World Athletics Championships 2017: Timetable & event highlights
USAIN Bolt and Mo Farah take to the global stage one last time at the London 2017 World Championships from 4-13 August, bidding to crown their track careers with more gold medals.
Jamaican Bolt, who has completed the 100m-200m sprint double at the past two World Championships, plans to compete in the 100m and 4x100m relay as he bids farewell to the sport.
Great Britain’s Farah, who will switch to road racing next season, seeks to complete an unprecedented fifth double in the 5,000m and 10,000m, having won both titles at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, as well as at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships.
Other home British medal hopes include Laura Muir in the 1500m and 5,000m, Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the heptathlon, Andrew Pozzi in the 110m hurdles, Sophie Hitchon in the hammer and walker Tom Bosworth.
Schedule
*All times listed are BST. The BBC is not responsible for any changes to event start times.
Friday, 4 August – day one
One gold medal to be won: Men’s 10,000m
Main events:
19:35 – Women’s 1500m heats: Britain’s Laura Muir begins her quest for the 1500m-5,000m double. Despite an untimely foot stress fracture in June, the Scot – who won 1500m and 3,000m gold at the European Indoor Championships in March – remains confident in her decision to double up.
20:20 – Men’s 100m first round: The beginning of the end for Bolt. The 11-time world champion is not running the 200m in London so this will be his individual swansong. But after a low-key season so far, has the world record holder got enough left to hold off his challengers? Britain’s CJ Ujah, James Dasaolu and Reece Prescod will seek to advance to the semi-finals and final on Saturday.
21:20 – Men’s 10,000m final: All eyes will be on Farah as the four-time Olympic champion prepares to retire from the track later this month. The 34-year-old defended his 5,000m and 10,000m titles in Rio last year to cement his place as one of the world’s best ever distance runners. The Briton has not been beaten in a global championship final since 2011 and will look to cap his track career with another two titles in London.
Evening session:
19:00 – Men’s 100m preliminary
19:20 – Men’s discus qualifying
19:30 – Men’s long jump qualifying
19:35 – Women’s 1500m qualifying
19:45 – Women’s pole vault qualifying
20:20 – Men’s 100m first round
20:45 – Men’s discus qualifying
21:20 – Men’s 10,000m final
Saturday, 5 August – day two
Four gold medals to be won: Men’s 100m, women’s 10,000m, men’s long jump, men’s discus
BBC coverage: 09:30-14:00 BBC Two; 18:30-22:00 BBC One; 18:30-22:30 BBC Red Button; 19:00-22:30 BBC Radio 5 live; 22:00-22:30 BBC Two – day two review
Main events:
10:05 – Heptathlon, 100m hurdles: The now-retired Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill will collect her retrospective 2011 World Championships gold in London on Sunday. Johnson-Thompson has long been tipped as her successor. Now living and training in France, can the 24-year-old earn her first senior heptathlon medal? Four events take place today with the final three on Sunday.
10:45 – Men’s 400m first round: South African Wayde van Niekerk broke Michael Johnson’s world record in winning Olympic gold last summer. He’s attempting the 200m-400m double in London – this will be the first of six consecutive days of competition for the 25-year-old.
19:35 – Women’s 1500m semi-final: Muir is eyeing medals in the 1500m and 5,000m after striking double European indoor gold in March. The 24-year-old has shaken off a disappointing seventh place in the 1500m in Rio last year and is primed to be one of the big stars of British athletics. South Africa’s two-time 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya could provide tough competition.
21:45 – Men’s 100m final (semi-finals at 19:05): Bolt competes in his last individual event, looking to win his 12th world gold. His main rivals are expected to be fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin of the United States, Canadian Andre de Grasse and 21-year-old American Christian Coleman, who has the fastest time this year of 9.82 seconds.
