The men's marathon was held for the last time, and for the only time both this and the half marathon event featured on the programme together – a rarity for an athletics championship. The men's 50 kilometres race walk was briefly reintroduced, being contested for the third and final time in the competition's history. In the women's programme, the triple jump was held for the first time, following on from its global debut at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics. In a similar match with international standards, the women's 3000 metres was changed to 5000 metres (parity with the men's event) – a move seen earlier that month at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. The women's 10,000 metres and half marathon both returned to the programme, having been absent since 1989.[1]
