The 100 metres at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. It is the second most prestigious 100 m title after the 100 metres at the Olympics. The competition format typically has two or three qualifying rounds leading to a final between eight athletes. Since 2011 a preliminary round has been held, where athletes who have not achieved the qualifying standard time compete to enter the first round proper.

Quick Facts 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships, Overview ...

100 metres at the World Athletics Championships
The heats of the men's 100 m in 2013
Overview
Gender	Men and women
Years held	Men: 1983 – 2022 Women: 1983 – 2022
Championship record
Men	9.58 Usain Bolt (2009)
Women	10.65 Sha'Carri Richardson (2023)
Reigning champion
Men	Noah Lyles (USA)
Women	Sha'Carri Richardson (USA)

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The championship records for the event are 9.58 seconds for men, set by Usain Bolt in 2009, and 10.65 seconds for women, set by Sha'Carri Richardson in 2023. The men's world record has been broken or equalled at the competition three times: by Carl Lewis in 1987 and 1991, and by Usain Bolt in 2009.^[1] Ben Johnson beat Lewis in the 1987 final, but his win and record were subsequently rescinded after his admission to long-term steroid use.^[2] Lewis's mark, which equalled the standing record at the time, was never officially ratified by the IAAF as a world record. The women's world record has not yet been beaten at the championships.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the most successful athlete of the event as the only person, male or female to win five titles. Carl Lewis, Maurice Greene and Usain Bolt are the most successful male athletes of the event, having each won three titles. Justin Gatlin ties Fraser-Pryce the most medals with 5, 2 gold and 3 silver. Merlene Ottey and Carmelita Jeter are the only other athletes to have claimed four medals in the history of the World Championships event.

The United States is the most successful nation in the discipline, having won fifteen gold medals. Jamaica are a clear second with six gold medals. East Germany, with two, is the only other nation to have won multiple titles.

• All information from World Athletics.^[3]

More information Distinction, Male ...

Distinction	Male			Female
	Athlete	Age	Date	Athlete	Age	Date
Youngest champion	Yohan Blake (JAM)	21 years, 245 days	28 Aug 2011	Katrin Krabbe (GDR)	21 years, 278 days	27 Aug 1991
Youngest medalist	Darrel Brown (TTO)	18 years, 318 days	25 Aug 2003	Katrin Krabbe (GDR)	21 years, 278 days	27 Aug 1991
Youngest finalist	Darrel Brown (TTO)	18 years, 318 days	25 Aug 2003	Nikole Mitchell (JAM)	19 years, 72 days	16 Aug 1993
Youngest participant	Darren Tuitt (MNT)	15 years, 153 days	5 Aug 1995	Tehani Kirby (MNP)	14 years, 5 days	26 Aug 1991
Oldest champion	Justin Gatlin (USA)	35 years, 176 days	5 Aug 2017	Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)	35 years, 202 days	17 Aug 2022
Oldest medalist	Justin Gatlin (USA)	37 years, 230 days	28 Sep 2019	Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (JAM)	36 years, 237 days	20 Aug 2023
Oldest finalist	Justin Gatlin (USA)	37 years, 230 days	28 Sep 2019	Chandra Sturrup (BAH)	37 years, 339 days	17 Aug 2009
Oldest participant	Kim Collins (SKN)	39 years, 218 days	22 Aug 2015	Merlene Ottey (SLO)	47 years, 108 days	26 Aug 2007

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Canada's Ben Johnson and Angella Taylor-Issajenko were both disqualified from the 1987 World Championships in Athletics for doping. Johnson was stripped of his 100 m gold, elevating Carl Lewis to world champion, while Taylor-Issajenko finished fifth in the women's 100 m final.

At the following edition in 1991, Irina Slyusar of the Soviet Union (a women's semi-finalist) was disqualified for doping. Eight years passed without incident in the 100 m before the double Nigerian doping disqualification of Innocent Asonze and Davidson Ezinwa in 1999.^[4]

Tim Montgomery became the 100 m second medalist to be disqualified, losing his silver medal from the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. From the same event, Marion Jones later lost her silver medal for doping infractions, becoming the first female medalist to be stripped of a 100 m medal. Venolyn Clarke and Kelli White (a women's finalist) were also disqualified that year. The results of Dwain Chambers and Montgomery, fourth and fifth in 2003, were removed for doping. Two women's medalists were stripped of their honours for doping Kelli White lost the world title while Zhanna Block had her bronze medal removed. Block's times from the 2005 edition were also annulled.^[4] These disqualifications were a result of the BALCO scandal, which included many 100 m runners.

No doping offences were recorded at the 2007 World Championships 100 metres, but bans shortly returned, with Ruqaya Al-Ghasra being banned from the 2009 edition and a female trio of Inna Eftimova, Semoy Hackett and Norjannah Hafiszah Jamaludin being disqualified in 2011.^[4] The 2013 World Championships saw one elimination in Masoud Azizi.^[5]

Among the men's world champions, only Donovan Bailey and Usain Bolt have not been implicated in doping during their careers; three-time champion Maurice Greene never failed a drug test, but admitted purchasing drugs on other athletes behalf.^[6]