| Host City: Helsinki, Finland |
Format: Qualifying round (1.90 or top 12 to final) (Aug 7) |
| Dates: 7–14 August 1983 |
|
| Nations participating: 153 |
|
| Athletes participating: 1,355 |
|
| |
|
Main venue: Helsinki Olympic Stadium
|
| Overview by IAAF |
|
 |
| Bykova and Meyfarth staged a compelling battle for the gold medal. The former (half Russian, half Greek) had a perfect record of first-time clearances at every height up to and including 1.97. Meyfarth – the world record holder – was the only other athlete to go that high, but had recorded one failure at both 1.95 and 1.97. Meanwhile the bronze medal had been won by Ritter, who cleared 1.95 on her second attempt to beat her compatriot Sommer on countback. At 1.99, Bykova faltered for the first time with a clumsy failure. Meyfarth saw her chance and went over first time to take the lead. Bykova made it on her second try and the bar went up to 2.01. The Soviet jumper went over first time again and regained the lead, as Meyfarth failed. The West German passed and took her remaining two tries, unsuccessfully, at 2.03. Bykova, now confirmed as the winner, also had three unsuccessful attempts at this world record height. |
| These are the official results of the Women's High Jump event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 33 participating athletes, with two qualifying groups and the final held on Tuesday August 9, 1983. |
Records
| Standing records prior to the 1983 World Athletics Championships |
|---|
| World Record |
 Ulrike Meyfarth (FRG) |
2.02 m |
September 8, 1982 |
 Athens, Greece |
| Event Record |
New event |
|
| |
High Jump |
|
|
9 August |
|
|
| |
Final |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Tamara Bykova |
URS |
21 Dec 58 |
2.01 |
|
|
| 2 |
Ulrike Meyfarth |
FRG |
4 May 56 |
1.99 |
|
|
| 3 |
Louise Ritter |
USA |
18 Feb 58 |
1.95 |
|
|
| 4 |
Coleen Sommer |
USA |
6 Jun 60 |
1.95 |
|
|
| 5 |
Kerstin Brandt |
GDR |
9 Dec 61 |
1.92 |
|
|
| 6 |
Debbie Brill |
CAN |
10 Mar 53 |
1.88 |
|
|
| 7 |
Susanne Beyer |
GDR |
24 Jun 61 |
1.88 |
|
|
| 8 |
Olga Juha |
HUN |
22 Mar 62 |
1.88 |
|
|
| 9 |
Vanessa Ward |
AUS |
5 Jan 63 |
1.88 |
|
|
| 10 |
Silvia Costa |
CUB |
4 May 64 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 10 |
Andrea Bienias |
GDR |
11 Nov 59 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 12 |
Maryse Maury |
FRA |
4 Sep 64 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 12 |
Katalin Sterk |
HUN |
30 Sep 61 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 12 |
Minna Vehmasto |
FIN |
28 Mar 62 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 15 |
Christine Soetewey |
BEL |
19 Aug 57 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 16 |
Yang Wenqin |
CHN |
30 Apr 60 |
1.84 |
|
|
| 17 |
Larisa Kositsyna |
URS |
14 Dec 63 |
1.80 |
|
|
| 18 |
Zheng Dazhen |
CHN |
22 Sep 59 |
1.80 |
|
|
|
|
Final |
|
Height |
175 |
180 |
184 |
188 |
192 |
195 |
197 |
199 |
201 |
203 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Tamara Bykova |
URS |
2.01m |
- |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
O |
XXX |
| 2 |
Ulrike Meyfarth |
FRG |
1.99m |
- |
O |
