Track and field

Track and field encompasses competitive athletic events that take place on an elliptical track and/or on the field the track encircles. Although commonly called track and field in North America, the sport also is known globally as athletics. Track-and-field events fall into one of three broad categories: running, jumping, or throwing. These are considered some of the oldest athletic activities in human history. Indeed, track-and-field events were part of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, and they remain an important part of the modern Olympics. The majority of track-and-field events focus on individual athletic achievement but a few events—namely, relay races—are team oriented.

History of Track and Field

Track and field encompasses a variety of different events related to running, jumping, and throwing. Long before these activities became a focal point for athletic competition, however, human beings depended on them for survival. The ability to run fast or jump high allowed humans to escape vicious predators. Likewise, the ability to throw a weapon at prey with both strength and precision was the difference between eating and starving. Because no written record of the earliest humans exists, experts cannot be completely certain that early people did not engage in running, jumping, and throwing for sport. Most agree, however, that sporting events revolving around these activities did not evolve until much later in human history. Among the most well-known track-and-field competitions is the Olympic Games.

Ancient Olympic Games

The Olympic Games began in ancient Greece in 776 BCE. Named after Mount Olympus, which the Greeks believed was the home of the gods, the Olympic Games were held every four years. They attracted male athletes from city-states throughout the Greek world who came to show off their athletic prowess to spectators. It is believed that the first several Olympic competitions consisted of a single event, called the stadion or stade. The stadion was a foot race that covered a distance of six hundred feet.

Later, additional events were added to the Olympic Games. Among these were wrestling, boxing, pankration (a combination of boxing and wrestling), and the pentathlon. The pentathlon included five events: long jump, in which athletes attempted to jump the greatest distance; discus, in which athletes attempted to throw a flat disc the greatest distance; javelin, in which athletes attempted to throw a spear-like object the greatest distance; wrestling; and a foot race. More foot races of various lengths also were added in time.

The Olympic Games remained a popular track-and-field competition until 330 CE. At that time, Europe was in the midst of political and religious change. Many began to view the Greek athletic contest as a pagan ritual, and it was banned.

Modern Track-and-Field Competitions

In the 1890s, Baron Pierre de Coubertin of France successfully advocated for the resurrection of the Olympic Games. In 1896, the first modern Olympic competition was held in Athens, Greece. Track-and-field events make up a large portion of the events in the modern Olympic Summer Games, which are held every four years. The Olympics, however, are not the only track-and-field competition in which athletes can participate.

In the United States, many children and young adults become involved in track and field while they are students in middle school or high school. As student athletes, they compete in local-, district-, and state-level track meets. Track-and-field athletes who attend colleges and universities throughout the country are able to compete in a number of events sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Each year, countries around the globe hold national track-and-field championships. In addition, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) sponsors the World Championships in Athletics, an international track-and-field competition held every two years.

Track-and-Field Events

As its name implies, track and field includes some events that take place on the track and other events that take place on the field. These events may be further classified as running events, jumping events, and throwing events. Running events occur on the track. Jumping and throwing events occur on the field. A few combined events require athletes to compete in both arenas.

The track on which athletes run is a 400-meter oval divided into a number of distinct lanes. Some events require athletes to remain within their assigned lane. Others allow athletes to cross into other lanes after a certain point.

The field on which athletes compete has designated areas for each event, and each of these areas has specific boundaries. When competing, athletes must remain within these boundaries to avoid fouling.

Following are descriptions of some of the most common running, jumping, throwing, and combined events in outdoor track-and-field competitions. Indoor track-and-field competitions often include the same events as outdoor competitions with a few variations (mainly involving the distances in running events).

Running Events

Running events require athletes to demonstrate speed, agility, and endurance in foot races of various lengths. Running events include sprints, middle- and long-distance races, relays, and hurdling events.

