HistoryData
sports2015

2015 World Championships in Athletics — 2015 edition of the World Championships in Athletics

January 1, 2015

The 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing marked Kenya's first-ever top finish on the medal table and Eritrea's first world title.

Quick Facts

Year
2015
Category
sports

Key Facts

Edition
15th IAAF World Championships
Dates
22–30 August 2015
Participating nations
205 IAAF member countries and territories
Medals awarded
144
Nations winning medals
43
Top medal table nation
Kenya (7 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze)

By the Numbers

15
Edition
22
Dates
205
Participating nations
144
Medals awarded

Location

Map of Beijing, ChinaMap of Beijing, ChinaBeijing, China

Cause → Event → Consequence

Cause

Beijing was selected to host the fifteenth edition of the IAAF World Championships, building on the city's established infrastructure from the 2008 Summer Olympics. A record 205 IAAF member nations registered to compete, two more than in 2013, including championship debutant Kosovo.

Event

Held from 22 to 30 August 2015 at the National Stadium, the championships featured athletes from 205 nations competing across track and field disciplines. Kenya led the medal table for the first time with 16 total medals, while the United States claimed the highest overall tally of 18. Ghirmay Ghebreslassie won the men's marathon to give Eritrea its first-ever world title.

Consequence

Kenya's historic first place on the medal table signaled a shift in global athletics dominance. Eritrea's gold medal marked a milestone for African athletics. The event stood as the largest sporting occasion at the Bird's Nest since 2008, reinforcing Beijing's status as a major international sports venue.

Result

Kenya (medal table leader: 7G-6S-3B)
vs
United States (most total medals: 6G-6S-6B)

at National Stadium (Bird's Nest), Beijing

Kenya topped the IAAF World Championships medal table for the first time

Timeline Context

Timeline around 201520152012201320142016201720182015 Copa América — 2015 edition of the Copa América association football competition2015 FIFA Women's World Cup — 2015 edition of the FIFA Women's World CupJanuary 2015 — month of 20152015 Formula One World Championship — 66th season of Formula One motor racing2015 AFC Asian Cup — international football competition2015 European Games — sport competition2015 Africa Cup of Nations — football championship of Africa2015–16 UEFA Europa League — 45th season of Europe's secondary club football tournament organised by UEFA2015-world-championships-in-athletics-2015-edition-of-the-2015