O |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
O |
X- |
XX |
| 3 |
Louise Ritter |
USA |
1.95m |
- |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
XO |
XXX |
|
|
|
| 4 |
Coleen Sommer |
USA |
1.95m |
- |
O |
O |
O |
XO |
XXO |
XXX |
|
|
|
| 5 |
Kerstin Brandt |
GDR |
1.92m |
- |
O |
XO |
XXO |
XO |
XXX |
|
|
|
|
| 6 |
Debbie Brill |
CAN |
1.88m |
- |
O |
O |
O |
XXX |
|
|
|
|
|
| 7 |
Susanne Helm-Beyer |
GDR |
1.88m |
O |
O |
XO |
XO |
XXX |
|
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
Olga Juha |
HUN |
1.88m |
|
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
Vanessa Browne-Ward |
AUS |
1.88m |
|
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 10 |
Silvia Costa |
CUB |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 10 |
Andrea Bienias |
GDR |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
Maryse Ewanje-Epee-Maury |
FRA |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
Katalin Sterk |
HUN |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 12 |
Minna Vehmasto |
FIN |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 15 |
Christine Soetewey |
BEL |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 16 |
Wenqin Yang |
CHN |
1.84m |
|
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 17 |
Larisa Kositsyna |
URS |
1.80m |
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 18 |
Dazhen Zheng |
CHN |
1.80m |
|
-O |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Qualification |
|
|
7 August |
|
|
|
Group A |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Kerstin Brandt |
GDR |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 1 |
Coleen Sommer |
USA |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 1 |
Tamara Bykova |
URS |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 4 |
Susanne Helm |
GDR |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 5 |
Christine Soetewey |
BEL |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 6 |
Minna Vehmasto |
FIN |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 6 |
Katalin Sterk |
HUN |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 8 |
Zheng Dazhen |
CHN |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 9 |
Sara Simeoni |
ITA |
|
1.84 |
|
|
| 10 |
Gillian Evans |
GBR |
|
1.84 |
|
|
| 11 |
Gaby Meier-Lindenthal |
SUI |
|
1.84 |
|
|
| 11 |
Brigitte Reid |
CAN |
|
1.84 |
|
|
| 13 |
Disa Gísladóttir |
ICL |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 13 |
Megumi Sato |
JPN |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 15 |
Christine Stanton |
AUS |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 16 |
Iona Smith |
AIA |
|
1.50 |
|
|
|
Group B |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Ulrike Meyfarth |
FRG |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 2 |
Louise Ritter |
USA |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 3 |
Andrea Bienias |
GDR |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 4 |
Debbie Brill |
CAN |
|
1.90 |
|
|
| 5 |
Olga Juha |
HUN |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 6 |
Larisa Kositsyna |
URS |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 7 |
Maryse Ewanjé-Epée |
FRA |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 8 |
