This article contains an overview of the year 1986 in the sport of athletics.
International Events
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
Women's Best Year Performers
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 MoroÃÂanu, 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, Kenyan long-distance runner
- November 13 — Sergey Bakulin, Russian race walker
- November 21 — Aleksandra Zelenina, Moldovan long and triple jumper
- December 7 — Olga Mikhaylova, Russian race walker
Deaths
References