The World Athletics Indoor Championships are a biennial indoor track and field competition served as the global championship for that version of the sport. Organised by the World Athletics, the competition was inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently renamed to IAAF World Indoor Championships in 1987. The current name was adapted with the name change of the sports governing body in 2019.
They have been held every two years except for when they were held in consecutive years 2003 and 2004 to facilitate the need for them to be held in alternate years to the outdoor World Athletics Championships in the future, and in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The Championships due to be held in China in 2020 were postponed because of the COVID pandemic, as were the attempted running of the China edition in then 2021 and 2023, eventually being scheduled for 2025. Two standard editions of the Championships were held in 2022 and 2024.
Events The events held have been composed of a regular disciplines, with the main alterations coming in the earlier years. The 4 × 400 m relay race for both men and women was added to the full schedule in 1991 with the women's triple jump, the latter as an exhibition event, and gaining full status at the following championships.
Racewalking events were dropped after 1993, and a 1600 m medley relay was tried but was discontinued were due to alleged poor interest. This same year, a men's heptathlon and women's pentathlon were successfully introduced as non-championship events, and have remained on the program since.
In 1997 the women's pole vault entered the fray, two years before it made an appearance at the event's outdoor counterpart.
Despite the event's popularity, the 200 m was removed from the program after the 2004 championships, as the event was deemed unfair to all participants and too predictable, with the tighter bends of an indoor track causing any athletes not drawn in either of the outside lanes having minimal or no chance of winning.
Championships Edition Year Host city Host country Date Venue Events Nations Athletes Top of the medal tableI1985 Paris France 18–19 January 1985 Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy2469319 II1987 Indianapolis United States 6–8 March 1987 Hoosier Dome2485419 III1989 Budapest Hungary 3–5 March 1989 Budapest Sportcsarnok2462373 IV1991 Seville Spain 8–10 March 1991 Palacio Municipal de Deportes San Pablo2680518 V1993 Toronto Canada 12–14 March 1993 SkyDome2793537 VI1995 Barcelona Spain 10–12 March 1995 Palau Sant Jordi27131594 VII1997 Paris France 7–9 March 1997 Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy28118712 VIII1999 Maebashi Japan 5–7 March 1999 Green Dome Maebashi28115451 IX2001 Lisbon Portugal 9–11 March 2001 Pavilhão Atlântico28136510 X2003 Birmingham United Kingdom 14–16 March 2003 National Indoor Arena28131583 XI2004 Budapest Hungary 5–7 March 2004 Budapest Sports Arena28139677 XII2006 Moscow Russia 10–12 March 2006 Olimpiysky Stadium26129562 XIII2008 Valencia Spain 7–9 March 2008 Luis Puig Palace26147574 XIV2010 Doha Qatar 12–14 March 2010 Aspire Dome26146585 XV2012 Istanbul Turkey 9–11 March 2012 Ataköy Athletics Arena26171629 XVI2014 Sopot Poland 7–9 March 2014 Ergo Arena26134538 XVII2016 Portland United States 17–20 March 2016 Oregon Convention Center26137487 XVIII2018 Birmingham United Kingdom 1–4 March 2018 National Indoor Arena26134554 XIX2022 Belgrade Serbia 18–20 March 2022 Belgrade Arena26128611 XX2024 Glasgow United Kingdom 1–3 March 2024 Emirates Arena26128587 XXI2025 Nanjing China 21–23 March 2025 Nanjing's Cube26118517 XXII2026 Toruń Poland 20–22 March 2026 Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Toruń27118674 XXIII2028 Bhubaneswar India 3–5 March 2028 Kalinga StadiumXXIV2030 Astana Kazakhstan 15–17 March 2030 Qazaqstan Indoor Track and Field Arena
Outstanding achievements Seven gold medals Mozambique's Maria de Lurdes Mutola won seven gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the women's 800 m from 1993 to 2008. Natalya Nazarova has won seven gold and one silver medal from 1999 to 2008 in the 400 m and 4 × 400 m relay.
