Record participation for worlds

Berlin - A record 206 countries have entered 1,974 athletes for the August 10-18 world championships in Moscow, the ruling body IAAF said Friday.

The IAAF said in a statement the 14th edition of the championships in the Luzhniki was set to the become the biggest.

The highest number of participating nations so far is 200 from the 1999 edition in Seville and 2009 in Berlin.

The edition four years ago in Germany also saw the most athletes, 1 895.

Of the 1 974 competitors entered for the 47 Moscow events, 1 106 are men and 868 women.

Final figures are likely to be released on the closing day of the championships.