In 2011, the foremost athletics event was the 2011 World Championships in Athletics in Daegu. The other major global level competition held in 2011 was the World Cross Country Championships.

The 2011 season marked the re-establishment of the African Cross Country Championships, an event created in response to the change of the World Cross Championships from an annual to a biennial format. It was also the first year since 1992 that the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was not held, as that competition also switched to a two-year schedule.

Major events

World

World Championships in Athletics World Cross Country Championships IAAF Diamond League World Youth Championships in Athletics IPC Athletics World Championships World Student Games Military World Games

Regional

CAC Championships NACAC Cross Country Championships Pan American Games Pan American Junior Championships South American Championships South American Cross Country Championships European Indoor Championships European Cross Country Championships European Team Championships European U23 Championships European Junior Championships European Youth Olympic Festival Commonwealth Youth Games Asian Championships Pan Arab Games Southeast Asian Games All-Africa Games African Junior Championships African Cross Country Championships

National Dates Event City12–13 February Austrian Indoor Championships Linz12–13 February Latvian Indoor Championships Kuldīga18–19 February Lithuanian Indoor Championships Klaipėda19–21 April Tonga Championships NukuʻalofaTonga Championships 30–31 May Armenian Championships ArtashatArmenian Championships 10–12 June Japanese Championships KumagayaJapanese Championships23–26 June USA Championships Eugene24–25 June Bahamian Championships FreeportBahamian Championships25–26 June Italian Championships TurinItalian Championships23–24 July German Championships Kassel23–24 July Lithuanian Championships KaunasLithuanian Championships 30–31 July Latvian Championships Latvian Championships 6–7 August Spanish Championships MálagaSpanish Championships11–13 August Polish Championships Bydgoszcz87 Mistrzostwa Polski

World records

Men Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place DateTriple jump (indoor)Teddy Tamgho17.91 mTamgho triples to 17.91m World indoor record in Aubiere . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.French Indoor Championships Aubière, France20 February17.92 m17.92 mRamsak, Bob (2011-03-06). Tamgho twice (!) triples 17.92m World record in Paris as European Indoor Champs conclude. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-09.European Indoor Championships Paris, France6 MarchIndoor heptathlonAshton Eaton6568 ptsLindmae, Maris (2011-02-06). Eaton sets new World record in Tallinn with 6568 points. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-12.International Indoor Combined Events Meeting Tallinn, Estonia5–6 February25,000 metres (track) 30,000 metres (track)Moses Mosop1:12:25.41:26:47.4Martin, Dave (2011-06-04). Mosop rips apart World records for 25,000 and 30,000m in Eugene – Samsung Diamond League . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-05.Prefontaine Classic Eugene, Oregon, USA4 June30 km (road)Peter Cheruiyot Kirui1:27:372011 Berlin Marathon Berlin, Germany25 SeptemberMarathonPatrick Makau2:03:38Butcher, Pat (2011-09-25). Makau stuns with 2:03:38 Marathon World record in Berlin! - UPDATED. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-10-05.4 × 100 metres relayNesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt37.04Ramsak, Bob (2011-09-04). Daegu 2011 - Day 9 SUMMARY - 4 September . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-09-14.World Championships in Athletics Daegu, South Korea4 September50,000 m track walkYohann Diniz3:35:27.20Warburton, Paul (2011-03-12). Rolling Stones and champagne accompany World 50,000m race walk track record for Diniz . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-13.N/A Reims, France12 March

Women Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date4 × 800 m relay (indoor)Team MoscowAleksandra BulanovaYekaterina MartynovaYelena KofanovaAnna Balakshina8:06.24Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov (2011-02-19). Women’s World 4x800m Relay record falls in Moscow – Russian indoor champs wrap . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-20.Russian Indoor ChampionshipsMoscow, Russia18 February20 km roadMary Keitany1:02:36Hutchings, Tim (2011-02-18). Keitany smashes Half Marathon World record in Ras Al Khaimah - UPDATED. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-02-18.Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ras Al Khaimah, UAE18 FebruaryHalf marathon1:05:50Hammer throwBetty Heidler79.42 mWenig, Jorg (2011-05-21). 79.42m - Heidler breaks World Hammer Throw record in Halle - UPDATED. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-23.International Throwing MeetingHalle, Germany21 May20 km road walkVera Sokolova1:25:08Nickolai Dolgopolov and Rostislav Orlov (2011-02-26). Sokolova heads off Kirdyapkina to clock 1:25:08 World record - UPDATED . IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-03-05.Russian Race Walking ChampionshipsSochi, Russia26 February

