The 10th World Championships in Athletics (, ), under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), were held in the Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland (6 August 2005 – 14 August 2005), the site of the first IAAF World Championships in 1983. One theme of the 2005 championships was paralympic events, some of which were included as exhibition events. Much of the event was played in extremely heavy rainfall.
Background
Bidding The original winning bid for the competition was for London but the cost to build the required stadium at Picketts Lock and host the event was deemed too expensive by the government. UK Athletics suggested to move the host city to Sheffield (using Don Valley Stadium), but the IAAF stated that having London as the host city was central to their winning the bid. The championships bidding process was reopened as a result. The United Kingdom's withdrawal as host was the first case for a major sporting event in a developed country since Denver's withdrawal as host of the 1976 Winter Olympics.Picketts Lock bid scrapped. BBC Sport (2001-10-04). Retrieved on 2011-01-20.
Helsinki was considered by many to be the outsider in the race to host the games with rival bids being presented by Berlin in Germany; Brussels in Belgium, Budapest in Hungary, Moscow in Russia and Rome in Italy.
Opening ceremony Apocalyptica and Nightwish performed at the opening ceremony of the event over a heavy rainfall. Geir Rönning, Finland's Eurovision Song Contest 2005 entrant, sang "Victory" the official song of the 2005 IAAF World Championships.
Events With the addition of the women's 3000 metres steeplechase to the schedule, that year's program of events was closer to parity for women and men. With the exception of the 50 km walk the women competed in practically the same events as the men. Two differences remaining from before, though, were the short hurdles race (100 metres for women vs. 110 metres for men), and the multi-event competition (heptathlon for women vs. decathlon for men).
Since the first World Championships in Helsinki 1983, seven new events have been added for women:
10,000 metres, introduced in 1987 5000 metres, replaced 3000 metres in 1995 triple jump, introduced in 1993 20 km walk introduced in 1999, replaced 10 km walk that first appeared in 1987 pole vault, introduced in 1999 hammer throw, introduced in 1999 3000 metres steeplechase, introduced in 2005
Drug testing The IAAF conducted their largest ever anti-doping program at an athletics event for the championships, with 705 athletes subjected to a total 884 of tests.November 2/05 10:28 am – WADA News, Lori-Ann Muenzer in Ontario, More 'Cross Results. Canadian Cyclist (2005-11-02). Retrieved on 2009-09-25. Archived 2009-09-27. There were two athletes who failed drugs tests: Indian discus thrower Neelam Jaswant Singh tested positive for the stimulant pemoline, and Vladyslav Piskunov, a Ukrainian hammer thrower, tested positive for the steroid drostanolone.Two positive tests from world championships, says IAAF. Reuters (2005-08-29). Retrieved on 2009-09-25. Archived 2009-09-27. Singh received a two-year ineligibility ban,Biography Singh Neelam Jaswant. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-09-25. Archived 2009-09-27. while Piskunov received a life ban from athletics as this was his second offence.Biography Piskunov Vladyslav. IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-09-25.
In March 2013, the IAAF announced that re-testing of samples taken during these championships revealed that five medal winners had proved positive for banned substances. The athletes involved were Belarusian Nadzeya Ostapchuk (shot put gold), Belarusian Ivan Tsikhan (hammer throw gold), Russian Olga Kuzenkova (hammer throw gold), Russian Tatyana Kotova (long jump silver) and Belarus's Vadim Devyatovskiy (men's hammer silver). Belarusian Andrei Mikhnevich (shot put 6th) had also tested positive and was disqualified.IAAF: Andrei MIKHNEVICH (BLR) – results annulled from August 2005, iaaf.org, 31 July 2013
Men's results
Track 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 100 mJustin Gatlin 9.88 SBMichael Frater 10.05Kim Collins 10.05200 mJustin Gatlin 20.04Wallace Spearmon 20.20John Capel 20.31 SBJustin Gatlin wins the 200 metres, becoming the second athlete to win a sprint double in a single World Championships (Maurice Greene was the first, in 1999). Tyson Gay finishes fourth (20.34) to complete an American 1-2-3-4, the first time any nation has achieved this in a world championship athletics event. Usain Bolt of Jamaica pulls a muscle at about 150 m into the race and finishes last.400 mJeremy Wariner 43.93 WLAndrew Rock 44.35 PB Tyler Christopher 44.44 NROlympic champion Wariner wins easily, with his first time under 44 seconds.800 mRashid Ramzi 1:44.24 PBYuriy Borzakovskiy 1:44.51William Yiampoy 1:44.55Yuriy Borzakovskiy starts his trademark sprint finish at 200m to go, but was boxed in behind Mehdi Baala of France which allowed Rashid Ramzi to win his second gold in the championships.1500 mRashid Ramzi 3:37.88Adil Kaouch 3:38.00 SBRui Silva 3:38.02This was the first 800–1500 m double in open global championship since New Zealand's Peter Snell achieved it at the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Ramzi, near the front at the bell, kicked with 300 metres to go and made another decisive move with 200 to go.5000 mBenjamin Limo 13:32.55Sileshi Sihine 13:32.81Craig Mottram 13:32.96A slow pace race, ending in a sprint for the line in the last lap. Defending champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya just misses out of the bronze. (13:33.04)10,000 mKenenisa Bekele 27:08.33Sileshi Sihine 27:08.87Moses Mosop 27:08.96 PBThe pace was slow for the first sixteen laps until Bekele surged to the front with a 62-second seventeenth lap, whittling the pack down to nine men. The pace would dawdle again, the ninth kilometre was the slowest since the first in 2:48, though the last one was run in a furious 2:29. The pack of nine was still together at the bell, although somewhat strung out. Bekele ran the last lap in 54 seconds, holding off the challenge of Mosop thanks to help from Sihine and Dinkessa, who boxed him on the penultimate straight. Bekele would then hold off a charge from Sihine, while Dinkessa faded to seventh due to his exertions.MarathonJaouad Gharib 2:10:10Christopher Isengwe 2:10:21 PBTsuyoshi Ogata 2:11:16 SBGharib attacked just before 30 km mark, getting Italian Olympic champion Stefano Baldini with him. Baldini had cramps few kilometres later and he retired after 35 kilometres.110 m hurdlesLadji Doucouré 13.07Liu Xiang 13.08Allen Johnson 13.10In a very tight race, Frenchman Ladji Doucouré wins the 110 m hurdles, battling with Allen Johnson in the middle lanes and just crossing the line ahead of the fast finishing Liu Xiang.400 m hurdlesBershawn Jackson 47.30 PBJames Carter 47.43 PBDai Tamesue 48.10 SBIn driving rain, Dai Tamesue starts fast to take the early lead before being overtaken on the final bend. Bershawn Jackson shows better form in the final straight to stretch away from James Carter. Tamesue dives over the line for a bronze to edge out Kerron Clement of the USA who jogs over the line.3000 m s'chaseSaif Saaeed Shaheen 8:13.31Ezekiel Kemboi 8:14.95 Brimin Kipruto 8:15.30A comfortable race for Said Saaeed Shaheen as Ezekiel Kemboi fails to mount a serious challenge. Brimin Kipruto finishes fast to edge Brahim Boulami into fourth place by two hundredths of a second.20 km walkJefferson Pérez 1:18:35 SBPaquillo Fernández 1:19:36Juan Manuel Molina 1:19:44 PB50 km walkSergey Kirdyapkin 3:38:08 PBAleksey Voyevodin 3:41:25Alex Schwazer 3:41:54 NRSergey Kirdyapkin, the former junior world champion led from early on and secures the global title in a personal best time. At around the 20 km mark he was caught by Aleksey Voyevodin, but by 40 km Kirdyapkin had shaken off his fellow Russian, who went on to earn silver in 3:41.25. Italian Alex Schwazer powers through late on to claim the bronze in a national record 3:41.54. There were fourteen disqualifications, and seven athletes did not finish.4 × 100 mLadji DoucouréRonald PognonEddy De LépineLueyi DovyOudéré Kankarafou* 38.08 WLKevon PierreMarc BurnsJacey HarperDarrel Brown 38.10 NRJason GardenerMarlon DevonishChristian MalcolmMark Lewis-Francis 38.27 SBThe Great Britain team just beat Jamaica (38.28, SB) and Australia (38.32, SB) to bronze medal position. The United States' team does not participate, having bungled their first relay stick handoff in their qualification heat the previous day.4 × 400 mAndrew RockDerrick BrewDarold WilliamsonJeremy WarinerMiles Smith*LaShawn Merritt* 2:56.91 WLNathaniel McKinneyAvard MoncurAndrae WilliamsChris BrownTroy McIntosh* 2:57.32 NRSanjay AyreBrandon SimpsonLansford SpenceDavian ClarkeMichael Blackwood* 2:58.07 SB Note: * Indicates athletes who ran in preliminary rounds.
Field 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 High jumpYuriy Krymarenko2.32Víctor Moya2.29Yaroslav RybakovSurprise winner. Eight athletes had cleared 2.29 m but on 2.32 m, 23 straight attempts were failed, until Krymarenko cleared with his last attempt.Pole vaultRens Blom 5.80SBBrad Walker 5.75Pavel Gerasimov 5.65SBIn rain and heavy wind, Rens Blom wins the first Dutch gold medal at a World Championship.Long jumpDwight Phillips 8.60WLIgnisious Gaisah 8.34NRTommi Evilä 8.25Dwight Phillips takes the gold comfortably with his first jump, but the contest for the other medals is fierce. Tommi Evilä wins the host nation Finland's only medal of the championships, just beating Salim Sdiri of France and Joan Lino Martínez of Spain to third place.Triple jumpWalter Davis 17.57SBYoandri Betanzos 17.42SBMarian Oprea 17.40Leevan Sands, of the Bahamas, is in bronze medal position for a long time, but is pipped to fourth by Marian Oprea's last jump.Shot putAdam Nelson 21.73SBRutger Smith 21.29Ralf Bartels 20.99After two Olympic and two World Championship silver medals, Adam Nelson finally took his first gold at the global level. Nelson would retroactively gain the 2004 Olympic gold after drug sample retesting disqualified the original gold medalist, but without a podium ceremony.Discus throwVirgilijus Alekna 70.17CRGerd Kanter 68.57Michael Möllenbeck 65.95Defending champion Virgilijus Alekna takes home the gold with the competition's only longer-than-70 m throw. Fellow Balt Gerd Kanter is the runner-up.Hammer throwVadim Devyatovskiy 82.60Szymon Ziółkowski 79.35SBMarkus Esser 79.16Ivan Tsikhan (1st) was later disqualified for doping.Javelin throwAndrus Värnik 87.17Andreas Thorkildsen 86.18Sergey Makarov 83.54Surprise winner Andrus Värnik takes Estonia's first gold medal at the World Championships, beating the reigning Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen by 99 cm. Finland's young star Tero Pitkämäki throws below his usual level in the heavy rain, and finishes fourth (81.27 m).DecathlonBryan Clay 8732WLRoman Šebrle 8521Attila Zsivoczky 8385Aleksandr Pogorelov just loses the bronze after the 1500 m.
Women's results
Track 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009