Athletics: Track, Field, and Running Events

• Athletics includes competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking events.
• Common types of athletics competitions: track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking.

History

• Athletic events were in Ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara with running illustrations at the Heb Sed festival and high jumping illustrations from 2250 BC.
• The Tailteann Games were an ancient Celtic festival in Ireland, around 1800 BC.
• The only event at the first Olympics in 776 BC was a stadium-length running event known as the stadion.
• An athletics competition was in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Types of Athletics

• Track Events
• Field Events
• Road Running
• Cross Country Running
• Racewalking

Track Events

• Often involves a field or a running track, generally 400 meters.
• Includes sprints, middle distance events, long distance events, hurdles, and relays.
• Track events categories: running on a track over a defined distance, running events with obstacles, and relay events.
• The 400m standard track has straight and curved sections of almost equal length, and the area inside the track is usually large enough to accommodate all throwing events.
• The track comprises 2 semicircles, each with a radius of 36.50m, joined by two straights, each 84.39m in length.
• The track has 8, 6 or occasionally 4 lanes, all lanes have a width of 1.22m ‡ 0.01m.

Sprint

• Racing events from 100 meters to 400 meters.

Middle Distance

• Events ranging from 800 meters to 3000 meters.
• Standard distances are in multiples of 8: 800 meters, 1600 meters, and 3200 meters.

Long Distance

• Includes marathons, or any event covering more than 5000 meters.
• Standard distances are 5000 meters and 10000 meters.

Hurdles

• A specialized form of obstacle racing.
• Barriers (hurdles) are set at measured heights and distances.
• Key events: 110 meters hurdles (men), 100 meters hurdles (women), and 400 meters hurdles (both sexes).

Relays

• Athletes compete as a team, passing a baton.
• Standard distance: 4 × 100 meters.
• Long-distance relays have 5 to 36 legs, each 5 to 10 km long, sometimes up to 16 km.

Types of Relays

• Shuttle hurdle relay: A Men's and Women's competition that is part of Relay.
• Mixed shuttle hurdle relay: Introduced at the 2019 IAAF World Relays, with two men and two women running 110 m hurdles.
• Medley relay: Teams of four runners running progressively longer distances.
• Distance medley relay: Four legs at 1200, 400, 800, and 1,600 meters.
• Sprint medley relay: Four legs at 400, 200, 200, and 800 meters, or 200, 100, 100 and 400 meters.

Steeplechase

• An obstacle race derived from horse racing.
• Distances: 1500 meters, 2000 meters, and 3000 meters.
• Race run around the track with barriers and water jumps.

Field Events

• These combine strength, technique, speed, grace, power, flexibility, and competitiveness.
• Throwing Events
• Jumping Events

Throwing Events

• Discus Throw: Throwing a heavy disc (discus) as far as possible.
• Shot Put: Throwing a heavy metal ball (shot) from a 7-foot circle for maximum distance.
• Javelin Throw: Throwing an 8-foot spear (javelin) for maximum distance after running within a predetermined area.
• Hammer Throw: Hurling a heavy object on the end of a thin wire for maximum distance.

Jumping Events

• Long Jump: Leaping forward as far as possible; part of ancient and modern Olympics.
• High Jump: Jumping over a horizontal bar without devices; the winner clears the highest bar.
• Triple Jump: Taking two steps (hop and step) before the final jump to cover maximum distance.
• Pole Vault: Leaping over a bar using a flexible pole (carbon fiber or fiberglass).

Road Running

• Running on a measured course over an established road.
• Classified as long-distance, from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers (marathon).
• Common IAAF distances: 5K runs, 10K runs, half marathons, and marathons.

Cross Country Running

• Teams and individuals run on open-air courses over natural terrain (dirt, grass, etc.).
• Courses are 4-12 kilometers (2.5-7.5 mi) long, through woodlands, open country, hills, and gravel roads.

Race Walking

• Long-distance walking, where one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times.
• Distances: 3,000 meters (1.9mi) up to 100 kilometers (62.1 mi).
• Olympic distances: 20 kilometers (men and women) and 50 kilometers (men only).