The Bislett Games is an annual track and field meeting at the Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway. Previously one of the IAAF Golden League events, it is now part of the Diamond League.
History
The first international athletics meeting at Bislett was held in 1924. Until 1937 the competitions are known as "The American Meetings", similar to the international meetings in Zürich. Different organizers staged the meetings between 1947 and 1965 until the three athletics associations BUL, Vidar and Tjalve formed the Bislett Alliance. At this year Arne Haukvik founded the Bislett Games. He was a former politician and director of the meeting, who used to invite the athletes, sponsors and the press to his home for his traditional "strawberry party" the day before the event each year. He died of cancer in 2002 at age 76. The tradition however is continued.
Bislett Stadium was used for speed skating events at the Olympics, but nowadays it is better known for its Bislett Games athletics meeting. Bislett Games attract the best track and field athletes from all over the world, and 65 world records have been set on its forgiving, brick-coloured track so far. Due to the building of the new Bislett Stadium in Oslo, which started in April 2004, the 2004 edition of the traditional athletics meeting was staged on Fana stadion in Bergen under the name Bergen Bislett Games.
In 2009, a severe storm delayed proceedings and even caused damage to the track-side clock display. Sanya Richards recorded the fastest women's 400 metres time since 2006 while the Dream Mile brought a number of records with winner Deresse Mekonnen improving upon his Ethiopian record, Kenyan William Biwott Tanui setting a world junior record and third-placed Augustine Choge beating his personal best. Former javelin winners Andreas Thorkildsen and Tero Pitkämäki continued their five-year shared dominance of the Bislett Games, with Pitkämäki taking the victory this time.Turner, Chris (3 July 2009). Richards improves season’s lead in style; World Junior Mile record in Oslo – REPORT – ÅF Golden League. IAAF.
Alternative events During 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Bislett Games from taking place, instead an event called Impossible Games was held. In 2021 there were still restrictions which caused the main event to be postponed to July 1. A restricted event called Night of Highlights was additionally held on June 4, 2021.
Editions During some of the earliest editions, there were two meetings held per year.
+ Bislett Games editions Meeting Series Date 1965 Bislett Games 14 Jul 1965 1966 Bislett Games 1966 1967 Bislett Games 1967 1968 Bislett Games 1968 1969 Bislett Games 1969 1970 Bislett Games 1970 1971 Bislett Games 1971 1972 Bislett Games 3-4 Aug 1972 1973 Bislett Games 24 Jul 1973 1974 Bislett Games 30–31 Jul 1974 1975 Bislett Games 3 Jul 1975 1976 Bislett Games 30 Jun 1976 1977 Bislett Games 28 Jun 1977 1978 Bislett Games 27 Jun 1978 1979 Bislett Games 5 Jul, 17 Jul 1979 1980 Bislett Games 1 Jul 1980 1981 Bislett Games 26 Jun 1981 1982 Bislett Games 26 Jun 1982 1983 Bislett Games 22–23 Aug 1983 1984 Bislett Games 28 Jun 1984 1985 Bislett Games 1985 IAAF Grand Prix 16 Jul, 27 Jul 1985 1986 Bislett Games 1986 IAAF Grand Prix 5 Jul 1986 1987 Bislett Games 1987 IAAF