In contrast to other major athletics competitions, the Goodwill Games operated an invitational policy, which meant that there were no qualifying stage of the events and the contests operated on a single or double final format.[1] The inaugural athletics competition brought two new world records: Sergey Bubka cleared 6.01 m for a new pole vault record and Jackie Joyner improved the women's heptathlon record to 7148 points.[2] In the 100 metres races, Ben Johnson gained his first international victory over Carl Lewis while Evelyn Ashford pipped Heike Drechsler to the gold in the women's race.
The Soviet Union dominated the medal table, winning 50% more medals than the United States.