Morning session:
10:00 – Men’s shot put qualifying
10:05 – Heptathlon 100m
10:35 – Women’s hammer throw qualifying
10:45 – Men’s 400m first round
11:00 – Women’s triple jump qualifying
11:30 – Heptathlon high jump
11:45 – Women’s 100m first round
12:05 – Women’s hammer throw qualifying
12:45 – Men’s 800m first round
Evening session:
19:00 – Heptathlon shot put
19:00 – Men’s 100m semi-finals
19:25 – Men’s discus final
19:35 – Women’s 1500m semi-finals
20:05 – Men’s long jump final
20:10 – Women’s 10,000m final
21:00 – Heptathlon 200m
21:45 – Men’s 100m final
Sunday, 6 August – day three
Six gold medals to be won: Men’s and women’s marathons, heptathlon, women’s pole vault, men’s shot put, women’s 100m
BBC coverage: 09:30-17:00 BBC Two; 18:30-21:00 BBC One; 18:30-22:00 BBC Radio 5 live; 21:00-22:30 BBC Two
Main events:
19:00 – Women’s pole vault final: Can Britain’s Holly Bradshaw win a medal in the stadium where she finished sixth – and got engaged – at the London 2012 Olympics? Bradshaw has broken her own British record twice this season and has World Indoor Championship bronze on her CV.
20:40 – Women’s heptathlon 800m: Johnson-Thompson bids to emulate three-time world champion Ennis-Hill by winning gold. Belgian Olympic gold medallist Nafi Thiam has the third highest score in history so will take some beating.
21:50 – Women’s 100m final (semi-finals at 19:10): Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson did the sprint double in Rio last summer but, like her illustrious team-mate Bolt, will only run the 100m in London. Asha Philip leads the British challenge.
Morning session:
10:00 – Heptathlon long jump
10:05 – Men’s 3,000m steeplechase first round
10:40 – Men’s pole vault qualifying
10:55 – Men’s marathon*
11:05 – Men’s 400m hurdles first round
11:45 – Heptathlon javelin qualifying
11:55 – Women’s 400m first round
12:55 – Men’s 110m hurdles first round
13:00 – Heptathlon javelin
14:00 – Women’s marathon*
* Check out the route for men’s and women’s marathons
Evening session:
19:00 – Women’s pole vault final
19:05 – Women’s javelin qualifying
19:10 – Women’s 100m semi-finals
19:40 – Men’s 400m semi-finals
20:10 – Men’s 100m hurdles semi-finals
20:30 – Women’s javelin qualifying
20:35 – Men’s shot put final
20:40 – Heptathlon 800m (final event)
21:15 – Men’s 800m semi-finals
21:50 – Women’s 100m final
Monday, 7 August – day four
Four gold medals to be won: Women’s hammer, women’s triple jump, men’s 110m hurdles, women’s 1500m
Main events:
19:00 – Women’s hammer final: This event features former ballet dancer Sophie Hitchon, who became the first British women to win an Olympic hammer medal with bronze in Rio last summer.
21:30 – Men’s 110m hurdles final: European indoor champion Andy Pozzi bids to add a World Championship medal to his collection. The Briton has already set two new personal bests this year – including 13.14 seconds in Paris in June – as he continues to put last year’s Olympics disqualification behind him. Jamaica’s Olympic champion Omar McLeod is the favourite.
21:50 – Women’s 1500m final: Britain have twice won silver in this event – Hannah England (2011) and Lisa Dobriskey (2009) – but Muir will hope to be their first world champion. The Scot’s main rivals look to be Faith Kipyegon and Genzebe Dibaba, while 800m Olympic champion Caster Semenya will also be a threat.
Evening session:
18:30 – Men’s triple jump qualifying
19:00 – Women’s hammer throw final
19:15 – Women’s 400m hurdles first round
20:15 – Men’s 400m hurdles semi-final
20:25 – Women’s triple jump final
20:55 – Women’s 400m semi-final
21:30 – Men’s 110m hurdles final
21:50 – Women’s 1500m final
Tuesday, 8 August – day five
Five gold medals to be won: Women’s javelin, men’s pole vault, men’s 3,000m steeplechase, men’s 800m, men’s 400m
Main events
19:35 – Men’s pole vault: Renaud Lavillenie won the Olympic title at London 2012 but none of his four World Championship medals are gold. The Frenchman has been out-of-sorts this season – failing to record a Diamond League victory – but will hope to find form when it matters most.
21:35 – Men’s 800m final: Kenya’s David Rudisha provided Lord Coe with his highlight of the entire London 2012 Olympics. Five years on, the two-time reigning Olympic champion will face stiff competition from one of this season’s form men – Botswana’s Nijel Amos, the 2012 runner-up.
