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The History of Athletics
By James Roland
May 03, 2015
Athletics is often used synonymously with any sporting activity, but in most cases,
athletics refers primarily to track-and-field events that involve running, jumping
or throwing. Those athletic events are most closely associated with the Olympics,
but competition in these sports is held at the youth level, high school, college,
and professional ranks all year round throughout the world.

The Ancient Greeks

The first Olympics in ancient Greece go back at least as far as the eighth or ninth
century B.C. While such sports as boxing and equestrian events were included, most
of the events were those now classified under athletics or track and field. They
included running, jumping, discus and the javelin. Those four, plus wrestling, made
up the pentathlon. The running events included "stades," which were essentially
sprints from one end of the stadium to the other, a distances of about 190 meters;
two-stade races; longer-distance races of between seven and 24 stades; and a two-
or four-stade race in which the competitors wore armor.

The Modern Olympics

Running and other athletic events have long been a part of many cultures, but in
the 19th century, such activities were becoming more popular, particularly in
Europe and the United States. School curricula included athletics and in 1896, the
first Modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece. Events included the 100-meters,
400 meters, 800 meters, 1,500 meters, 110-meter hurdles, pole vault, discus, shot
put, javelin, long jump, triple jump and high jump. Fourteen nations were
represented.

Growth of Athletics
After the 1896 Olympics, the popularity of athletics, or rather, a revival of
athletic competition, took place around the world. National athletics federations
from 17 countries got together to form an international governing body and in 1912,
the International Amateur Athletic Federation was born. For many years, the
pinnacle of athletics competition was the Summer Olympics. But in the 1970s, more
world championships in various events began to take place, helping to maintain
interest in track and field every year.

Related: List of Events in Track & Field

21st Century Organization
By 2011, nearly 50 outdoor and 25 indoor events fall under the IAAF's authority and
rules. Some events, such as the 50-meter sprint, are no longer part of major
athletic competitions, but remain part of school programs. Some events have been
modified through the years and races of many varying distances are contested every
year. In addition to the 26.2 miles of the marathon, there is a 13.1-mile half-
marathon. There are men's and women's competitions in almost every event. Men,
however, can compete in the 10-event decathlon, while women have the seven-event
heptathlon.

References
Tufts University: Ancient Olympic Events: Pentathlon Tufts University: Ancient
Olympics Olympic.org: Athens 1896 IAAF: Outdoor and Indoor Events OIympic.org:
Combined Eents
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List of Events in Track & Field
By Amy Deemer
Jan 28, 2015
Track and field events allow athletes to use their running, jumping and throwing
skills to win competitions. Track meets take place on an athletic track that may be
located indoors or outdoors. Track and field events can be performed as individual
sports or as a team sport. These sports don't require the amount of skill building
that some other sports do, which makes it easier for kids or adults of any age to
begin participating in the events.

The Dashes

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
The shortest and quickest track events are the dashes or sprints. The lengths of
sprinting events in track and field are 100, 200 and 400 meters. Runners begin the
race at the sound of the starter pistol, reach their full stride immediately and
maintain their fastest speed until they cross the finish line.

Middle-Distance Runs

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
Middle-distance races are the 800 meter, 1,600 meter and the 3,200 meter. Some
track and field meets also include a 1,000 and 2,000 meter in their middle-length
runs. Middle-distance runners have to learn how to pace themselves during their
races; they must maintain a consistent speed without wearing themselves out during
the event.

Long-Distance Events

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
Long-distance races include runs that range from 5,000 to 10,000 meters to 26-mile
marathons. Endurance is the primary requirement for those who wish to run long-
distance races. Long-distance marathons are normally run on preset, paved routes
with hills and twists and turns. Cross-country races are normally under 15
kilometers and are run on both level and rolling, hill-filled courses.

Jumping Events

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
For those athletes who prefer jumping to running, track and field offers a variety
of jumping events. The long jump requires athletes to race down the track and then
jump from a takeoff board to propel their body through the air as they try to cover
the greatest distance possible. The triple jump is a series of three fast jumps
done in a continuous motion.The high jump requires competitors to sprint and leap
over a bar, which is raised after each jump until a winner is established. Athletes
perform the pole vault using a long fiberglass pole to propel themselves over a
raised bar.

Throwing Events

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
Throwing events allow athletes to throw an object a distance to achieve a victory
over the competition. The javelin is a long steel-tipped spear that the athlete
throws while running. Hammer throwers toss a heavy ball that's attached to a handle
by a wire. The shot put requires athletes to toss a heavy metal ball by tucking it
under their chin and spinning to gain speed before they release the ball. The
discus is a metal disc that is thrown by using a swinging, spinning action.

Other Events

Photo Credit Jeanne Studio/Demand Media
The decathlon is composed of 10 events that take place over two days. The
steeplechase is filled with obstacles, including hurdles and water jumps throughout
the 3,000-meter course. Hurdling is a challenging event that requires competitors
to sprint while leaping over hurdles. Walking races are also included in track and
field events. Relays are a team event.

References
Oracle ThinkQuest: Around the Track and Back Topend Sports: Track and Field All
Star Activities: Guide to Track and Field Events All Star Activities: Track and
Field
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