Season's bests 60 metres 6.48 7.09 100 metres 9.76 10.70 200 metres 19.26 22.15 400 metres 44.35 49.56 † 800 metres 1:41.33 1:55.87 1500 metres 3:30.46 4:00.06 Mile run 3:49.09 4:28.60 3000 metres 7:27.26 8:30.26 indoor5000 metres 12:53.11 14:20.87 10,000 metres 26:43.16 30:38.35 60 metres hurdles 7.37 7.79 100/110 metres hurdles 12.94 12.28 400 metres hurdles 47.66 52.47 3000 metres steeplechase 7:53.64 9:07.03 10 kilometres 27:15 30:38 15 kilometres 41:26 46:40 20 kilometres 56:16 1:02:36 WRHalf marathon 58:30 1:05:50 WR25 kilometres 1:12:13 1:21:38 30 kilometres 1:27:37 WR 1:38:23 WRMarathon 2:03:38 WR 2:18:20 20 kilometres race walk 1:18:30 1:25:08 WR50 kilometres race walk 3:38:46 —Pole vault 6.03 m indoor 4.91 m High jump 2.38 m indoor 2.07 m NRLong jump 8.54 m 7.19 m Triple jump 17.96 m 14.99 m Shot put 22.21 m 21.24 m Discus throw 69.50 m 67.98 m †Javelin throw 90.61 m 71.58 m † Hammer throw 81.89 m 79.42 m WRPentathlon — 4723 pts Heptathlon 6568 pts WR 6790 pts † Decathlon 8729 pts —4 × 100 metres relay Nesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt 37.04 WR Bianca KnightAllyson FelixMarshevet MyersCarmelita Jeter 41.56 4 × 400 metres relay Greg NixonJamaal TorranceMichael BerryLaShawn Merritt 2:58.82 Sanya Richards-RossAllyson FelixJessica BeardFrancena McCorory 3:18.09 † = Russia's Anastasiya Kapachinskaya ran 49.35 in July in at the Russian National Championships in Cheboksary, but this was annulled after she later failed a drug test. † = Russia's Mariya Abakumova threw 71.99, a championship record, at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, but this was annulled after she later failed a drug test. † = Croatia's Sandra Perković had a throw of 69.99 m in June in Varaždin, but this was annulled after she later failed a drug test.Discus Throw 2011. IAAF (2011-12-15). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. † = Russia's Tatyana Chernova accumulated 6880 points at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, but this was annulled after she later failed a drug test.

Awards

Men AwardWinner IAAF World Athlete of the Year Bolt and Pearson are World Athletes of the Year – 2011 World Athletics Gala. IAAF (2011-11-12). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. Track & Field Athlete of the Year European Athlete of the Year Farah and Savinova named European Athletes of the Year. IAAF/European Athletics (2011-10-05). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. European Athletics Rising Star Stars of Europe honoured during the Awards Night in Arona . European Athletics (2011-10-05). Retrieved on 2011-12-17.

Women AwardWinner IAAF World Athlete of the Year Track & Field Athlete of the Year European Athlete of the Year European Athletics Rising Star

Deaths

3 January – Zbigniew Jaremski (61), 400 m relay silver medallist at the 1976 OlympicsZbigniew Jaremski. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 16 January – Stefka Yordanova (64), 1973 European indoor champion over 800 m. European Athletics (2011-01-19). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 3 February – Robert Young (95), 400 m relay silver medallist at the 1936 OlympicsBob Young. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 5 February – Albert Yator (17), Kenyan world junior steeplechase medalistAlbert Yator cause of death confirmed . Athletics Weekly (2011-02-09). Retrieved on 2011-05-29. 13 February – Inese Jaunzeme (78), javelin thrower and Latvia's first Olympic champion 19 February – Ollie Matson (70), 400 m runner and 1952 Olympic medallistPergament, Alan (2011-02-22). Matson obituary: protecting the NFL? Still Talkin' TV (wnymedia.net). Retrieved 2011-12-17. 25 February – Peter Hildreth (82), 1950 European Championships medallist in the hurdles1950 European Athletics Championships medallist Peter Hildreth dies . European Athletics (2011-02-27). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 14 March – Eduard Gushchin (60), 1968 Olympic medallist in the shot put 1968 Olympic medallist Eduard Gushchin dies . European Athletics (2011-03-15). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 19 April – Grete Waitz (57), distance runner and world champion and record holder in the marathonDistance running legend Grete Waitz passes away, memorial tribute to be held on 11 May. IAAF (2011-04-19). Retrieved on 2011-05-01. 16 May – Samuel Wanjiru (24), first Kenyan to win the Olympic marathon and a former half marathon world record holderRamsak, Bob (2011-05-16). Samuel Wanjiru, Olympic Marathon champion, dies at 24. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-05-18. 28 May – Romuald Klim (78), 1964 Olympic champion and former world record holder in the hammer throwKlim, Olympic Hammer Throw champion, passes away. IAAF (2011-06-02). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 30 May – Ricky Bruch, (64) former world record holder in the discus throw (Swedish) 6 June – Benjamín González (53), World and European indoor medallist over 400 and 800 metresSpain’s 1982 European Athletics Indoor Championships medallist Benjamin Gonzalez dies . European Athletics (2011-06-09). Retrieved on 2011-06-11. 10 June – Cosimo Caliandro (29), 3000 metres gold medallist at the 2007 European IndoorsItaly’s 2007 European indoor championships Cosimo Caliandro killed . European Athletics (2011-06-11). Retrieved on 2011-06-11. 10 July – Ragnar Lundberg (86), pole vaulter and 1950 European championRagnar Lundberg. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 12 July – Kurt Lundquist (85), 400 m runner and 1948 Olympic relay medallistKurt Lundquist. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 17 August – Pierre Quinon (49), 1984 Olympic pole vault championFrench Pole Vault ace Pierre Quinon has died. IAAF (2011-08-18). Retrieved on 2011-09-21. 2 October – Vera Popkova (68), 1971 European indoor champion over 400 metresFormer European indoor 400m champion Vera Popkova passes away . European Athletics (2011-10-04). Retrieved on 2011-10-05. 13 October – Abdoulaye Seye (77), sprinter and 1960 Olympic medallist over 200 mAbdoulaye Seye, 1960 Olympic bronze medallist, passes away. IAAF (2011-10-14). Retrieved on 2011-12-17. 12 December – Sunday Bada (42), 1997 World indoor champion over 400 metres and Olympic relay gold medallist1997 World Indoor champion Sunday Bada dies. IAAF (2011-12-13). Retrieved on 2011-12-17.

References

Further reading Annual season reviews from IAAF by A. Lennart Julin and Mirko Jalava:

Sprints Middle-distances Long-distance (track)

Road running and race walking Hurdles

Jumps Throws Combined events