The best of the world’s runners, jumpers and throwers converge on a city each summer to compete to be crowned world champion in their event. The event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for athletes and is the pinnacle of track and field competition.
This biennial championship is organized by World Athletics (formerly the International Association of Athletic Federations), and is separate from the Olympic Games. Originally held every four years, the championship was switched to a biennial schedule in 1991, giving title-hungry athletes twice as many opportunities to become world champions within an Olympic cycle.
Athletes can test their speed and agility on the short sprints, while longer events such as the 1500m and 5000m are tests of endurance. Jumps showcase incredible power, with the awe-inspiring pole vault, long jump and triple jump highlighting the pure rawness of athleticism. Relays offer the chance to see teamwork at its finest, with synchronised transfers of the baton crucial. Combined events also take centre stage, with men competing in a decathlon and women taking part in a heptathlon.
Wearing your nation’s vest at a World Championship is a huge honour for stars of track and field, with the accolade holding almost equal weight to Olympic gold medals. It is at these events that history is made, with the likes of Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis and Katarina Johnson-Thompson having all claimed world titles.