TRACK AND FIELD

Athletics is a competitive physical activity made up of separate events based on the natural movements of walking, running, jumping and throwing. Athletics then is a multiple sport which consists of many events quit different from one another in their method of execution and in the physical characteristics of the participants.

Running events take place on an oval track which is either synthetic, asphalt or grassed and marked with six or eight lanes which are numbered from the inside lane to the outside lane. The distance around the track on the inside lane is 400m.

The field or throwing and jumping events take place inside the track on the grassed surface and on the outer sides of the track.

TRACK EVENTS

The track events comprise eleven individual events for men and ten for women plus the relay. All events are run on the track except the marathon which starts and finishes on the track but the remainder of it is run on the road. Walking races or race walking is also an athletic event and may take place on the track or a road.

TRACK EVENTS

SPRINTS MIDDLE DISTANCE LONG DISTANCE WALKING Short sprints: Short middle distance: 10 000m (10K) 20 000m & 100m, 200m, 800m. Marathon (42 195m) 50 000m (men) 100m hurdles (women) 110m hurdles (men) 5 000m & 4 x 100m relay 10 000m (women)

Long sprints: Middle distance: 400m, 400m hurdles, 1500m. 4 x 400m relay Long middle distance: 3000m (women), 5000m (men) 3000m Steeplechase All sprint races and the 800m race begins with a crouch start. All other races begin with a standing start. At the beginning of the 200m, 400m, 800m and relay events the runners are staggered because these races begin on the curved part of the track. Staggering the runners to begin these races ensures that all the athletes run the same distance.

FIELD EVENTS Field events are either throwing or jumping events.

THROWING EVENTS JUMPING EVENTS Shot Putt, Javelin, Discus & Jumping for distance: Hammer. Long jump & Triple Jump

Jumping for height: High jump & Pole vault

Generally the throws are done on the grassy area on the inside of the track and the high jump and pole vault are done in the semi circle areas of the inside of the track. The long and triple jumps are done on the outer sides of the track.