1978 in the sport of athletics

1978 in athletics
← 1977
1979 →
Years in the sport of athletics
1978 in sports

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.[1][2] High-profile athletics competitions were also held at the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 1978 All-Africa Games and the 1978 Asian Games.[3][4][5]

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).[6][7] 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.[8]

  1. ^ IAAF World Cross Country Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  2. ^ European Athletics Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  3. ^ All-Africa Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  4. ^ Commonwealth Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  5. ^ Asian Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2023-08-07.
  6. ^ Payne, Bob (November 12, 1978). "Henry Rono: Rival runners know he's world's greatest". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  7. ^ Marshall, Joe (December 3, 1979). "Rono is all revved for Moscow". Sports Illustrated. p. 98.
  8. ^ Matti Koskimies (1 January 2012). "World Record Progression (Women)". Retrieved 12 January 2012.