At the 1993 Summer Universiade, the athletics events were held at the University at Buffalo Stadium in Amherst, New York in the United States from July 14 to 18.

However, two Universiade records were broken during the competition; Kenya's Kennedy Manyisa improved the men's marathon time and Robert Korzeniowski of Poland bettered the 20 km walk standard.

[1][2] Derrick Adkins, István Bagyula, Aleksandr Klimenko and Robert Korzeniowski, champions at the 1991 Universiade, all returned and defended their titles.

Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi won his first international medal in the 5000 metres and permanently settled in the United States around this period.

All athletes from Yugoslavia competed as independent participants, due to United Nations sanctions.