| Host City | Athina |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Held | 16 – 20 July 1986 |
| Competitors | 142 |
| Countries | 27 |
| Event | Gender | Held | Status | Competitors | Countries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 200 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 400 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 800 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 1,500 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 5,000 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 10,000 m | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 20 km | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 110 m Hurdles | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 400 m Hurdles | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 2,000 m Steeplechase | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 4 x 100 m Relay | Men | — | Medal | 12 | 3 |
| 4 x 400 m Relay | Men | — | Medal | 14 | 3 |
| 10 km Walk | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| High Jump | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Pole Vault | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Long Jump | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Triple Jump | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Shot Put | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Discus Throw | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Hammer Throw | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Javelin Throw | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Decathlon | Men | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 100 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 200 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 400 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 800 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 1,500 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 3,000 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| 10,000 m | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 100 m Hurdles | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 400 m Hurdles | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| 4 x 100 m Relay | Women | — | Medal | 12 | 3 |
| 4 x 400 m Relay | Women | — | Medal | 13 | 3 |
| 5,000 m Walk | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| High Jump | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Long Jump | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Shot Put | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Discus Throw | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Javelin Throw | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 2 |
| Heptathlon | Women | — | Medal | 3 | 3 |
| Pos | Country | 🥇 Gold | 🥈 Silver | 🥉 Bronze | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Germany | 8 | 4 | 7 | 19 | |
| 2 | Soviet Union | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 | |
| 3 | United States | 5 | 5 | 2 | 12 | |
| 4 | Kenya | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | |
| 5 | Great Britain | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 | |
| 6 | Cuba | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | |
| 7 | Bulgaria | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
| 8 | Romania | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 9 | Nigeria | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 10 | Germany | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| 11 | Australia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| = | Spain | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 13 | China | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| = | Ethiopia | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| 15 | Finland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 16 | Czechoslovakia | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| = | Tanzania | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 18 | Canada | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| = | Chile | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| = | Italy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| = | Japan | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 22 | Jamaica | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 23 | Belgium | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| = | France | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| = | New Zealand | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| = | Poland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| = | Yugoslavia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |