In 1978, the foremost international competitions in the sport of athletics were the 1978 IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the 1978 European Athletics Championships.IAAF World Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.European Athletics Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07. High-profile athletics competitions were also held at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1978 All-Africa Games and the 1978 Asian Games.All-Africa Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.Commonwealth Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.Asian Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.

Among the most prominent athletes that year was Kenya's Henry Rono who, in the space of 81 days, broke four world records: the 10,000 m (27:22.5), the 5000 m (13:08.4), the 3000 m steeplechase (8:05.4), and the 3000 m (7:32.1). In the course of the season East German Marita Koch also broke a world record four times, running 22.06 for the 200 m and breaking the 400 m three times, concluding the run with a time of 48.94 to win the European title.

Major events World World Cross Country Championships 1978 World Military Track and Field Championships 1978 Commonwealth Games

Regional 1978 All-Africa Games 1978 Asian Games 1978 Balkan Athletics Championships 1978 CARIFTA Games 1978 Central American and Caribbean Games 1978 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics 1978 European Athletics Championships 1978 European Athletics Indoor Championships 1978 European Champion Clubs Cup 1978 South American Junior Championships in Athletics 1978 South American Youth Championships in Athletics 1978 Southern Cross Games

National 1978 Italian Athletics Championships 1978 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships 1978 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships 1978 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships 1978 UK Athletics Championships 1978 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships 1978 USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet

Marathons 1978 Avon International Marathon 1978 Berlin Marathon 1978 Chicago Marathon 1978 New York City Marathon

World records Men Event Performance Athlete Nation Meeting Place Date3000 m 7:32.1 Henry Rono Oslo 1978-06-27 5000 m 13:08.4 Henry Rono Berkeley 1978-04-08 10,000 m 27:22.47 Henry Rono Vienna 1978-06-11 3000 m steeplechase 8:05.4 Henry Rono Seattle 1978-05-13 High jump 2.34 Vladimir Yashchenko Tbilisi 1978-06-16 Pole vault 5.71 Mike Tully Corvallis 1978-05-19Discus throw 71.16 Wolfgang Schmidt Berlin 1978-08-09Hammer throw 80.32 Karl-Hans Riehm Heidenheim 1978-08-06 80.14 Boris Zaitchouk Moscow 1978-07-09

Women Event Performance Athlete Nation Meeting Place Date200 m 22.06 Marita Koch Erfurt 1978-05-28400 m 48.94 Marita Koch 1978 European Athletics Championships Prague 1978-08-3149.03 Marita Koch Potsdam 1978-08-1949.19 Marita Koch Leipzig 1978-07-02 100 m hurdles 12.48 Grażyna Rabsztyn Fürth 1978-06-10 400 m hurdles 54.89 Tatyana Zelentsova 1978 European Athletics Championships Prague 1978-09-024 × 100 metres relay 42.27 Johanna KlierMonika HamannCarla BodendorfMarlies Göhr Potsdam 1978-08-19High jump 2.01 Sara Simeoni Brescia 1978-08-042.01 Sara Simeoni 1978 European Athletics Championships Prague 1978-08-31 Long jump 7.09 Vilma Bardauskienė 1978 European Athletics Championships Prague 1978-08-297.07 Vilma Bardauskienė Kishinyov 1978-08-18 Discus throw 70.72 Evelin Jahl Dresden 1978-08-12

Season's bests

100 metres 10.07 10.94 200 metres 20.03 22.06 400 metres 44.27 48.94 800 metres 1:43.84 1:55.80 1500 metres 3:35.48 3:59.01 Mile run 3:52.50 4:26.90 3000 metres 7:32.1 8:32.1 5000 metres 13:08.4 —10,000 metres 27:22.47 —Marathon 2:09:05.6 2:36:23.1 100/110 metres hurdles 13.22 12.48 400 metres hurdles 47.94 54.89 3000 metres steeplechase 8:05.4 —High jump 2.34 m 2.01 m Pole vault 5.71 m —Long jump 8.32 m 7.09 m Triple jump 17.44 m —Shot put 22.15 m 22.06 m Discus throw 71.16 m 70.72 m Hammer throw 80.32 m —Javelin throw 94.22 m 69.16 m Decathlon 8493 pts —4 × 100 metres relay Tobias Striders 38.55 Johanna KlierMonika HamannCarla BodendorfMarlies Göhr 42.27 4 × 400 metres relay Martin WepplerFranz-Peter HofmeisterBernd HerrmannHarald Schmid 3:02.03 Christiane MarquardtBarbara KrugChristina LathanMarita Koch 3:21.20

Notes

References

World Marathon Rankings for 1978. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved 2023-08-07