2013 World Championships in Athletics

14th IAAF World Championships in Athletics

Nations	203 [1]
Athletes	1,784
Events	47
Dates	10–18 August 2013
Opened by	President Vladimir Putin
Main venue	Luzhniki Stadium
← Daegu 2011 Beijing 2015 →

The 14th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (Moscow 2013)^[2] (Russian: Чемпионат мира по лёгкой атлетике 2013) was an international athletics competition held in Moscow, Russia, from 10 to 18 August 2013. Initially, Russia won the most gold medals to top the table for the first time since 2001. It was also the first time ever the host nation took the top of the medal table. However, following the disqualification of Russian sprinter Antonina Krivoshapka for doping and after the redistribution of medals in the Women's 4 × 400 metres relay (as well as after series of other disqualifications of Russian athletes for doping offences), the United States moved to the top of the medal table with eight golds. In the overall medal count, the United States won 26 medals in total, followed by Kenya with 12. With 1,784 athletes from 203 countries it was the biggest single sports event of the year.^[3] The number of spectators for the evening sessions was 268,548 surpassing Daegu 2011.^[4]

Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce both won three gold medals in the men's and women's 100 metres, 200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay respectively to become the most successful athletes at the event. This achievement also earned Bolt the title of being the most successful athlete in the history of the World Championships with eight gold and two silver medals. Prior to the competition, four sprinters were banned on doping charges.^[5]