The 17th Edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships for 2019 was held at Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar from September 27-October 6, 2019. The biennial event was organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and Qatar Athletics Federation. Doha Corniche was the route for the marathon and racewalking events.
- It was the first edition of the competition under its rebranded name, having previously been known as the World Championships in Athletics.
- Mascot: The event mascot was “Falah”, an anthropomorphic falcon dressed in athletic gear in the maroon colour of the flag of Qatar.
- Events: 49 events comprising 24 events each for men and women, plus a mixed relay were held and 209 countries participated in the championship.
- 18th Edition: The 18th edition will be held in Eugene, Oregon, United States in 2021.
Medal tally: Top 3 countries – India was ranked 58th in the championship.
| Rank | Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | United States | 14 | 11 | 4 | 29 |
| 2 | Kenya | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
| 3 | Jamaica | 3 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
Highlights
- Portugal’s Joao Vieira, aged 43, became the oldest person to win a medal in the history of the World Athletics Championships with silver in the men’s 50km walk. Japan’s Yusuke Suzuki won the first place.
- Best Performers: Based on the IAAF scoring tables, the best male and female performers were men’s shot put gold medallist Joe Kovacs from America and women’s long jump champion Germany’s Malaika Mihambo.
World Records – 3
- Allyson Felix from United States of America (USA) broke the record held by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (11 golds) by winning 13 gold medals at the World Championships.
- American Dalilah Muhammad broke her own world record to win the women’s 400 metres hurdles at the world championships with a time of 52.16 seconds. Her previous record time was 52.20 seconds.
- Team USA comprising of Tyrell Richard, Jessica Beard, Jasmine Blocker & Obi Igbokwe set the 4X400 meters mixed relay world record by finishing it in 3 minutes, 12.42 seconds . The previous record was of 3:13.20. On the same day, another US team featuring Wilbert London, Courtney Okolo, Allyson Felix and Michael Cherry finished the 4X400 meters mixed relay in three minutes 9.04 seconds setting another world record.
Indian Performance – National Records & Olympics qualification
27 athletes from India represented in the championships.
i. Record
- Annu Rani became the first Indian to reach the finals of the women’s javelin throw event in the World Championships in Doha. She threw the javelin 62.43m in her second attempt and emerged as the fifth-best performer of the qualification round breaking her previous record of 62.34m. But she missed out the qualification for 2020 olympics.
- Avinash Sable in men’s 3000m steeplechase event finished in 8 minute 21.37 seconds and bettered his own national record of 8:25.23.
ii. Olympic qualification
- India’s Avinash Sable qualified for Tokyo Olympics in men’s 3000m steeplechase event by finishing it in 8 minute 21.37 seconds. Olympics qualifying standard was 8:22.00.
- Indian team comprising of Muhammed Anas, VK Vismaya, Nirmal Noah and Jisna Mathew, finished 7th in the finals of 4*400m mixed relay and qualified for the 2020 Tokyo olympics.
iii. MP Jabir qualified for the 400m hurdles semifinals at the World Athletics Championship. With this, he became the second Indian male hurdler to reach the semifinals after Joseph Abraham (2007 Osaka World Championships).
iv. There were only 3 finalists from the Indian side in the events of
- Mixed 4x400m relay- Muhammed Anas, VK Vismaya, Nirmal Noah and Jisna Mathew
- Men’s 3,000m steeplechase- Avinash Sable
- Women’s javelin throw- Annu Rani
Prize money
| Medal | Individual event (in US$) | Team event (in US$) |
| Gold | 60,000 | 80,000 |
| Silver | 30,000 | 40,000 |
| Bronze | 20,000 | 20,000 |
About IAAF:
♦ Founded: 17 July 1912
♦ Headquarters: Monaco
♦ President: Sebastian Coe