Grand Prix 4 Jul 1987 1988 Bislett Games 1988 IAAF Grand Prix 2 Jul 1988 1989 Bislett Games 1989 IAAF Grand Prix 1 Jul 1989 1990 Bislett Games 1990 IAAF Grand Prix 14 Jul 1990 1991 Bislett Games 1991 IAAF Grand Prix 6 Jul 1991 1992 Bislett Games 1992 IAAF Grand Prix 4 Jul 1992 1993 Bislett Games 1993 IAAF Grand Prix 10 Jul 1993 1994 Bislett Games 1994 IAAF Grand Prix 22 Jul 1994 1995 Bislett Games 1995 IAAF Grand Prix 21 Jul 1995 1996 Bislett Games 1996 IAAF Grand Prix 5 Jul 1996 1997 Bislett Games 1997 IAAF Grand Prix 4 Jul 1997 1998 Bislett Games 1998 IAAF Golden League 9 Jul 1998 1999 Bislett Games 1999 IAAF Golden League 30 Jun 1999 2000 Bislett Games 2000 IAAF Golden League 28 Jul 2000 2001 Bislett Games 2001 IAAF Golden League 13 Jul 2001 2002 Bislett Games 2002 IAAF Golden League 28 Jun 2002 2003 Bislett Games 2003 IAAF Golden League 27 Jun 2003 2004 Bislett Games 2004 IAAF Golden League 11 Jun 2004 2005 Bislett Games 2005 IAAF Golden League 29 Jul 2005 2006 Bislett Games 2006 IAAF Golden League 2 Jun 2006 2007 Bislett Games 2007 IAAF Golden League 15 Jun 2007 2008 Bislett Games 2008 IAAF Golden League 6 Jun 2008 2009 Bislett Games 2009 IAAF Golden League 3 Jul 2009 2010 Bislett Games 2010 Diamond League 4 Jun 2010 2011 Bislett Games 2011 Diamond League 9 Jun 2011 2012 Bislett Games 2012 Diamond League 7 Jun 2012 2013 Bislett Games 2013 Diamond League 13 Jun 2013 2014 Bislett Games 2014 Diamond League 11 Jun 2014 2015 Bislett Games 2015 Diamond League 11 Jun 2015 2016 Bislett Games 2016 Diamond League 9 Jun 2016 2017 Bislett Games 2017 Diamond League 15 Jun 2017 2018 Bislett Games 2018 Diamond League 7 Jun 2018 2019 Bislett Games 2019 Diamond League 13 Jun 2019 2020 Impossible Games 2020 Diamond League 11 Jun 2020 2021 Bislett Games 2021 Diamond League 1 Jul 2021 2022 Bislett Games 2022 Diamond League 16 Jun 2022 2023 Bislett Games 2023 Diamond League 15 Jun 2023 2024 Bislett Games 2024 Diamond League 30 May 2024 2025 Bislett Games 2025 Diamond League 12 Jun 2025 2026 Bislett Games 2026 Diamond League 10 Jun 2026
World records Over the course of its history, numerous world records have been set at the Games and former athletics meetings at Bislett stadium. In 1985 three new records were set at the same evening.
Bislett Games +World records set at the Bislett GamesYearEventRecordAthleteNationality196527:39.4 19742:13.9 19758:46.6 8:10.4 19768:45.4 19791:42.3319803:48.8 19812:12.18198213:00.41198414:58.89198530:59.4213:00.403:46.32198630:13.74199326:58.38199426:52.232:04:55199726:31.322000Javelin throw69.48 m200414:24.6814:30.88 200714:16.63200814:11.151:42.69 202146.7020234:17.13
Differently named meetings +World records set at differently named meetingsYearEventRecordAthleteNationality1952Hammer throw61.25 m1953Hammer throw62.36 m19553:40.8 Gunnar Nielsen8:45.4 1964Javelin throw87.12 m & 91.72 m
American meetings +World records set at the American meetingsYearEventRecordAthleteNationality192463.8 1925Pole vault4.23 m193414.2 Shot put17.40 mDiscus throw52.42 m193514.2 193613.7
Meeting records
Men
