UNIT 3: TRACK AND FIELD Track and Field is a sport that consists of a number of events. These events include athletics such as running, jumping, and throwing. HISTORY At the first Games in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece, only one event was contested: the stadion footrace, but the introduction of the Ancient Olympic pentathlon marked a step towards track and field as it is recognized today—it comprised a five-event competition of the long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, stadion footrace and wrestling. The establishment of the modern Olympic Games at the end of the 19th century marked a new high for track and field. The Olympic athletics programme, comprising track and field events plus a marathon race TRACK AND FIELD EVENTS Track Field Combined Sprint Middle- Long- events Hurdles Relays Jumps Throws s distance distance 60 m hurdles 100 m hurdles 60 m 4×100 m Long jump Shot put 800 m 110 m hurdles Pentathlon 100 m 5000 m relay Triple jump Discus throw 1500 m 400 m Heptathlon 200 m 10,000 m 4×400 m High jump Hammer throw 3000 m hurdles Decathlon 400 m relay Pole vault Javelin throw 3000 m steeplechase 1 THE COURT: STADIUM A stadium with an oval running track enclosing a grass field where the throwing and jumping events take place. ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS 1. What was the FIRST recorded athletics event? When and where did it take place? 2. What are the FOUR fundamental ways in which track and field athletics “tests” the human body? 3. Which events can you find ON a track? 4. How long is the athletics track ? 2 RUNNING EVENTS SPRINTS: A sprint is a short running race. In a track and field competition there are generally three different sprint distances: 100m, 200m, and 400m. Sprinters begin the race by assuming a crouching position in the starting blocks before leaning forward and gradually moving into an upright position as the race progresses and momentum is gained. Athletes remain in the same lane on the running track throughout all sprinting events . MIDDLE DISTANCE RACE: The most common middle-distance track events are the 800m, 1500m and 3000m. Runners start the race from a standing position along a curved starting line and after hearing the starter's gun they head towards the innermost track to follow the quickest route to the finish. LONG DISTANCE: here are three common long distance running events in track and field competitions: 3000 metres, 5000 metres and 10,000 metres. Long distance track races have much in common with middle-distance races, except that pacing, endurance, and race tactics become much greater factors in performances. HURDLES: Theses races are very similar to the sprint races but include some metallic barriers (hurdles) as obstacles. The most common events are the 100 m hurdles for women, 110 m hurdles for men and 400 m hurdles for both sexes. RELAY RACES: There are 2 main races: 4x100m and 4x400m. Relay races are the only track and field event in which a team of runners directly compete against other teams. Typically, a team is made up of four runners of the same sex. Each runner completes their specified distance before handing over a baton to a teammate. 3.000 STEEPLECHASE: a middle to long distance run with obstacles including large hurdles and water 3 5. Write the correct words in the spaces provided. a. HURDLE B. STARTER’S GUN C. SPRINT D. BATON E. LANE F. STEEPLECHASE G. STARTING BLOCKS I. RELAY CHANGEOVER WITH H. TRACK BATON 4 JUMPING EVENTS LONG JUMP: The athletes would take a short run up and jump into an area of dug up earth, with the winner being the one who jumped farthest. HIGH JUMP: Athletes have a short run up and then take off from one foot to jump over a horizontal bar and fall back onto a cushioned landing area. The Fosbury Flop technique involves leading with your head over the bar (vs. leading with your feet) and twisting such that your back is to the ground and closest the bar as you go over it. Jumpers then land on their back. TRIPLE JUMP: The triple jump is similar to the long jump, but there are three combined jumps that go into the total length. POLE VAULT: is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to jump over a bar. 5 THROWING EVENTS HAMMER THROW: In this track and field throwing event the athletes throw a heavy ball that is attached to a handle with a long chain. The athlete must stay in a circle; he spins several times to gain momentum prior to releasing and throwing the hammer. DISCUS THROW: in the discus event the athlete throws a round lens shaped metal disc. When throwing the discus the athlete is in a round throwing area. Their feet can't leave this area before the discus lands or they will fault and the throw won't count. The athlete will spin around to gain momentum and speed and then release the discus in the proper direction. JABALIN THROW: The javelin is something like a spear. When throwing the javelin, the athlete runs down a track to gain momentum and then must throw the javelin prior to crossing a line. SHOT PUT: In the shot put throwing event athletes throw a 7kg (men) and 4 kg (women) metal ball. In the shot put, the athlete holds the shot put close to his/her neck in one hand. Then they spin around and finally they throw the shot put in the direction of the legal landing area. 6 6. Write the correct words in the spaces provided. a. TRIPLE B. HIGH JUMP C. HAMMER D. JAVELIN E. POLE VAULT JUMP THROW F. BAR G. PODIUM H. POLE I. LONG JUMP J. DISCUSS THROW 7 7. Match the words with their definitions below. POLE VAULT BATON FALSE START JAVELIN LONG JUMP STARTING DISCUS THROW SET POSITION STEEPLECHASE SHOT PUT BLOCKS HAMMER TRIPLE JUMP HIGH JUMP PODIUM THROW BAR STARTER’S GUN HURDLE LANE SPRINT TRACK 1. The event in which athletes try to jump over a high bar using a long stick to push them off the ground. 2. A raised area on which the best three athletes in each event stand to receive medals. 3. A straight stick made of metal, which high jumpers and pole vaulters try to jump over. 4. The event in which a heavy metal ball is thrown from the shoulder as far as possible. 5. The event in which a heavy metal ball joined by a wire to a handle is thrown as far as possible. 6. The event in which a heavy plate-shaped object is thrown as far as possible. 7. The event in which a long stick with a pointed end is thrown as far as possible. 8. The event in which athletes try to jump as far forward as they can in three jumps. 9. The event in which athletes try to jump as far forward as they can in one jump. 10. The event in which athletes try to jump over a bar supported on two poles. 11. A frame for jumping over in a race. 12. A long race in which athletes have to jump over obstacles on a track. 13. A short and very fast race. 14. A special strip of sports track that is used to keep athletes separate during a race. 15. A stick that is passed from one runner to another in a relay race. 16. The instrument that is used to signal the start of a race. 17. The instrument on which a runner places his feet at the start of a race. 18. The position of a runner, close to the ground and leaning forward, in the moment while he waits for the starter’s gun. 19. The ring-shaped area which has been specially designed and built for athletics races. 20. When one competitor in a race starts too early, before the official signal to begin 8 COMBINED EVENTS Combined events are competitions in which athletes participate in a number of track and field events, earning points for their performance in each event, which adds to a total points score. COMBINED EVENTS DECATHLON HEPTATHLON PENTATHLON (women) FIRST DAY: 100 m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400 m. 110 m hurdles for men (100 100 m hurdles, high jump, m for women), long jump, SECOND DAY : 110 m shot put, 200 m, long jump, shot put, high jump and hurdles (100 m for women), javelin throw, 800 m 1500 m run (800 m for discus throw, pole vault, women). javelin throw and 1500 m. 9 .