Athletics events were contested at the 1979 Summer Universiade in Mexico City, Mexico between 8 and 13 September.
Medal summary Men's events 10.1910.3010.3819.72 20.2420.4244.9845.1245.901:48.871:49.501:49.773:45.373:45.83:46.414:12.914:15.414:18.029:56.130:16.430:49.113.5013.5013.5548.44 UR48.6048.888:57.78:58.19:08.7Gianfranco LazzerLuciano CaravaniGiovanni GrazioliPietro Mennea38.42 URPatrice OuréAmadou MeïtéAvognan NogboumGeorges Kablan Degnan38.73Jean GraciaPierrick ThessardGabriel BrothierPascal Barré39.07Fred TaylorLeslie KerrRonnie HarrisWalter McCoy3:00.98Hugo PontKoen GijsbersMarcel KlarenbeekHarry Schulting3:03.18Stefano MalinverniAlfonso Di GuidaFlavio BorghiRoberto Tozzi3:03.802.28 UR2.28 UR2.265.605.605.558.168.057.9917.2317.2016.8720.4919.9619.6060.7859.8258.3275.74 UR75.6875.5488.68 UR87.1082.628203 UR80337868
Women's events 11.00 UR11.2711.3221.91 UR22.7022.7650.35 UR51.3551.592:00.502:00.772:00.814:13.94:14.54:14.612.62 UR12.6612.90Vera KomisovaVera AnisimovaTatyana ProrochenkoOlga Korotkova43.14Yvette WrayKathy SmallwoodRuth KennedyBev Goddard43.26Odile MadkaudJacqueline CurtetMarie-Pierre PhilippeChantal Réga43.941.941.921.926.806.676.5719.9819.5619.4163.5463.0059.2867.2063.0460.98449743064272
Medal table
References World Student Games (Universiade - Men) - GBR Athletics World Student Games (Universiade - Women) - GBR Athletics