21:50 – Men’s 400m final: Wayde van Niekerk is attempting a 200m-400m double. The South African set a world record of 43.03 seconds in winning Rio Olympic gold. Britain’s Matt Hudson-Smith, Dwayne Cowan and Martyn Rooney will hope to be in the final.
Evening session:
18:30 – Women’s 3,000m steeplechase first round
19:20 – Women’s javelin final
19:30 – Men’s 200m first round
19:35 – Men’s pole vault final
20:35 – Women’s 400m hurdles semi-finals
20:40 – Women’s shot put qualifying
21:10 – Men’s 3,000m steeplechase final
21:35 – Men’s 800m final
21:50 – Men’s 400m final
Wednesday, 9 August – day six
Three gold medals to be won: Women’s shot put, men’s 400m hurdles, women’s 400m
Main events:
20:05 – Men’s 5,000m round one: Having gone for gold in Friday’s 10,000m, Farah is back on the track in an event he has won at the past five global championships.
21:30 – Men’s 400m hurdles final: It’s American part-time model and reigning Olympic champion Kerron Clement versus part-time truck driver and surprise world leader Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands.
21:50 – Women’s 400m final: This should be a showdown between nine-time world champion Allyson Felix of the United States and Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo – the Bahamian who famously dived for the finish line in Rio.
Evening session:
19:05 – Women’s 200m first round
19:10 – Women’s long jump qualifying
19:20 – Men’s hammer throw qualifying
20:05 – Men’s 5,000m first round
20:25 – Women’s shot put final
20:50 – Men’s hammer qualifying
20:55 – Men’s 200m semi-finals
21:30 – Men’s 400m hurdles final
21:50 – Women’s 400m final
Thursday, 10 August – day seven
Three gold medals to be won: Men’s triple jump, women’s 400m hurdles, men’s 200m
BBC coverage: 18:00-20:00 BBC Two; 18:00-22:30 BBC Connected TV and online; 20:00-22:00 BBC One; 20:00-22:00 BBC Radio 5 live; 22:00-22:30 BBC Two – day seven review
Main events:
18:30 – Women’s 5,000m heats: Muir is back on track three days after the 1500m final, where she could have added a global medal to the pair of European indoor titles she won in March.
20:20 – Men’s triple jump final: Can American two-time Olympic champion Christian Taylor break Briton Jonathan Edwards’ world record? He came within eight centimetres of it in Beijing two years ago.
21:50 – Men’s 200m final: In the absence of reigning champion Bolt, Van Niekerk will be aiming to complete a 200m-400m double. Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Danny Talbot and Zharnel Hughes will hope to be in the final.
Evening session:
18:30 – Women’s 5,000m first round
19:05 – Men’s javelin qualifying
19:10 – Women’s high jump qualifying
19:25 – Women’s 800m qualifying
20:20 – Men’s triple jump final
20:25 – Men’s 1500m qualifying
20:35 – Men’s javelin qualifying
21:05 – Women’s 200m qualifying
21:35 – Women’s 400m hurdles final
21:50 – Men’s 200m final
Friday, 11 August – day eight
Four gold medals up for grabs: Women’s long jump, men’s hammer, women’s 3000m steeplechase
BBC coverage: 09:30-13:30 & 18:30-20:30 BBC Two; 18:30-22:30, BBC Connected TV and online; 20:30-22:00 BBC One; 21:00-22:00 BBC Radio 5 live sports extra; 22:00-22:30 BBC Two – day eight review
Main events:
11:15 – Men’s high jump qualifying: British London 2012 bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz starts his campaign for a medal.
19:10 – Women’s long jump final: 2015 silver medallist Shara Proctor, European silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers and British record holder Lorraine Ugen will hope to snatch a medal for Britain.
21:50 – Women’s 200m final: Olympic champion Elaine Thompson of Jamaica has opted to skip this event, seemingly leaving the way open for flying Dutchwoman Daffne Schippers to defend her title.
