Italy competed at the 1997 World Championships in Athletics in Athens, Greece from 1 to 10 August 1997.
The largest team of the Italy national athletics team (66 competitors) of ever time at the World Championships, ranked 6th (with 16 finalists) in the IAAF placing table. Rank obtained by assigning eight points in the first place and so on to the eight finalists.
Italy participated with 66 athletes by winning three medals.