If I'm reading Wikipedia correctly, Liz McColgan was the second British woman to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. The first was Fatima Whitbread (in the javelin, as if you didn't know) in 1987.
Liz McColgan was the first British woman to win gold in a track event.
According to Wikipedia, the Championships were first held in Helsinki, in 1983 (following two earlier, unofficial events which involved only a very limited number of events and athletes). Britain's only gold medal was won by Steve Cram in the 1,500 metres. We also won two silver medals (Fatima Whitbread in the javelin, and the women's 4 x 100 metres relay) and two bronzes (Colin Reitz in the men's 3,000 metre steeplechase, and the mens 4 x 400 metres relay).
World Athletics' own website agrees that the 1st World Championships in Athletics were held in Helsinki in 1983. But I find it harder to confirm individual results on their pages, so I'm relying on Wikipedia for details.
The second event was held in Rome in 1987. Apart from Fatima Whitbread's gold, Britain won three silvers and four bronze.
At the third – Tokyo, 1991 – Liz McColgan (in the 10,000 metres) was Britain's only individual gold medallist. The men's 4 x 400 metres relay team also won gold; and we also won two silvers (Roger Black in the men's 400 metres, and Sally Gunnell in the women's 400 metres hurdles) and three bronze.
After 1991, the World Championships became a biennial event; the fourth championships were held in Stuttgart in 1993. This time Britain won three golds: Linford Christie (100 metres), Colin Jackson (110 metres hurdles) and Sally Gunnell (400 metres hurdles).
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