon, Kenyan long-distance runner April 29 — Jan Kudlička, Czech pole vaulter May 20 — Yomara Hinestroza, Colombian sprinter May 26 — Dani Samuels, Australian discus thrower June 22 — Yekaterina Yevseyeva, Kazakh high jumper July 5 — Vincent Chepkok, Kenyan long-distance runner August 4 — Liam Zamel-Paez, Australian high jumper August 10 — Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot, Kenyan marathon runner August 24 — Matteo Galvan, Italian sprinter August 29 — Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, English sprinter September 5 — Chu Yafei, Chinese race walker October 31 — Eglė Balčiūnaitė, Lithuanian middle-distance runner December 17 — David Rudisha, Kenyan middle-distance runner
Deaths July 8 — Ray Barbuti (83), American athlete (b. 1905)
References Year Lists 1988 Year Rankings Association of Road Racing Statisticians