In 2012 the foremost competition in athletics was the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. The International Association of Athletics Federations held four other global level competitions in 2012: the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships, 2012 IAAF World Race Walking Cup, 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics and the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.2012 World Athletics Series . IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-02-19.

For the first time since 1945, there was no global level championship for cross country running, as the IAAF World Cross Country Championships moved to a biennial format.47th IAAF Congress – Day 1 . IAAF (2009-08-12). Retrieved on 2012-02-19. Three of the major continental championships were held a month prior to the London Olympics: the 2012 African Championships in Athletics, 2012 European Athletics Championships and 2012 Oceania Athletics Championships.

The Diamond League entered its third year as the foremost seasonal track and field series.

Major events

World

Olympic Games World Indoor Championships World Race Walking Cup World Half Marathon Championships Diamond League Paralympic Games World Junior Championships World Mountain Running Championships WMA World Masters Indoor Championships FISU Cross Country Championships IAU 24 Hour World Championships IAU 100 km World Championships

Regional

African Championships African Cross Country Championships Asian Indoor Championships Asian Junior Championships Asian Cross Country Championships Asian Race Walking Championships Oceania Athletics Championships European Athletics Championships European Cross Country Championships European Cup Winter Throwing European Mountain Running Championships Ibero-American Championships NACAC Cross Country Championships NACAC Under-23 Championships CAC Junior Championships CARIFTA Games South American U23 Championships South American Youth Championships South American Cross Country Championships

Marathons Boston Marathon London Marathon Berlin Marathon Chicago Marathon

World records

Men Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date Ref400 m hurdles (indoor)Felix Sánchez48.78The indoor 400 m hurdles is not a recognised event for record purposes, however, this represents the world's best performanceMeeting National Val-de-Reuil Val-de-Reuil, France18 FebruaryHeptathlon (Indoor)Ashton Eaton6645 ptsWorld Championships Istanbul, Turkey9–10 March 2012800 metresDavid Rudisha1:40.91Olympic Games London, Great Britain9 August 201225 km (road)Dennis Kipruto Kimetto1:11:18BIG 25 Berlin, Germany6 May 2012110 m hurdlesAries Merritt12.80Memorial Van Damme Brussels, Belgium7 September 20124 × 100 m relayNesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt36.84Olympic Games London, Great Britain11 August 2012DecathlonAshton Eaton9039 ptsUnited States Olympic Trials Eugene, United States22–23 June 2012

Women Event Athlete Nation Performance Meeting Place Date Ref2000 m steeplechase (Indoor)Yelena Orlova6:06.11The indoor 2000 m steeplechase is not a recognised event for record purposes, however, this represents the world's best performanceMoscow City Championships Moscow, Russia12 February 2012Pole vault (Indoor)Yelena Isinbayeva5.01 mXL Galan Stockholm, Sweden23 February 2012Pentathlon (Indoor)Nataliya Dobrynska5013 ptsWorld Championships Istanbul, Turkey9 March 20124 × 100 m relayTianna MadisonAllyson FelixBianca KnightCarmelita Jeter40.82Olympic Games London, Great Britain10 August 201220 km walk (road)Elena Lashmanova1:25:02Olympic Games London, Great Britain11 August 2012

Notes

Season's bests 60 metres 6.45 7.01 100 metres 9.63 10.70 200 metres 19.32 21.69 400 metres 43.94 49.16 800 metres 1:40.91 WR 1:56.19 1500 metres 3:28.88 3:56.54 Mile run 3:49.22 4:26.76 3000 metres 7:29.94 8:35.89 5000 metres 12:46.81 14:35.62 10,000 metres 26:51.16 30:20.75 60 metres hurdles 7.40 7.73 100/110 metres hurdles 12.80 WR 12.35 400 metres hurdles 47.63 52.70 3000 metres steeplechase 7:54.31 9:07.03 10 kilometres 27:15 30:47 15 kilometres 41:46 47:08 20 kilometres 55:52 1:03:12 Half marathon 58:47 1:05:50 25 kilometres 1:11:18 1:22:33 30 kilometres 1:27:41 1:39:07 Marathon 2:04:15 2:18:37 20 kilometres race walk 1:17:36 1:25:02 50 kilometres race walk 3:35:59 —Pole vault 6.01 m 4.83 m High jump 2.39 m 2.05 m Long jump 8.35 m 7.15 m Triple jump 17.81 m 14.99 m Shot put 22.31 m 21.11 m Discus throw 70.66 m 69.11 m †Javelin throw 88.34 m 69.55 m Hammer throw 81.89 m 78.69 m Pentathlon — 5013 pts Heptathlon 6645 pts WR 6955 pts NRDecathlon 9039 pts WR —4 × 100 metres relay Nesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt 36.84 WR Tianna MadisonAllyson FelixBianca KnightCarmelita Jeter 40.82 WR4 × 400 metres relay Chris BrownDemetrius PinderMichael MathieuRamon Miller 2:56.72 NR DeeDee TrotterAllyson FelixFrancena McCororySanya Richards-Ross 3:16.87

† = Russia's Darya Pishchalnikova had a throw of 70.69 m, but was annulled after she later failed a drug test.

Awards

Men AwardWinner IAAF World Athlete of the Year Track & Field Athlete of the Year European Athlete of the Year European Athletics Rising Star

Women AwardWinner IAAF World Athlete of the Year Track & Field Athlete of the Year European Athlete of the Year European Athletics Rising Star

References