Five gold medals Iván Pedroso of Cuba won five straight golds in the men's long jump from 1993 to 2001. Stefka Kostadinova of Bulgaria won five gold medals in the women's high jump. Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia won 2 gold medals in the women's 1,500 m and 3 gold medals in the 3,000 m from 2012 to 2018.
Four gold medals Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia won three golds in the 3,000 m and one in the 1,500 m. Sergey Bubka won four pole vault gold medals (three while competing for the Soviet Union and one for Ukraine). Javier Sotomayor of Cuba won four gold and one bronze medal in the men's high jump. Stefan Holm of Sweden has won four gold medals in the men's high jump. Meseret Defar of Ethiopia has won four gold, one silver and one bronze medal in the women's 3,000 m. Mikhail Shchennikov of Russia has won four gold medals in the 5000 m walk. Gail Devers of the United States has won 3 golds in 60 m and 1 gold and 1 silver in 60 m hurdles. Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia has won 4 golds and 1 silver in pole vault. Valerie Adams of New Zealand has won 4 golds and 1 bronze in shot put. Armand Duplantis of Sweden has won 4 golds in men's pole vault. Tom Walsh of New Zealand has won 4 golds, 1 silver and 2 bronze in shot put.
Championship records Key to tables:
Men EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceVideo60 m6.37Christian Coleman3 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom400 m44.76Christopher Morales Williams21 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland800 m1:42.67Wilson Kipketer9 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, France1500 m3:32.77Samuel Tefera20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia3000 m7:34.71Haile Gebrselassie9 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, France60 m hurdles7.29Grant Holloway20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United KingdomHigh jump2.43 mJavier Sotomayor4 March 19891989 ChampionshipsBudapest, HungaryPole vault6.25 mArmand Duplantis21 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, PolandLong jump8.62 mIván Pedroso7 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, JapanTriple jump17.90 mTeddy Tamgho14 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, QatarShot put22.77 mRyan Crouser1 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United KingdomHeptathlon6670 ptsSimon Ehammer20–21 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland4 × 400 m relay3:01.52Justin RobinsonChris RobinsonDemarius SmithKhaleb McRae22 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland
Women EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceVideo60 m6.95Gail Devers12 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada400 m49.17Femke Bol2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom800 m1:55.30Keely Hodgkinson22 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland1500 m3:54.86Gudaf Tsegay23 March 20252025 ChampionshipsNanjing, China3000 m8:20.87Elle St. Pierre2 March 20242024 ChampionshipsGlasgow, United Kingdom60 m hurdles7.65Devynne Charlton22 March 20242026 ChampionshipsToruń, PolandHigh jump2.05 mStefka Kostadinova8 March 19871987 ChampionshipsIndianapolis, United StatesPole vault4.95 mSandi Morris3 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United KingdomLong jump7.23 mBrittney Reese11 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, TurkeyTriple jump15.74 mYulimar Rojas20 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, SerbiaShot put20.67 mValerie Adams8 March 20142014 ChampionshipsSopot, Poland20.85 m Nadzeya Ostapchuk14 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, QatarPentathlon5013 ptsNataliya Dobrynska9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, Turkey4 × 400 m relay3:23.85Quanera HayesGeorganne MolineShakima WimbleyCourtney Okolo4 March 20182018 ChampionshipsBirmingham, United Kingdom
Mixed EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace4 × 400 m relay3:15.60Jonathan SacoorJulien WatrinHelena PonetteIlana Hanssens21 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland
