IAAF World Championships in Athletics the desire of many IAAF members to have their own World Championships began to grow. In 1976 at the IAAF Council Meeting in Puerto Rico an Athletics World Championships separate from the Olympic Games was approved. Following bids from both Stuttgart, West Germany and Helsinki, Finland, the IAAF Council awarded the inaugural competition to Helsinki, to take place in 1983 and be held in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium (where the 1952 Summer Olympics had been held). Two IAAF world championship events preceded the inaugural edition of the World Championships in Athletics in 1983. The 1976 World Championships had just one
Portugal at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics Portugal at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics Portugal was represented at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, held in Berlin from August 15 to August 23, with a delegation of 30 athletes (17 men and 13 women). This delegation matched the record for the biggest national team at the World Championships in Athletics, set at Athens 1997. The team included reigning Olympic and 2007 world triple jump champion Nelson Évora, reigning world indoor champion in the long jump Naide Gomes, and Olympic and World Championships medalist Rui Silva. Veteran race walker and 2005 bronze medalist Susana Feitor accomplished her