This article contains an overview of the year 1986 in the sport of athletics. International Events Asian Games Balkan Games European Championships European Indoor Championships Commonwealth Games Goodwill Games World Junior Championships World records Men Women ''Heike Drechsler (GDR) twice equals the world record in the women's 200 metres held by countrywoman Marita Koch since 1979-06-10, clocking 21.71 seconds on 1986-06-29 and 1986-08-29. Men's Best Year Performers 100 metres 200 metres 400 metres 800 metres 1,500 metres Mile 3,000 metres 5,000 metres 10,000 metres Half Marathon 110m Hurdles 400m Hurdles 3,000m Steeplechase High Jump Long Jump Triple Jump Discus Hammer Shot Put Javelin (old design) Pole Vault Decathlon Women's Best Year Performers 100 metres 200 metres 400 metres 800 metres 1,500 metres Mile 3.000 metres 5.000 metres 10,000 metres Half Marathon 100m Hurdles 400m Hurdles High Jump Long Jump Shot Put Javelin (old design) Heptathlon Marathon Year Rankings Men Women National Champions International Races Births January 5 — Roman Novotný, Czech long jumper January 11 — Claudio Licciardello, Italian sprinter January 15 — Mariya Abakumova, Russian javelin thrower January 17 — Sherry Fletcher, Grenadian sprinter January 23 — Gelete Burka, Ethiopian middle distance runner January 24 — Montell Douglas, British sprinter January 31 — Walter Dix, American sprinter February 11 — Bob Altena, Dutch decathlete April 1 — Yurika Nakamura, Japanese long-distance runner April 2 — Moses Aliwa, Ugandan long-distance runner April 4 — Evelyne Nganga, Kenyan long-distance runner April 29 — Ingus Janevics, Latvian race walker May 2 — Samuel Muturi Mugo, Kenyan long-distance runner May 16 — Eleni Artymata, Cypriot sprinter June 3 — Micah Kogo, Kenyan long-distance runner June 8 — Yadira Guamán, Ecuadorian race walker June 10 — Amr Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud, Egyptian sprinter June 27 — LaShawn Merritt, American sprinter July 3 — Robina Muqimyar, Afghan sprinter July 17 — Viktor Kuznyetsov, Ukrainian long jumper and triple jumper July 19 — Philes Ongori, Kenyan long-distance runner July 26 — Mattias Claesson, Swedish middle distance runner July 26 — Angela Moroşanu, Romanian sprinter July 28 — Nancy Wambui, Kenyan long-distance runner July 28 — Nickiesha Wilson, Jamaican hurdler August 3 — Fartun Abukar Omar, Somali athlete August 21 — Usain Bolt, Jamaican sprinter August 29 — Yerefu Birhanu, Ethiopian long-distance runner September 9 — Daniel Bailey, Antigua and Barbuda sprinter November 1 — Ksenija Balta, Estonian long jumper, sprinter and heptathlete November 10 — Samuel Wanjiru,