Morning session:
10:00 – Men’s 100m decathlon
10:10 – Women’s discus qualifying
10:45 – Women’s 100m hurdles qualifying
11:05 – Men’s long jump decathlon
11:15 – Men’s high jump qualifying
11:35 – Women’s discus qualifying
12:55 – Men’s shot put decathlon
Evening session:
17:00 – Men’s high jump decathlon
19:05 – Women’s 100m hurdles qualifying
19:10 – Women’s long jump final
19:35 – Women’s 800m qualifying
20:10 – Men’s 1500m qualifying
20:30 – Men’s hammer qualifying
20:45 – Men’s 400m decathlon
21:25 – Women’s 3,000m steeplechase final
21:50 – Women’s 200m final
Saturday, 12 August – day nine
Seven gold medals on offer: Women’s high jump, women’s 100m hurdles, men’s javelin, men’s 5,000m, men’s decathlon, women’s and men’s 4x100m relay
Main events:
20:05 – Women’s 100m hurdles final: American Kendra Harrison broke a 28-year-old world record in this stadium 12 months ago at the Anniversary Games and will start as a heavy favourite. Britain’s Tiffany Porter will look to at least match her bronze medal from 2013.
20:20 – Men’s 5,000m final: The final championship track race of Farah’s illustrious career. Victory here would be a fourth consecutive 5,000m win at the World Championships.
21:30 & 21:50 – Women’s and men’s 4x100m finals respectively: Hot on the heels of Farah’s farewell comes Bolt’s send-off as he competes for Jamaica, while the British women’s team attempt to repeat their Rio 2016 bronze medal.
Morning session:
10:00 – Men’s 110m hurdles decathlon
10:35 – Women’s 4x100m relay qualifying
10:55 – Men’s 4x100m relay qualifying
11:00 – Discus throw decathlon
11:20 – Women’s 4x400m relay qualifying
11:50 – Men’s 4x400m relay qualifying
12:20 – Men’s discus throw decathlon
14:15 – Men’s pole vault decathlon
Evening session:
17:30 – Men’s javelin decathlon
18:55 – Men’s javelin decathlon
19:05 – Women’s high jump final
20:05 – Women’s 100m hurdles final
20:15 – Men’s javelin final
20:20 – Men’s 5,000m final
20:45 – Men’s 1500m decathlon
21:30 – Women’s 4x100m relay final
21:50 – Men’s 4x100m relay, final
Sunday, 13 August – day 10
The final day sees 11 gold medals decided: Men’s and women’s 20km race walks, men’s and women’s 50km race walks, men’s high jump, women’s discus, women’s 5,000m, women’s 800m, men’s 1500m, women’s and men’s 4x400m relay
BBC coverage: 07:40-16:15 BBC Red Button; 13:00-16:30 & 18:30-20:00 BBC Two; 20:00-22:00 BBC One; 19:30-22:00 BBC Radio 5 live
Main events:
14:20 – Men’s 20km race walk: Britain’s Bosworth finished a surprise sixth in Rio last summer. After setting a mile world best in this stadium a month ago, can he make the podium?
19:35 – Women’s 5,000m: Muir will be hoping for a double celebration after her 1500m medal hunt on Monday. Great Britain’s best performance in this event is Paula Radcliffe’s fourth in 1997.
20:10 – Women’s 800m final: South African two-time Olympic champion Semenya has not lost an 800m race since 2015. She recently lowered her own national record with a stunning Monaco Diamond League victory.
20:55 & 21:15 – Women’s and men’s 4x400m relay finals respectively: Rio 2016 bronze medallists Great Britain bid to repeat that success in the women’s event. The men, who finished third in Beijing two years ago, will hope for better luck than in Brazil last summer, when they were disqualified in the heats.
Morning session:
07:55 – Men’s and women’s 50km race walks
12:20 – Women’s 20km race walk
14:20 – Men’s 20km race walk
Evening session:
19:00 – Men’s high jump final
19:10 – Women’s discus throw final
19:35 – Women’s 5,000m final
20:10 – Women’s 800m final
20:30 – Men’s 1500m final
20:55 – Women’s 4x400m relay final
21:15 – Men’s 4x400m relay final
National and regional variations
Coverage on BBC Red Button can be subject to late schedule changes, so details may differ from this page.
National and regional variations have been included in this list where possible. But please check your local listings for more detailed information.