Athletics at the 1957 World Festival of Youth and Students

Mainly contested among Eastern European athletes, it served as an alternative to the more Western European-oriented 1957 World University Games held in Paris the same year in September.

Semyon Rzhishchin, the steeplechase world record holder, won his specialist event, but Olympic walking champion Leonid Spirin settled for runner-up spot.

Javelin thrower Janusz Sidło won a fourth straight world student title and his throw of 80.12 m (262 ft 10+1⁄4 in) marked the only time an athlete surpassed eighty metres at the competition.

Also among the strong Soviet throwers were javelin specialist Inese Jaunzeme and Tamara Tyshkevich (both reigning Olympic champions).

She went on to win at the 1958 European Athletics Championships a year later, as did pentathlon winner Galina Bystrova and 800 m runner-up Yelizaveta Yermolayeva.