2008 in the sport of athletics

This article contains an overview of the year 2008 in athletics

2008 in athletics
Major world events2008 Olympics
World records set10
IAAF Athletes of the YearUsain Bolt
Yelena Isinbayeva
World Marathon Majors winnersMartin Lel
Irina Mikitenko
2007
2009

International events

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World records

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Event Performance Athlete Nation Place Date
100 m 9.72 Usain Bolt   Jamaica New York City, United States May 31
9.69 Beijing, China August 16
200 m 19.30 August 20
4 × 100 m relay 37.10 Nesta Carter
Michael Frater
Usain Bolt
Asafa Powell
August 22
110 m hurdles 12.87 Dayron Robles   Cuba Ostrava, Czech Republic June 12
50 km race walk 3:34:14 Denis Nizhegorodov   Russia Cheboksary, Russia May 11
Marathon 2:03:59 Haile Gebrselassie   Ethiopia Berlin, Germany September 28

Women

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Event Performance Athlete Nation Place Date
5000 m 14:11.15 Tirunesh Dibaba   Ethiopia Oslo, Norway June 6
One hour run 18,517 m Dire Tune Ostrava, Czech Republic June 12
3000 m steeplechase 8:58.81 Gulnara Galkina-Samitova   Russia Beijing, China August 17
Pole vault 5.03 m Yelena Isinbayeva Rome, Italy July 11
5.04 m Monte Carlo, Monaco July 29
5.05 m Beijing, China August 18
Javelin throw 72.28 Barbora Špotáková   Czech Republic Stuttgart, Germany September 13

Awards

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Award Winner
IAAF World Athlete of the Year   Usain Bolt
Track & Field Athlete of the Year   Usain Bolt
European Athlete of the Year   Andreas Thorkildsen
European Athletics Rising Star   Raphael Holzdeppe

Women

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Award Winner
IAAF World Athlete of the Year   Yelena Isinbayeva
Track & Field Athlete of the Year   Tirunesh Dibaba
European Athlete of the Year   Yelena Isinbayeva
European Athletics Rising Star   Stephanie Twell

Men's best year performances

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RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Usain Bolt (JAM) 9.69 WR
2.   Asafa Powell (JAM) 9.72
3.   Tyson Gay (USA) 9.77
4.   Travis Padgett (USA) 9.89
  Darvis Patton (USA) 9.89
  Richard Thompson (TRI) 9.89
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.30 WR
2.   Walter Dix (USA) 19.86
  Shawn Crawford (USA) 19.86
4.   Wallace Spearmon (USA) 19.90
5.   Rodney Martin (USA) 19.99
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   LaShawn Merritt (USA) 43.75
2.   Jeremy Wariner (USA) 43.82
3.   Angelo Taylor (USA) 44.38
4.   Chris Brown (BAH) 44.40
5.   Martyn Rooney (GBR) 44.60
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Abubaker Kaki (SUD) 1:42.69
2.   Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS) 1:42.79
  Yusuf Saad Kamel (BHR) 1:42.79
4.   Yeimer López (CUB) 1:43.07
5.   Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (RSA) 1:43.26
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (KEN) 3:31.49
2.   Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) 3:31.57
3.   Asbel Kipruto Kiprop (KEN) 3:31.64
4.   Abdalaati Iguider (MAR) 3:31.88
5.   Shedrack Kibet Korir (KEN) 3:31.94
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Edwin Cheruiyot Soi (KEN) 7:31.83
2.   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 7:31.94
3.   Augustine Kiprono Choge (KEN) 7:32.01
4.   Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (UGA) 7:32.42
5.   Levy Matebo (KEN) 7:33.01
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 12:50.18
2.   Moses Ndiema Masai (KEN) 12:50.55
3.   Tariku Bekele (ETH) 12:52.45
4.   Moses Ndiema Kipsiro (UGA) 12:54.70
5.   Abreham Cherkos (ETH) 12:57.56
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 26:25.97
2.   Sileshi Sihine (ETH) 26:50.53
3.   Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 26:51.20
4.   Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 26:54.32
5.   Leonard Komon (KEN) 26:57.08
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Dayron Robles (CUB) 12.87 WR
2.   David Oliver (USA) 12.95
3.   Terrence Trammell (USA) 13.08
4.   Antwon Hicks (USA) 13.09
5.   Anwar Moore (USA) 13.15
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Angelo Taylor (USA) 47.25
2.   Kerron Clement (USA) 47.79
3.   Bershawn Jackson (USA) 48.02
4.   L.J. van Zyl (RSA) 48.22
5.   Danny McFarlane (JAM) 48.30
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Paul Kipsiele Koech (KEN) 8:00.57
2.   Richard Kipkemboi Mateelong (KEN) 8:07.64
3.   Tareq Mubarak Taher (BHR) 8:08.53
4.   Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad (FRA) 8:08.95
5.   Michael Kipyego (KEN) 8:09.05
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 59:15
  Deriba Merga (ETH) 59:15
3.   Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (KEN) 59:16
4.   Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 59:26
5.   Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN) 59:29
  Evans Kiprop Cheruiyot (KEN) 59:29
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:03:59 WR
2.   Martin Lel (KEN) 2:05:15
3.   Samuel Wanjiru (KEN) 2:05:24
4.   Abderrahim Goumri (MAR) 2:05:30
5.   James Kipsang Kwambai (KEN) 2:05:36
RANK ATHLETE HEIGHT
1.   Andrey Silnov (RUS) 2.38
2.   Stefan Holm (SWE) 2.37
3.   Dusty Jonas (USA) 2.36
4.   Michał Bieniek (POL) 2.35
5.   Kabelo Kgosiemang (BOT) 2.34
  Germaine Mason (GBR) 2.34
  Yaroslav Rybakov (RUS) 2.34
RANK ATHLETE HEIGHT
1.   Brad Walker (USA) 6.04
2.   Evgeniy Lukyanenko (RUS) 6.01
3.   Steven Hooker (AUS) 6.00
4.   Denys Yurchenko (UKR) 5.83
5.   Maksym Mazuryk (UKR) 5.82
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Irving Saladino (PAN) 8.73
2.   Ibrahim Camejo (CUB) 8.46
3.   Loúis Tsátoumas (GRE) 8.44
4.   Mohamed Salman Al Khuwalidi (KSA) 8.37
5.   Trevell Quinley (USA) 8.36
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Nelson Évora (POR) 17.67
2.   Phillips Idowu (GBR) 17.62
3.   Leevan Sands (BAH) 17.59
4.   Arnie David Giralt (CUB) 17.52
5.   Alexis Copello (CUB) 17.50
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Adam Nelson (USA) 22.12
2.   Reese Hoffa (USA) 22.10
3.   Andrei Mikhnevich (BLR) 22.00
4.   Christian Cantwell (USA) 21.76
5.   Tomasz Majewski (POL) 21.51
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) 90.57
2.   Jarrod Bannister (AUS) 89.02
3.   Tero Pitkämäki (FIN) 87.70
4.   Antti Ruuskanen (FIN) 87.33
5.   Sergey Makarov (RUS) 86.88
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Gerd Kanter (EST) 71.88
2.   Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) 71.25
3.   Mario Pestano (ESP) 69.50
4.   Ehsan Haddadi (IRI) 69.32
5.   Ian Waltz (USA) 68.90
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Ivan Tsikhan (BLR) 84.51
2.   Primož Kozmus (SLO) 82.02
3.   Krisztián Pars (HUN) 81.96
4.   Koji Murofushi (JPN) 81.87
5.   Vadim Devyatovskiy (BLR) 81.70
RANK ATHLETE POINTS
1.   Bryan Clay (USA) 8832
2.   Andrei Krauchanka (BLR) 8585
3.   Trey Hardee (USA) 8534
4.   Leonel Suárez (CUB) 8527
5.   Tom Pappas (USA) 8511