  • Sprints: A sprint is a foot race over a short distance during which runners try to reach their maximum speeds. The most common sprinting events are the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 400-meter dash. The 100-meter dash is a quarter of a lap around the track; it takes place on one straightaway. The 200-meter dash is a half of a lap around the track; it takes place on one curve and one straightaway. The 400-meter dash is one full lap around the track. For all sprinting events, athletes must remain within their designated lanes for the entire duration of the race.
  • Middle-Distance:Middle-distance running events are foot races that cover greater distances than sprints. Speed is still important in middle-distance events, but endurance is also a factor. The most common middle-distance events are the 800-meter and the 1500-meter. The 800-meter is two laps around the track, and the 1500-meter is 3.75 laps around the track. In both races, runners begin in individual lanes but may cross into other lanes as the race continues.
  • Long-Distance: Long-distance events are foot races that cover even more ground that the middle-distance events. In long-distance events, endurance is key. Because athletes must pace themselves, speed is not as important in long-distance events. The most common long-distance events are the 5000-meter and the 10,000-meter. The 5000-meter is 12.5 laps around the track, and the 10,000-meter is 25 laps around the track.
  • Relays:Relay races are team running events in which each member of a four-person team must run an equal distance of the total length of the race. The two most common relay events are sprint races: the 4 x 100-meter relay and the 4 x 400-meter relay. In the 4 x 100-meter relay, each member of the team runs one portion or leg of the race, a distance of 100 meters. In the 4 x 400-meter relay, each member of the team runs one 400-meter leg. Prior to the start of a relay, each team receives a baton. As the first runner finishes his or her leg, the runner passes the baton to the second runner. As the second runner finishes his or her leg, the runner then passes the baton to the third runner, and so on. The person running the last leg of the race should cross the finish line with the baton in hand. If the baton is dropped at any time, the team is disqualified. Likewise, if the runners pass the baton too early or too late, the team is disqualified.
  • Hurdles:Hurdling events are sprints during which runners not only try to reach their maximum speeds but also must jump over barriers called hurdles. The most common hurdling events are the 100-meter hurdles (for women), the 110-meter hurdles (for men), and the 400-meter hurdles. In all hurdling events, athletes must clear a total of ten, evenly spaced hurdles. As with other sprinting events, athletes must remain within their designated lanes throughout the duration of the race.

Jumping Events

Jumping events include the long jump, the triple jump, the high jump, and the pole vault. Athletes who compete in jumping events must have speed, strength, and agility.

  • Long Jump: In the long jump, athletes attempt to leap the farthest horizontal distance from a specified takeoff point into a pit filled with sand. Athletes get a running start to help propel them forward. If any part of the athlete's foot extends beyond the designated takeoff point when he or she begins a jump, the jump is considered a foul and does not count. Jumps are measured from the edge of the takeoff point to the nearest mark in the sand made by the athlete during his or her landing.
  • Triple Jump: The triple jump is like the long jump in all ways except one: technique. Unlike the long jump, which involves a single leap, the triple jump involves a hop, a step, and a jump.
  • High Jump: In the high jump, athletes attempt to leap vertically over a bar at the highest height possible. Jumpers typically take several steps to approach the bar. When jumping, they must take off on one foot. If a jumper dislodges the bar during his or her jump, the jump is considered a foul, and it does not count.
  • Pole Vault: The pole vault is like the high jump in that athletes attempt to leap vertically over a bar at the highest height possible. However, in the pole vault, athletes use a long pole to help launch themselves over the bar. Athletes make their approach on a runway, plant their pole within a designated area, and then propel themselves upward and over the bar. As they clear the bar, athletes release the pole. If an athlete dislodges the bar during his or her vault, the vault is considered a foul and does not count.

Throwing Events

Throwing events include the javelin, the discus, the hammer, and the shot put. The following is an overview of the objects thrown in each event.

  • Javelin: a long, slender pole with a pointed tip
  • Discus: a heavy, flat, round object
  • Hammer: a heavy metal ball attached to a thin wire
  • Shot put: a heavy metal ball

All of these events are similar in that athletes must utilize a combination of muscular strength, agile footwork, and weight shifting as they attempt to heave an object the greatest horizontal distance within a designated boundary. In the javelin event, athletes gain momentum for their throw by making a quick approach on a runway within the designated throwing area. In the other events, athletes make their throws from within a circular boundary. In all throwing events, the athlete must remain within the throwing area until the object he or she throws lands on the field.

Combined Events

Some track-and-field contests require athletes to participate in several different running, throwing, and jumping events. The most common of these combined events are the decathlon (for men) and the heptathlon (for women).

  • Decathlon: The men's decathlon is a two-day event that involves ten events. Running events in the decathlon include the 100-meter dash, the 400-meter dash, the 110-meter hurdles, and the 1500-meter middle-distance race. Throwing events include the shot put, the javelin, and the discus. Jumping events include the high jump, the long jump, and the pole vault.
  • Heptathlon: The women's heptathlon is a two-day event that involves seven events. Running events in the heptathlon include the 80-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and the 100-meter hurdles. Throwing events include the javelin and the shot put. Jumping events include the high jump and the long jump.

Bibliography

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