4

Unit 4

Vocabulary

WORD DEFINITION

A

amateur 
A person who takes part in an activity for pleasure rather than for mon-
ey.

arrival judge A person who organizes the finish line of a race.

ash 
In athletics, the material that is used to cover old tracks and on which
people competed.

athlete 
A person who competes in organized sport events.

athletic stadium Athletic facility with 400 m oval track and an internal field.

athletics 
Group of sports including running, jumping, and throwing.

B

bar 
A long, thin piece of fibre to be overcome in high jump and pole vault.

baton 
A 31 cm long tube that is passed from one to another member of a relay
race.

bell 
In athletics, its sound indicates the last lap of the race.

bronze medal A medal award for the third classified in a sport competition.

C

cadence 
The regular execution of the stride.

call chamber The place where athletes wait before the competition and after the
warm up.

combined event An athletic competition in which athletes participate in several track and
field events, earning points for their performance in each event.

competitor 
Someone who is trying to win a competition.
 Unit 4 Vocabulary

D

dash 
In athletics, any race without obstacles.

decathlon 
A combined athletic event consisting of ten events.

discus 
A heavy plate-shaped object that is thrown as part of an athletic compe-
tition.

E

event 
A race, competition, etc. that has been organized for a particular time.

fair play A competition with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and
a sense of fellowship.

false start A movement by a participant before being signalled or otherwise permit-

ted by the rules to start.

field 
In athletics, the place where take part all throwing events.

final lap The last 400 metres in an outdoor stadium running competition.

finish line The line at the end of a race.

Fosbury flop A high jump technique consisting in clearing the bar with the back of
the jumper opposed to it.

foul 
An act that is against the rules of a sport.

G

gold medal The medal award for highest achievement in a sport competition.

hammer throw A throwing event consisting on throw a metal ball attached by a steel
wire to a grip.

heel 
A personal measurement used to control the exact length to be ran in
jumping events.

heptathlon 
A combined athletic event consisting of seven events.

high jump A jumping event consisting in clearing the maximum height without any
external help.

hop 
In triple jump, the name of the first jump just on the take-off board.

hurdles 
Each of the ten obstacles in a running event.
Unit 4 Vocabulary

indoor track A covered athletics stadium with 200m oval track with four to eight lanes.

javelin 
A long, pointed stick that you throw as a sport.

jump 
In triple jump, the third and final jump heading to the sandpit.

jumping event An athletic competition in which athletes jump: long jump, triple jump,
high jump and pole vault.

L

lane 
One of the narrow parts of a track separated from the other parts and
intended for one athlete.

lap 
In athletics, a 400 m length or 200 m if is indoor stadium.

lap time The time reference taken after each lap during the races.

long jump A jumping event consisting in getting the maximum horizontal distance
with a jump.

marathon 
A long-distance running race (42.195 km).

mass start The start that is taken by all the athletes at same time.

mat 
A thick pad placed on the floor to protect jumpers in high jump and pole
vault.

middle distance The track races that range in distance from 800 m to 3000 m.

N

nail shoes Special shoes equipped with little nails on the sole to ease the grip on
the lane.

O

Olympic Games A worldwide sport competition celebrated each four years.

outdoor track The covered athletics stadium with 400 m oval track with six to eight
lanes.

P

pacemaker 
An athlete who tries to stablish a rhythm in a race event.

Paralympic 
A worldwide sport competition celebrated each four years only for dis-
abled athletes.
 Unit 4 Vocabulary

pentathlon 
A combined athletic event consisting of five events.

photo finish A digital system to stop the time on the finish line.

plasticine marker In athletics, the material used on the take-off board to detect the foul
jumps.

pole-vault 
A jumping event consisting in clearing the maximum height with the
help of a special fibre-glass pole.

pole-vault case The place where the vaulting pole is inserted to help the athlete jumping
up.

prezone 
The previous zone where still is not allowed to pass the baton.

record 
The best mark in a competition.

relay event A team event in which four athletes run equal distances alternatively.

running event A sprint, middle-distance or long-distance running competition.

running shoes Specific shoes equipped with special cushioning.

sand pit The landing area with sand used in triple jump and long jump.

shot put The throwing event consisting on throw a metal ball.

silver medal A medal award for the second classified in a sport competition.

sprint 
The race events between 100 m and 400 m.

sprinter 
An athlete who takes part in sprint events.

staggered 
In athletics, the proportional placement of the starting points in a bend
of the lane.

start number The number that identifies each competitor.

starting block An apparatus that supports a runner’s feet pushing at the start of a race.

starting gunshot In athletics, the sign to start the race, usually made with a gun and a
blank cartridge.

starting judge A person who is in charge to control the start of a race.

starting line A line that indicates the exact starting point of a race and ensures that
the distance is the same for all runners.

steeplechase 
A middle-distance race clearing barriers and water-jump obstacles.

step 
In triple jump, the name of the second jump just after the take-off board.
Unit 4 Vocabulary

T

take-off board The flat piece of wood where the athlete jumps in triple jump and long
jump.

take-off step The powerful final step to push off and get the maximal high or dis-
tance.

tartan 
A synthetic material used from the late sixties to cover the track in ath-
letic events.

throwing cage The specific place to perform the hammer throw and discus throw, pro-
tecting spectators from accidental hitting.

throwing event An athletic competition in which athletes throw an object: shot put, jav-
elin, hammer throw and discus throw.

triple jump A jumping competition consisting in three allowed jumps between the
take-off board and the sand pit.

water jump The specific obstacle for the steeplechase race consisting in a barrier and
a place with water after that.