Heptathlon disciplines EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlaceVideo60 m6.61Chris Huffins8 March 19971997 ChampionshipsParis, FranceLong jump8.16 mAshton Eaton9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, TurkeyShot put17.17 mAleksey Drozdov12 March 20102010 ChampionshipsDoha, QatarHigh jump2.21 mAndrei Krauchanka7 March 20142014 ChampionshipsSopot, Poland60 m hurdles7.52Simon Ehammer21 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, PolandPole vault5.50 mErki Nool7 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan1000 m2:29.04Curtis Beach19 March 20162016 ChampionshipsPortland, United States
Pentathlon disciplines EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace60 m hurdles7.91Jessica Ennis9 March 20122012 ChampionshipsIstanbul, TurkeyHigh jump1.99 mTia Hellebaut7 March 20082008 ChampionshipsValencia, SpainShot put17.18 mNataliya Dobrynska7 March 20082008 ChampionshipsValencia, SpainLong jump6.69 mNatalya Sazanovich9 March 20012001 ChampionshipsLisbon, PortugalKendell Williams18 March 20222022 ChampionshipsBelgrade, Serbia800 m2:06.32Anna Hall22 March 20262026 ChampionshipsToruń, Poland
Records in defunct events Men's events EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace200 m20.10Frank Fredericks6 March 19991999 ChampionshipsMaebashi, Japan5000 m walk18:23.55Mikhail Shchennikov10 March 19911991 ChampionshipsSeville, Spain1600m medley relay(non-championship event)3:15.10Mark EverettJames TrappKevin LittleButch Reynolds14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada
Women's events EventRecordAthleteNationDateChampionshipsPlace200 m22.15Irina Privalova14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada3000 m walk11:49.73Yelena Nikolayeva13 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada1600m medley relay(non-championship event)3:45.90Joetta ClarkWendy VereenKim BattenJearl Miles14 March 19931993 ChampionshipsToronto, Canada
All-time medal table Medal table includes 1985–2026 Championships.
Notes was the name, under which Russian athletes competed in the 2018 Championships. Their medals were not included in the official medal table.
All-time placing table In the World Athletics placing table the total score is obtained from assigning eight points to the first place and so on to one point for the eight place. Points are shared in situations where a tie occurs.
Updated after 2022 Championships
RankCountry45678MedalsPoints1 113 81+173+269+151+440+334+232 270 27242 51+140+336+125+134 29+120+19 132 13413 24 27 29+228+131+220+218 21+3 82 964.54 18 27+127+121+123+126+314 11+1 74 836.55 17 22 12+116+120 14 5 5 52 5896 9 15 12+112 20+210 16+17 47 5527 13 9 17+1 1413+117+215 14 40 500 8 30 11 1212 6 5 3 2 53 4969 2 19 15 16+117+217 15+113+1 36 494.510 4+1 12 15+1258+2 18+35 8 33 462.5 Notes Does not include results achieved by Authorized Neutral Athletes in 2018. Includes results achieved by East Germany and West Germany between 1987 and 1989.
Multiple medallists A total of 8 men and 19 women have won five or more medals at the competition.
Men NameCountryYearsTotalGoldSilverBronzeJavier Sotomayor1985-19996411Chris Brown2006-20166123Iván Pedroso1993-20015500Bernard Lagat / 2003-20145320Tom Walsh2014-20245212Roman Šebrle1999-20065203Yaroslav Rybakov2003-20105140Jamie Baulch1997-20035122
Women NameCountryYearsTotalGoldSilverBronzeMaria Mutola1993-20089711Natalya Nazarova1999-20088710Meseret Defar2003-20167421Sandie Richards1993-20037340Merlene Ottey / 1987-20037322Olesya Zykina2001-20086501Gail Devers1993-20046420Svetlana Goncharenko1995-20046321Jearl Miles Clark1991-19996213Stefka Kostadinova1985-19975500Genzebe Dibaba2012-20185500Gabriela Szabo1995-20015410Yelena Isinbayeva2003-20125410Olga Kotlyarova1997-20045410Valerie Adams2008-20165401Irina Privalova1991-19955320Natasha Hastings2010-20165311Grit Breuer1991-20035203Svetlana Feofanova2001-20105122
See also International Athletics Championships and Games
Notes
References
External links World Athletics Indoor Championships Event History 1987–2003 from BBC