The 2001 IAAF Grand Prix was the seventeenth edition of the annual global series of one-day track and field competitions organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The series was divided into four levels: 2001 IAAF Golden League, Grand Prix I and Grand Prix II, and IAAF Permit Meetings. There were seven Golden League meets, Grand Prix I featured 10 meetings from 6 May to 22 July and Grand Prix II featured 11 meetings from 1 March to 2 September, making a combined total of 28 meetings for the series.[1] An additional 12 IAAF Outdoor Permit Meetings were attached to the circuit.[2]
Performances on designated events on the circuit earned athletes points which qualified them for entry to the 2001 IAAF Grand Prix Final, held on 9 September in Melbourne, Australia.[3] Middle-distance runner Violeta Szekely was the points leader for the series, taking a series record high of 116 points from eight meetings. The highest scoring male athlete was middle-distance runner André Bucher, who scored 102 points. Another middle-distance runner, Maria Mutola, had the second highest with 105. Three men also reached 100 points: hurdler Allen Johnson, and distance runners Hicham El Guerrouj and Paul Bitok.