List of men's Olympic and World Championship athletics sprint champions

This is a list of the men's athletics champions at the Olympics and World Championships in the sprint events since the introduction of the World Championships in 1983. Combining the lists of global champions into a single timeline allows patterns of success and dominance to be demonstrated, as well as highlighting the occasional shock results.

List of champions edit

Each entry has an asterisk (*) linking to the championship of that year. Yellow background is for Olympic races.

Year 100 m 200 m 400 m 4 × 100 m 4 × 400 m
1983 Lewis* Smith* Cameron* King, Gault, Smith, Lewis* Lovachov, Troshchilo, Chernetskiy, Markin*
1984 Lewis* Lewis* Babers* Graddy, Brown, Smith, Lewis* Nix, Armstead, Babers, McKay*
1987 Lewis* Smith* Schönlebe* McRae, McNeill, Glance, Lewis* Everett, Haley, McKay, Reynolds*
1988 Lewis* DeLoach* S.Lewis* Bryzhin, Krylov, Muravyov, Savin* Everett, S.Lewis, Robinzine, Reynolds*
1991 Lewis* Johnson* Pettigrew* Cason, Burrell, Mitchell, Lewis* Black, Redmond, Regis, Akabusi*
1992 Christie* Marsh* Watts* Marsh, Burrell, Mitchell, Lewis* Valmon, Watts, Johnson, S.Lewis*
1993 Christie* Fredericks* Johnson* Drummond, Cason, Mitchell, Burrell* Valmon, Watts, Reynolds, Johnson*
1995 Bailey* Johnson* Johnson* Bailey, Esmie, Gilbert, Surin* Ramsey, Mills, Reynolds, Johnson*
1996 Bailey* Johnson* Johnson* Esmie, Gilbert, Surin, Bailey* L.Smith, Harrison, Mills, Maybank*
1997 Greene* Boldon* Johnson* Esmie, Gilbert, Surin, Bailey* Thomas, Black, Baulch, Richardson*
1999 Greene* Greene* Johnson* Drummond, Montgomery, B.Lewis, Greene* Czubak, Maćkowiak, Bocian, Haczek*
2000 Greene* Kenteris* Johnson* Drummond, Williams, B.Lewis, Greene* Chukwu, Monye, Bada, Udo-Obong*
2001 Greene* Kenteris* Moncur* Nagel, Du Plessis, Newton, Quinn* Moncur, Brown, McIntosh, Munnings*
2003 Collins* Capel* Washington* Capel, Williams, Patton, J.Johnson* Djhone, Keïta, Diagana, Raquil*
2004 Gatlin* Crawford* Wariner* Gardener, Campbell, Devonish, Lewis-Francis* Harris, Brew, Wariner, Williamson*
2005 Gatlin* Gatlin* Wariner* Doucouré, Pognon, De Lépine, Dovy* Rock, Brew, Williamson, Wariner*
2007 Gay* Gay* Wariner* Patton, Spearmon, Gay, Dixon* Merritt, Taylor, Williamson, Wariner*
2008 Bolt* Bolt* Merritt* Bledman, Burns, Callender, Thompson* Merritt, Taylor, Neville, Wariner*
2009 Bolt* Bolt* Merritt* Mullings, Frater, Bolt, Powell* Taylor, Wariner, Clement, Merritt*
2011 Blake* Bolt* James* Carter, Frater, Blake, Bolt* Nixon, Jackson, Taylor, Merritt*
2012 Bolt* Bolt* James* Carter, Frater, Blake, Bolt* Brown, Pinder, Mathieu, Miller*
2013 Bolt* Bolt* Merritt* Carter, Bailey-Cole, Ashmeade, Bolt* Verburg, McQuay, A.Hall, Merritt*
2015 Bolt* Bolt* van Niekerk* Carter, Powell, Ashmeade, Bolt* Verburg, McQuay, Nellum, Merritt*
2016 Bolt* Bolt* van Niekerk* Powell, Blake, Ashmeade, Bolt* A.Hall, McQuay, Roberts, Merritt*
2017 Gatlin* Guliyev* van Niekerk* Ujah, Gemili, Talbot, Mitchell-Blake* Solomon, Richards, Cedenio, Gordon*
2019 Coleman* Lyles* Gardiner* Coleman, Gatlin, Rodgers, Lyles* Kerley, Cherry, London, Benjamin*
2020 Jacobs* De Grasse* Gardiner* Patta, Jacobs, Desalu, Tortu* Cherry, Norman, Deadmon, Benjamin*
2022 Kerley* Lyles* Norman* Brown, Blake, Rodney, De Grasse* Godwin, Norman, Deadmon, Allison*
2023 Lyles* Lyles* Watson* Coleman, Kerley, Carnes, Lyles* Q.Hall, Norwood, Robinson, Benjamin*

Gold medal leaders edit

The top gold medallists since 1983 in these events are:

Rank Athlete Total 100 m 200 m 400 m 4 × 100 m 4 × 400 m
1   Usain Bolt 19 6 7 0 6 0
2   Michael Johnson 12 0 3 6 0 3
3   Carl Lewis 11 5 1 0 5 0
4   LaShawn Merritt 10 0 0 3 0 7
5   Jeremy Wariner 8 0 0 3 0 5
6   Maurice Greene 7 4 1 0 2 0
7   Noah Lyles 6 1 3 0 2 0
8   Justin Gatlin 5 3 1 0 1 0
  Donovan Bailey 5 2 0 0 3 0
  Nesta Carter 5 0 0 0 5 0
  Vernon Norwood 5 0 0 0 0 5****
11   Yohan Blake 4 1 0 0 3 0
  Calvin Smith 4 0 2 0 2 0
  Michael Frater 4 0 0 0 4 0
  Asafa Powell 4 0 0 0 4 0
  Butch Reynolds 4 0 0 0 0 4
  Angelo Taylor 4 0 0 0 0 4

*** including four gold medals in the relay events in which he participated in the heats only.

References edit