Women's best year performances

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RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Torri Edwards (USA) 10.78
  Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM) 10.78
3.   Kerron Stewart (JAM) 10.80
4.   Muna Lee (USA) 10.85
5.   Sherone Simpson (JAM) 10.87
  Veronica Campbell Brown (JAM) 10.87
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Veronica Campbell Brown (JAM) 21.74
2.   Allyson Felix (USA) 21.93
3.   Kerron Stewart (JAM) 21.99
4.   Muna Lee (USA) 22.01
5.   Sherone Simpson (JAM) 22.11
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Christine Ohuruogu (GBR) 49.62
2.   Shericka Williams (JAM) 49.69
3.   Sanya Richards (USA) 49.74
4.   Amantle Montsho (BOT) 49.83
  Allyson Felix (USA) 49.83
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Pamela Jelimo (KEN) 1:54.01
2.   Yelena Soboleva (RUS) 1:54.85
3.   Tatyana Andrianova (RUS) 1:56.00
4.   Janeth Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:56.07
5.   Svetlana Klyuka (RUS) 1:56.64
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Yelena Soboleva (RUS) 3:56.59
2.   Tatyana Tomashova (RUS) 3:59.42
3.   Maryam Yusuf Jamal (BHR) 3:59.84
4.   Nancy Jebet Lagat (KEN) 4:00.23
5.   Shannon Rowbury (USA) 4:00.33
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 8:33.66
2.   Wude Ayalew (ETH) 8:35.50
3.   Dolores Checa (ESP) 8:37.78
4.   Peninah Jepchumba (KEN) 8:40.12
5.   Priscah Jepleting Cherono (KEN) 8:42.04
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 14:11.15 WR
2.   Meseret Defar (ETH) 14:12.88
3.   Liliya Shobukhova (RUS) 14:23.75
4.   Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 14:25.43
5.   Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS) 14:33.13
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH) 29:54.66
2.   Elvan Abeylegesse (TUR) 29:56.34
3.   Shalane Flanagan (USA) 30:22.22
4.   Linet Masai (KEN) 30:26.50
5.   Kimberley Smith (NZL) 30:35.54
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Lolo Jones (USA) 12.43
2.   Damu Cherry (USA) 12.47
3.   Brigitte Foster-Hylton (JAM) 12.49
4.   Josephine Onyia (ESP) 12.50
5.   Sally McLellan (AUS) 12.53
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Melaine Walker (JAM) 52.64
2.   Tiffany Williams (USA) 53.54
3.   Sheena Tosta (USA) 53.58
4.   Tasha Danvers (GBR) 53.84
5.   Anastasiya Rabchenyuk (UKR) 53.96
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS) 8:58.81 WR
2.   Eunice Jepkorir (KEN) 9:07.41
3.   Yekaterina Volkova (RUS) 9:07.64
4.   Tatyana Petrova (RUS) 9:12.33
5.   Cristina Casandra (ROU) 9:16.85
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Philes Ongori (KEN) 1:07:57
2.   Yukiko Akaba (JPN) 1:08:11
3.   Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 1:08:17
4.   Genet Getaneh (ETH) 1:08:18
5.   Peninah Arusei (KEN) 1:08:20
RANK ATHLETE TIME
1.   Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:19:19
2.   Askale Tafa (ETH) 2:21:31
3.   Zhang Yingying (CHN) 2:22:38
4.   Berhane Adere (ETH) 2:22:42
5.   Galina Bogomolova (RUS) 2:22:53
RANK ATHLETE HEIGHT
1.   Blanka Vlašić (CRO) 2.06
2.   Tia Hellebaut (BEL) 2.05
3.   Anna Chicherova (RUS) 2.04
4.   Ariane Friedrich (GER) 2.03
  Elena Slesarenko (RUS) 2.03
RANK ATHLETE HEIGHT
1.   Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) 5.05 WR
2.   Jennifer Stuczynski (USA) 4.92
3.   Fabiana Murer (BRA) 4.80
4.   Monika Pyrek (POL) 4.75
  Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) 4.75
  Yuliya Golubchikova (RUS) 4.75
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Naide Gomes (POR) 7.12
2.   Lyudmila Kolchanova (RUS) 7.04
  Maurren Maggi (BRA) 7.04
4.   Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) 7.03
5.   Brittney Reese (USA) 6.95
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Françoise Mbango Etone (CMR) 15.39
2.   Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS) 15.32
3.   Hrysopiyi Devetzi (GRE) 15.23
4.   Yargelis Savigne (CUB) 15.20
5.   Olga Rypakova (KAZ) 15.11
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Nadzeya Ostapchuk (BLR) 20.98
2.   Natallia Mikhnevich (BLR) 20.70
3.   Valerie Vili (NZL) 20.56
4.   Nadine Kleinert (GER) 19.89
5.   Yulia Leantsiuk (BLR) 19.79
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Barbora Špotáková (CZE) 72.28 WR
2.   Mariya Abakumova (RUS) 70.78
3.   Christina Obergföll (GER) 69.81
4.   Steffi Nerius (GER) 68.34
5.   Linda Stahl (GER) 66.06
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Iryna Yatchenko (BLR) 67.89
2.   Darya Pishchalnikova (RUS) 67.28
3.   Nicoleta Grasu (ROU) 66.51
4.   Stephanie Brown-Trafton (USA) 66.17
5.   Yarelis Barrios (CUB) 66.13
RANK ATHLETE MARK
1.   Aksana Miankova (BLR) 77.32
2.   Martina Hrasnová (SVK) 76.82
3.   Yipsi Moreno (CUB) 76.62
4.   Darya Pchelnik (BLR) 76.33
5.   Gulfiya Khanafeyeva (RUS) 75.07
RANK ATHLETE POINTS
1.   Nataliya Dobrynska (UKR) 6733
2.   Hyleas Fountain (USA) 6667
3.   Tatyana Chernova (RUS) 6618
4.   Lyudmyla Blonska (UKR) 6570
5.   Olga Kurban (RUS) 6559

Deaths

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