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1983 World Championships in Athletics – Women's 3000 metres

Events at the
1983 World Championships
Athletics pictogram.svg
Track events
100 m   men   women
200 m men women
400 m men women
800 m men women
1500 m men women
3000 m women
5000 m men
10,000 m men
100 m hurdles women
110 m hurdles men
400 m hurdles men women
3000 m
steeplechase
men
4×100 m relay men women
4×400 m relay men women
Road events
Marathon men women
20 km walk men
50 km walk men
Field events
Long jump men women
Triple jump men
High jump men women
Pole vault men
Shot put men women
Discus throw men women
Javelin throw men women
Hammer throw men
Combined events
Heptathlon women
Decathlon men

These are the official results of the Women's 3,000 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 26 participating athletes, with three qualifying heats and the final held on Wednesday 1983-08-10.

The final was led from start to finish by Mary Decker-Slaney, a common tactic for her in the USA, but untested at the world level. Marking her every move throughout the race was the Soviet pair of 1500 metres world record holder Tatyana Kazankina and 3000 metres world record holder Svetlana Ulmasova who expected to use their superior finishing speed. As Decker gradually increased the pace, the field stretched out to a lead pack of five, with Wendy Smith-Sly and Agnese Possamai. As the final lap approached, Sly, who ran in the USA frequently, moved to join Decker on her shoulder, while Brigitte Kraus covered the gap to join the lead pack. The Decker/Sly wall kept the Soviet runners boxed in for half a lap, but when Kraus moved on the rail, Kazankina popped free and the race was on to the finish. Coming off the final turn Kazankina looked ready to pass Decker, but she never got there as Decker found an extra gear to hold her off. Kazankina eventually slowed before the finish to be passed by a fast closing Kraus two steps before the line.

Existing records at the start of the event.



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