| Athletics at the 2nd East Asian Games | |
| Size: | 220 |
| Host City: | Busan, South Korea |
| Dates: | 10–19 May |
| Stadium: | Busan Gudeok Stadium |
| Nations Participating: | 9 |
| Athletes Participating: | ? |
| Events: | 43 |
| Level: | Senior |
| Previous: | 1993 Shanghai |
| Next: | 2001 Osaka |
| Games: | 1997 East Asian Games |
At the 1997 East Asian Games, the athletics events were held at the Busan Gudeok Stadium in Busan, South Korea between 10 and 19 May. Forty-three events were contested, 23 by male athletes and 20 by females.[1]
In terms of country performance the competition was a closely contested affair between Japan, which dominated the men's events, and China which led in the women's proceedings. Both finished with a total of 16 gold medals, but China's strength in depth showed in the minor medals as it took a medal haul of 52 (ten more than Japan). Kazakhstan took the third-most gold medals with seven, while the hosts (South Korea) won 18 medals to be the third-best medalling team, although this was one of their weaker sports.
In terms of athletes, Minori Hayakari provided a boost to Japan by winning silver in the 800 metres and a bronze in the 1500 metres event. Wang Zhicheng of China also won two individual medals: a 5000 metres silver, and 10,000 metres bronze. A number of athletes went on to further success at the 1998 Asian Games: Koji Ito and Koji Murofushi won gold in their events, and China had particular success with their field eventers as Ren Ruiping, Li Meisu and Li Shaojie all took Asian Games gold medals.[2]
| 100 metres Wind: 4.0 m/s | 10.04 w | 10.30 w | 10.36 w | ||||
| 200 metres | 20.98 GR | 21.05 | 21.23 | ||||
| 400 metres | 45.84 GR | 46.08 | 46.50 | ||||
| 800 metres | 1:49.00 | 1:50.75 | 1:50.76 | ||||
| 1500 metres | 3:49.90 GR | 3:49.97 | 3:51.18 | ||||
| 5000 metres | 13:55.84 | 14:03.62 | 14:22.96 | ||||
| 10,000 metres | 28:44.60 GR | 29:29.08 | 29:49.54 | ||||
| 110 metre hurdles | 13.67 GR | 13.70 | 13.85 | ||||
| 400 metre hurdles | 49.60 GR | 50.41 | 50.73 | ||||
| 3000 metre steeplechase | 8:39.28 GR | 8:45.38 | 8:54.16 | ||||
| 4×100 metre relay | 39.32 GR | 39.43 | 40.31 | ||||
| 4×400 metre relay | 3:04.35 =GR | 3:09.11 | 3:09.77 | ||||
| Half marathon | 1:07:06 | 1:07:16 | 1:08:17 | ||||
| 20 km track walk | 1:23:58.59 | 1:23:59.99 | 1:27:39.38 | ||||
| High jump | 2.28 m GR | 2.24 m | 2.24 m | ||||
| Pole vault | 5.50 m GR | 5.40 m | 5.40 m | ||||
| Long jump | 8.13 m | 8.03 m w | 7.92 m | ||||
| Triple jump | 16.89 m GR | 16.71 m | 16.39 m | ||||
| Shot put | 19.47 m | 18.57 m | 18.28 m | ||||
| Discus throw | 62.58 m GR | 60.42 m | 60.14 m | ||||
| Hammer throw | 73.40 m | 69.56 m | 68.68 m | ||||
| Javelin throw | 77.80 m GR | 73.74 m | 72.42 m | ||||
| Decathlon | 7372 pts | 7103 pts | 7045 pts |
| 100 metres Wind: 2.5 m/s | 11.46 w | 11.49 w | 11.55 w | ||||
| 200 metres | 23.44 GR | 23.82 | 24.09 | ||||
| 400 metres | 52.92 GR | 53.48 | 54.17 | ||||
| 800 metres | 2:06.16 | 2:07.65 | 2:10.05 | ||||
| 1500 metres | 4:19.36 | 4:19.80 | 4:21.37 | ||||
| 5000 metres | 15:37.53 GR | 15:38.73 | 15:46.88 | ||||
| 10,000 metres | 31:31.85 GR | 32:47.20 | 33:02.25 | ||||
| 100 metre hurdles | 13.16 GR | 13.29 | 13.31 | ||||
| 400 metre hurdles | 55.90 GR | 58.00 | 58.06 | ||||
| 4×100 metre relay | 45.05 | 45.16 | 45.52 | ||||
| 4×400 metre relay | 3:35.27 | 3:36.60 | 3:54.05 | ||||
| Half marathon | 1:14:19 GR | 1:14:22 | 1:14:31 | ||||
| 10,000 m track walk | 46:23.25 | 47:08.09 | 47:20.49 | ||||
| High jump | 1.91 m GR | 1.88 m | 1.88 m | ||||
| Long jump | 6.59 m GR | 6.42 m | 6.25 m | ||||
| Triple jump | 14.47 m GR | 13.50 m | 13.13 m | ||||
| Shot put | 19.07 m | 18.26 m | 17.56 m | ||||
| Discus throw | 63.82 m GR | 61.94 m | 51.90 m | ||||
| Javelin throw | 56.92 m | 56.10 m | 51.06 m | ||||
| Heptathlon | 5971 pts | 5737 pts | 5560 pts |