+Men's meeting records of the Bislett Games EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateMeet100 m9.79 Usain Bolt7 June 20122012200 m19.77 Erriyon Knighton15 June 20232023400 m43.86Michael Johnson21 July 19951995800 m1:42.04David Rudisha4 June 201020101000 m2:12.18Sebastian Coe11 July 198119811500 m3:27.95Jakob Ingebrigtsen15 June 20232023Mile3:44.90Hicham El Guerrouj4 July 199719972000 m4:50.01Jakob Ingebrigtsen11 June 202020203000 m7:26.25Yomif Kejelcha1 July 20212021Two miles8:15.2 Rod Dixon17 July 197919795000 m12:36.73Hagos Gebrhiwet30 May 202420246 miles26:47.0 Ron Clarke14 July 1965196510,000 m26:31.32Haile Gebrselassie4 July 1997199720,000 m57:55.0 Sondre Nordstad Moen11 June 2020202025,000 m (track)1:12:46.5 Sondre Nordstad Moen11 June 20202020One hour20,703 mSondre Nordstad Moen11 June 20202020110 m hurdles13.00 Ladji Doucouré29 July 20052005300 m hurdles 32.67 , Karsten Warholm 12 June 2025 2025 400 m hurdles46.52Karsten Warholm15 June 202320232000 m steeplechase5:20.00Krzysztof Wesołowski28 June 198419843000 m steeplechase8:01.83Paul Kipsiele Koech9 June 20112011High jump2.38 mMutaz Essa Barshim15 June 20172017Pole vault 6.15 m Armand Duplantis 12 June 2025 2025 Long jump8.53 m Irving Saladino2 June 20062006Triple jump18.01 m Jonathan Edwards9 July 19981998Shot put22.29 mTomas Walsh7 June 20182018Discus throw70.91 mMykolas Alekna30 May 20242024Hammer throw81.92 m Wojciech Nowicki15 June 20232023Javelin throw94.22 m (old design)Michael Wessing3 August 1978197892.60 m (current design)Raymond Hecht21 July 199519955000 m walk20:27.0 Erling Andersen3 August 1979197910,000 m walk40:50.0 Erling Andersen3 August 1979197920,000 m walk1:27:56.8 Erling Andersen23 August 1981198130,000 m walk2:35:45.6 Tore Brustad20 July 1970197050,000 m walk4:42:10.0 Per Ola Sverre9 August 197419744 × 100 m relay40.31Elvis AfrifaTaymir BurnetSolomon BockarieRaphael Bouju16 June 202220224 × 1500 m relay14:40.4 Tony Polhill 3:42.9John Walker 3:40.4Rod Dixon 3:41.2Dick Quax 3:35.922 August 19731973
Women
+Women's meeting records of the Bislett Games EventRecordAthleteNationalityDateMeet100 m10.75 Marie-Josée Ta Lou15 June 20232023200 m21.93 Dafne Schippers9 June 20162016400 m49.23Taťána Kocembová23 August 19831983600 m1:29.06Hedda Hynne11 June 20202020800 m1:55.04Jarmila Kratochvílová23 August 198319831500 m3:57.40Suzy Favor-Hamilton28 July 20002000Mile4:17.13Birke Haylom15 June 202320233000 m8:24.20Georgia Griffith30 May 202420245000 m14:11.15Tirunesh Dibaba6 June 2008200810,000 m30:13.74Ingrid Kristiansen5 July 19861986100 m hurdles12.49 Sally Pearson7 June 20122012200 m hurdles26.11 Line Kloster11 June 20202020300 m hurdles39.42Sara Petersen11 June 20202020400 m hurdles52.30Femke Bol15 June 202320233000 m steeplechase9:02.60Faith Cherotich12 June 20252025High jump2.05 mStefka Kostadinova4 July 19871987Pole vault4.85 mYelena Isinbayeva15 June 20072007Long jump7.29 m Heike Drechsler22 July 19941994Triple jump15.11 m Yamilé Aldama27 June 20032003Shot put20.74 mChase Jackson10 June 20262026Discus throw69.78 mTsvetanka Khristova5 July 19861986Javelin throw76.34 m (old design)Fatima Whitbread4 July 1987198769.48 m (current design)Trine Hattestad28 July 200020003000 m walk13:45.7 Frøydis Hilsen23 August 198119815000 m walk22:59.6 Anita Blomberg17 June 198819884 × 100 m relay43.69Jamile SamuelTasa JiyaNaomi Sedney16 June 202220224 × 400 m relay3:28.38 Carys McAulayAma PipiLina NielsenNicole Kendall15 June 20232023
See also Dream Mile
Notes
References
External links
Diamond League – Oslo Official Web Site