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On and on and on .. Spain's Jesus Angel Garcia has just competed in his 11th World Championship © Getty Images

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One of the hammer throwers in Moscow was taking part in his ninth world championships. Was this a record? asked Sally Johnson

The man in question was the Italian Nicola Vizzoni, the silver medallist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, who's now 39: he was seventh in the hammer in Moscow.

Vizzoni equalled the nine world championships of the Jamaican Danny McFarlane, who took part in the 400 metres (or 400m hurdles or 4x400m relay) at each one between 1993 and 2009. Mozambique's Maria Mutola contested the 800m at nine separate world championships, winning it three times (1993, 2001 and 2003) and collecting two other medals.

The German discus thrower Franka Dietzsch took part in ten between 1991 and 2009, winning three gold medals.

But the overall record is held by a pair of walkers: Jesus Angel Garcia of Spain, the winner of the 50km event back in 1993, competed in his 11th world championships in 2013 (he was 12th in the 50km walk), while Susana Feitor of Portugal, the women's 20km walk bronze medallist in 2005, was not in Moscow but had taken part in the previous 11. Another walker, Canada's Tim Berrett, participated in nine world championships.

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