1987 in the sport of athletics
This page contains an overview of the year 1987 in athletics.
International Events
- All-Africa Games
- Asian Championships
- Central American and Caribbean Championships
- European Indoor Championships
- Mediterranean Games
- Pan American Games
- World Championships
- World Indoor Championships
- World Cross Country Championships
- World Student Games
World records
Men
Carl Lewis equalled the world record in the men's 100 metres held by countryman Calvin Smith since 1983-07-03, clocking 9.93 seconds on 1987-08-30 at the World Championships in Rome, Italy.Women
Jackie Joyner-Kersee equalled the world record in the women's long jump held by East Germany's Heike Drechsler since 1986-06-21, jumping 7.45 metres on 1987-08-13 at a meet in Indianapolis.Men's Best Year Performers
[100 metres]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 9.93 | |
| 2. | 10.03 | |
| 3. | 10.04 | |
| 4. | 10.06 | |
| 5. | 10.07 | |
| — | 10.07 |
[200 metres]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 19.92 | |
| 2. | 19.95 | |
| 3. | 20.08 | |
| 4. | 20.10 | |
| 5. | 20.11 |
[400 metres]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 44.10 | |
| 2. | 44.17 | |
| 3. | 44.33 | |
| 4. | 44.47 | |
| 5. | 44.50 |
[800 metres]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 1:43.06 | |
| 2. | 1:43.41 | |
| — | 1:43.76 | |
| 4. | 1:43.95 | |
| 5. | 1:44.09 |
1,500 metres">1500 metres">1,500 metres
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 3:30.69 | |
| 2. | 3:31.43 | |
| 3. | 3:31.71 | |
| 4. | 3:33.01 | |
| 5. | 3:33.23 |
Mile">Mile run world record progression">Mile
3,000 metres">3000 metres">3,000 metres
5,000 metres">5000 metres">5,000 metres
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 12:58.39 | |
| 2. | 13:10.48 | |
| 3. | 13:12.34 | |
| 4. | 13:12.49 | |
| 5. | 13:13.02 |
10,000 metres">10000 metres">10,000 metres
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 27:26.95 | |
| 2. | 27:29.41 | |
| 3. | 27:34.38 | |
| 4. | 27:35.33 | |
| 5. | 27:38.63 |
[Half Marathon]
Marathon">Marathon (sport)">Marathon
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 2:08:18 | |
| 2. | 2:09:50 | |
| 3. | 2:10:09 | |
| 4. | 2:10:11 | |
| 5. | 2:10:15 |
110m Hurdles">Hurdling">110m Hurdles
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 13.17 | |
| 2. | 13.19 | |
| 3. | 13.23 | |
| 4. | 13.29 | |
| — | 13.29 | |
| — | 13.29 |
400m Hurdles">Hurdling">400m Hurdles
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 47.46 | |
| 2. | 47.48 | |
| — | 47.48 | |
| 4. | 48.03 | |
| 5. | 48.15 |
3,000m Steeplechase">Steeplechase (athletics)">3,000m Steeplechase
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | TIME |
| 1. | 8:08.57 | |
| 2. | 8:10.32 | |
| 3. | 8:12.18 | |
| 4. | 8:12.80 | |
| 5. | 8:13.88 |
[High Jump]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | HEIGHT |
| 1. | 2.42 | |
| 2. | 2.38 | |
| — | 2.38 | |
| 4. | 2.37 | |
| 5. | 2.36 | |
| — | 2.36 |
[Long Jump]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 8.86 | |
| 2. | 8.75 | |
| 3. | 8.66 | |
| 4. | 8.51 | |
| 5. | 8.43 |
[Triple Jump]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 17.92 | |
| 2. | 17.87 | |
| 3. | 17.77 | |
| 4. | 17.65 | |
| 5. | 17.61 |
Discus">Discus throw">Discus
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 69.52 | |
| 2. | 68.98 | |
| 3. | 68.30 | |
| 4. | 67.92 | |
| 5. | 67.80 |
[Shot Put]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 22.91 | |
| 2. | 22.52 | |
| 3. | 22.47 | |
| 4. | 22.31 | |
| 5. | 22.01 |
Hammer">Hammer throw">Hammer
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 83.48 | |
| 2. | 82.96 | |
| 3. | 82.24 | |
| 4. | 82.02 | |
| 5. | 82.00 |
Javelin (new design)">Javelin throw">Javelin (new design)
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | DISTANCE |
| 1. | 87.66 | |
| 2. | 86.64 | |
| 3. | 85.24 | |
| 4. | 85.16 | |
| 5. | 84.30 |
[Pole Vault]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | HEIGHT |
| 1. | 6.03 | |
| 2. | 5.96 | |
| 3. | 5.90 | |
| 4. | 5.85 | |
| 5. | 5.83 |
[Decathlon]
| RANK | 1987 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS | POINTS |
| 1. | 8680 | |
| 2. | 8645 | |
| 3. | 8375 | |
| 4. | 8359 | |
| 5. | 8340 |
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]
Marathon">Marathon (sport)">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]
Births
- January 1 — Rytis Sakalauskas, Lithuanian sprinter
- January 17 — Svetlana Radzivil, Uzbekistani high jumper
- January 27 — Liliya Kulyk, Ukrainian triple jumper
- March 5 — Vitalij Kozlov, Lithuanian middle distance runner
- April 17 — Atsede Baysa, Ethiopian long-distance runner
- April 24 — Franklin Nazareno, Ecuadorian sprinter
- July 14 — Margus Hunt, Estonian discus thrower
- July 22 — Hugo Chila, Ecuadorian long jumper and triple jumper
- August 9 — Marek Niit, Estonian sprinter
- September 1 — Leonel Suárez, Cuban decathlete
- September 13 — Vincent Kipruto, Kenyan long-distance runner
- October 3 — Ancuţa Bobocel, Romanian long-distance runner
- November 1 — Jimmy Adar, Ugandan middle distance runner
- November 17 — Nadiya Dusanova, Uzbekistani high jumper
- December 1 — Tabarie Henry, United States Virgin Islands sprinter
- December 21 — Denis Alekseyev, Russian sprinter
Deaths
- March 17 — Georg Lammers, German athlete
- October 20 — Jerzy Chromik, Polish long-distance runner