These are the official results of the Women's 100 metres event at the 1983 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. There were a total number of 49 participating athletes, with seven qualifying heats and the final held on Monday 1983-08-08.
Contents
Evelyn Ashford set the World record just over a month before this meet (at altitude). In the semi-finals, she dusted one of the east German favorites Marita Koch eased up by almost a tenth of a second out in lane 8. As the number 1 qualifier, she still was placed in lane 2, with number 2 qualifier, winner of the other semi-final Marlies Oelsner-Göhr across the track in lane 8. Koch was given lane 4 again.
At the start, Koch and Ashford were out fast, about even 40 metres into the race. Suddenly Ashford jumped, leaning back and hopping to stay off her leg as her hamstring exploded before collapsing to the track. Göhr gained steadily on her teammate Koch, passing her with more closing speed 20 meters out. Sensing a further challenge from Diane Williams next to her, Koch leaned at the finish to hold on to second.
Records
Existing records at the start of the event.