For the first time ever, the World Athletics Championships are coming to the United States. Eugene, Oregon, otherwise known as Tracktown USA, was picked to host the event that starts on July 15.

The World Athletic Championships are usually biennial but were postponed in 2021. The event is run by World Athletics, formerly known as the International Amateur Athletic Federation, and was made in response to the 50-kilometer walk being removed from the Olympics in 1976. It has become one of the most important track and field events in the world with 32 world records being set at the competition over the years.

The first World Championships were held in 1983 after being approved in 1976. The first event was held in Helsinki, Finland. Since then, there have been 17 events with the 18th coming in 2022.

The inaugural event in 1983 had 41 events and lasted a week. Since then, eight events have been added with an additional three more days to correspond. The 2022 event is also expected to have 53 more nations than the first one, up to 207.

Out of the 17 championships, the United States has won 13 and aims to become the first country to win the event on home soil. Eight of the last nine have been won by the Americans with Kenya being the only other champion, winning in 2015. Whoever ends up winning the overall team event will be rewarded with a team event trophy, a newly added piece of silverware that was announced in March.