About Track and Field

Track and field is the original sport. Before man created athletic games, he ran, jumped and threw things. Track and field is considered by many to be the purest sport. The winner is the athlete who crosses the finish line first, leaps the highest or farthest or propels an object the greatest distance. There are no complicated rules to confuse matters. Track and field is also one of the few sports to be enjoyed worldwide. The sport is also called simply "athletics."

  1. History

    • The history of track and field can trace its roots to ancient Greece. The earliest recorded Olympic games were in 776 B.C. in Olympia. It featured a number of foot races. Jumping and throwing events were added later. Cultures around the world held their own athletic events throughout history, though they were usually centered around the fighting skills of soldiers. The first modern Olympic games in 1896 brought track and field onto a worldwide stage. In 1912, the International Amateur Athletics Federation was established. In 1983, it started the Track and Field World Championships. There are several other international track-and-field competitions including the Pan American Games, Commonwealth Games and professional Golden League circuit. Track and field is also run indoors, with races of different lengths to accommodate a smaller track.

    Track Events

    • The shortest sprint events are run on a straight portion of the track. All others are run on an oval-shaped track. Outdoor tracks are 400 meters around, while most indoor tracks are 200 meters around. Outdoor sprint events include the 100 meter, 200 meter and 400 meter. Indoor sprint events can include races of 50 meters, 55 meters and 60 meters. Middle-distance events include the 800 meter, 1500 meter and 3000 meter. Long-distance events include the 5000 meter, 10,000 meter and marathon. Races over hurdles are also part of track. They are run at 60 meters indoors, 100 meters for women, 110 meters for men and 400 meters for everyone. Relay races utilize teams of four runners passing a baton. They are run over a distance of 400 meters, 1600 meters and 3200 meters. Race walking restricts athletes to keeping one foot on the ground at all times. It covers distances of 10 kilometers, 20 kilometers and 50 kilometers.

    Field Events

    • Field events involve jumping and throwing. Jumping field events include the long jump, the triple jump, the high jump and the pole vault. Throwing events include the discus, shot put, javelin and hammer throw.

    Combination Events

    • Combination events involve a single athlete competing in multiple track-and-field events. The decathlon involves 10 events performed by men in the following order: 100 meter, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meter, 110-meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500 meter. The heptathlon involves seven events performed by women in the following order: 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meter, long jump, javelin and 800 meter.

    Records

    • Track-and-field records are some of the most easily compared in sports. Standard distances, standard heights and standard times can be compared across distance and time. There are very specific rules determining what can be a track-and-field record. It must be performed at a sanctioned event in front of judges and witnesses. There can be no fouls or false starts when the record was set. Athletes can not have any performance-enhancing drugs in their systems. The record is not allowed to be wind assisted. If the wind is more than two meters per second at the back of the athlete, the record does not count.