1986 in the sport of athletics

International Events

• Asian Games
• Balkan Games
• European Championships
• European Indoor Championships
• Commonwealth Games
• Goodwill Games
• World Junior Championships

  World records

Men

Women

• ''Heike Drechsler twice equals the world record in the women's 200 metres held by countrywoman Marita Koch since 1979-06-10, clocking 21.71 seconds on 1986-06-29 and 1986-08-29.

  Men's Best Year Performers

[100 metres]

[200 metres]

[400 metres]

[800 metres]

1,500 metres">1500 metres">1,500 metres

Mile">Mile run world record progression">Mile

3,000 metres">3000 metres">3,000 metres

5,000 metres">5000 metres">5,000 metres

10,000 metres">10000 metres">10,000 metres

[Half Marathon]

110m Hurdles">Hurdling">110m Hurdles

400m Hurdles">Hurdling">400m Hurdles

3,000m Steeplechase">Steeplechase (athletics)">3,000m Steeplechase

[High Jump]

[Long Jump]

[Triple Jump]

Discus">Discus throw">Discus

Hammer">Hammer throw">Hammer

[Shot Put]

Javelin (old design)">Javelin throw">Javelin (old design)

[Pole Vault]

[Decathlon]

Women's Best Year Performers

[100 metres]

[200 metres]

[400 metres]

[800 metres]

1,500 metres">1500 metres">1,500 metres

Mile">Mile run world record progression">Mile

3.000 metres">3000 metres">3.000 metres

5.000 metres">5000 metres">5.000 metres

10,000 metres">10000 metres">10,000 metres

[Half Marathon]

100m Hurdles">Hurdling">100m Hurdles

400m Hurdles">Hurdling">400m Hurdles

High Jump">High jump">High Jump

Long Jump">Long jump">Long Jump

Shot Put">Shot put">Shot Put

Javelin (old design)">Javelin throw">Javelin (old design)

[Heptathlon]

Marathon

Year Rankings

Men

Women

National Champions

International Races

Births

• January 5 — Roman Novotný, Czech long jumper
• January 11 — Claudio Licciardello, Italian sprinter
• January 15 — Mariya Abakumova, Russian javelin thrower
• January 17 — Sherry Fletcher, Grenadian sprinter
• January 23 — Gelete Burka, Ethiopian middle distance runner
• January 24 — Montell Douglas, British sprinter
• January 31 — Walter Dix, American sprinter
• February 11 — Bob Altena, Dutch decathlete
• April 1 — Yurika Nakamura, Japanese long-distance runner
• April 2 — Moses Aliwa, Ugandan long-distance runner
• April 4 — Evelyne Nganga, Kenyan long-distance runner
• April 29 — Ingus Janevics, Latvian race walker
• May 2 — Samuel Muturi Mugo, Kenyan long-distance runner
• May 16 — Eleni Artymata, Cypriot sprinter
• June 3 — Micah Kogo, Kenyan long-distance runner
• June 8 — Yadira Guamán, Ecuadorian race walker
• June 10 — Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud, Egyptian sprinter
• June 27 — LaShawn Merritt, American sprinter
• July 3 — Robina Muqimyar, Afghan sprinter
• July 17 — Viktor Kuznyetsov, Ukrainian long jumper and triple jumper
• July 19 — Philes Ongori, Kenyan long-distance runner
• July 26 — Mattias Claesson, Swedish middle distance runner
• July 26 — Angela Moroşanu, Romanian sprinter
• July 28 — Nancy Wambui, Kenyan long-distance runner
• July 28 — Nickiesha Wilson, Jamaican hurdler
• August 3 — Fartun Abukar Omar, Somali athlete
• August 21 — Usain Bolt, Jamaican sprinter
• August 29 — Yerefu Birhanu, Ethiopian long-distance runner
• September 9 — Daniel Bailey, Antigua and Barbuda sprinter
• November 1 — Ksenija Balta, Estonian long jumper, sprinter and heptathlete
• November 10 — Samuel Wanjiru, Kenyan long-distance runner
• November 13 — Sergey Bakulin, Russian race walker
• November 21 — Aleksandra Zelenina, Moldovan long and triple jumper
• December 7 — Olga Mikhaylova, Russian race walker

  Deaths

• April 13 — Sulo Bärlund, Finnish shot putter