Vanessa Browne |
AUS |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 8 |
Silvia Costa |
CUB |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 8 |
Yang Wenqin |
CHN |
|
1.87 |
|
|
| 11 |
Niculina Vasile |
ROM |
|
1.84 |
|
|
| 12 |
Emese Bela |
HUN |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 13 |
Susanne Lorentzon |
SWE |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 14 |
Lidija Lapajne |
YUG |
|
1.80 |
|
|
| 15 |
Hisayo Fukumitsu |
JPN |
|
1.75 |
|
|
| 16 |
Kawther Akremi |
TUN |
|
1.70 |
|
|
| 17 |
Klodeta Gjini |
ALB |
|
1.70 |
|
|
|
|
Group A |
|
height |
| 1 |
Kerstin Brandt |
GDR |
1.90 |
| 1 |
Coleen Sommer |
USA |
1.90 |
| 1 |
Tamara Bykova |
URS |
1.90 |
| 4 |
Susanne Helm |
GDR |
1.90 |
| 5 |
Christine Soetewey |
BEL |
1.87 |
| 6 |
Minna Vehmasto |
FIN |
1.87 |
| 6 |
Katalin Sterk |
HUN |
1.87 |
| 8 |
Zheng Dazhen |
CHN |
1.87 |
| 9 |
Sara Simeoni |
ITA |
1.84 |
| 10 |
Gillian Evans |
GBR |
1.84 |
| 11 |
Gaby Meier-Lindenthal |
SUI |
1.84 |
| 11 |
Brigitte Reid |
CAN |
1.84 |
| 13 |
Disa Gísladóttir |
ICL |
1.80 |
| 13 |
Megumi Sato |
JPN |
1.80 |
| 15 |
Christine Stanton |
AUS |
1.80 |
| 16 |
Iona Smith |
AIA |
1.50 |
|
Group B |
|
height |
| 1 |
Ulrike Meyfarth |
FRG |
1.90 |
| 2 |
Louise Ritter |
USA |
1.90 |
| 3 |
Andrea Bienias |
GDR |
1.90 |
| 4 |
Debbie Brill |
CAN |
1.90 |
| 5 |
Olga Juha |
HUN |
1.87 |
| 6 |
Larisa Kositsyna |
URS |
1.87 |
| 7 |
Maryse Ewanjé-Epée |
FRA |
1.87 |
| 8 |
Vanessa Browne |
AUS |
1.87 |
| 8 |
Silvia Costa |
CUB |
1.87 |
| 8 |
Yang Wenqin |
CHN |
1.87 |
| 11 |
Niculina Vasile |
ROM |
1.84 |
| 12 |
Emese Bela |
HUN |
1.80 |
| 13 |
Susanne Lorentzon |
SWE |
1.80 |
| 14 |
Lidija Lapajne |
YUG |
1.80 |
| 15 |
Hisayo Fukumitsu |
JPN |
1.75 |
| 16 |
Kawther Akremi |
TUN |
1.70 |
| 17 |
Klodeta Gjini |
ALB |
1.70 |
|
| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
| |
Susanne Beyer |
 GDR |
|
|
| |
Kerstin Brandt |
GDR |
|
|
| |
Tamara Bykova |
 URS |
2.03i |
2.03i |
| |
Gillian Evans |
 GBR |
|
|
| |
Thordis Gisladóttir |
 ISL |
1.90i |
1.90i |
| |
Gaby Meier-Lindenthal |
 SUI |
1.94 |
|
| |
Brigitte Reid |
 CAN |
|
|
| |
Megumi Sato |
 JPN |
1.90 |
1.90 |
| |
Sara Simeoni |
 ITA |
2.01 |
|
| |
Iona Smith |
 AIA |
|
|
| |
Christine Soetewey |
 BEL |
|
|
| |
Coleen Sommer |
 USA |
2.00i |
|
| |
Christine Stanton |
 AUS |
1.91 |
|
| |
Katalin Sterk |
 HUN |
1.99i |
|
| |
Minna Vehmasto |
 FIN |
1.91 |
1.91 |
| |
Dazhen Zheng |
 CHN |
|
|
| Order / Lane | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | PB | SB 1983 |
|---|
| |
Kawther Akremi |
 TUN |
1.78 |
1.78 |
| |
Emese Bela |
HUN |
|
|
| |
Andrea Bienias |
GDR |
1.99i |
|
| |
Debbie Brill |
CAN |
1.99i |
|
| |
Vanessa Browne-Ward |
AUS |
|
|
| |
Silvia Costa |
 CUB |
1.98 |
1.98 |
| |
Maryse Éwanjé-Épée |
 FRA |
|
|
| |
Hisayo Fukumitsu |
JPN |
|
|
| |
Klodeta Gjini |
 ALB |
1.87 |
1.87 |
| |
Olga Juha |
HUN |
|
|
| |
Larisa Kositsyna |
URS |
1.95 |
|
| |
Lidija Lapajne |
 YUG |
|
|
| |
Susanne Lorentzon |
 SWE |
|
|
| |
Ulrike Meyfarth |
 FRG |
2.02 |
2.00 |
| |
Louise Ritter |
USA |
1.98i |
1.98i |
| |
Niculina Vasile |
 ROU |
|
|
| |
Wenqin Yang |
CHN |
|
|
