Athletics

Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking.

Athletics requires a high level of fitness, speed, strength, agility, and endurance, making it a highly competitive and physically demanding sport.

Track Events

• Sprints: Short distance races that involve running as fast as possible. Common distances are 100m, 200m, and 400m.
• Middle Distance: Races that require a balance of speed and endurance. Common distances are 800m, 1500m, and 3000m.
• Long Distance: Races that primarily test endurance. Common distances are 5000m and 10,000m.
• Hurdles: Races which require runners to jump over hurdles placed at regular intervals.
• Relays: Team events where members pass a baton to their teammate after a specified distance.

Field Events

• Jumping: Includes long jump, high jump, triple jump, and pole vault.
• Throwing: Includes shot put, discus throw, hammer throw, and javelin throw.

Road Events

• Marathons: A long-distance road race which has an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (approximately 26.219 miles).
• Racewalking: A long-distance discipline within the sport of athletics. Athletes must maintain contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it.

Cross Country Running

• Long distance races over natural terrain such as dirt or grass.

• Athletics is a key part of the Olympic Games, with numerous events in track and field, road running, and racewalking.
• World Athletics Championships organized by the World Athletics are the global competitions for Athletics.
• Other major competitions include the World Cross Country Championships, World Half Marathon Championships, and the Diamond League series.

World Athletics: An international federation for the sport of athletics, encompassing track and field, road running, racewalking, and cross country running. https://www.worldathletics.org/

Olympic Games Athletics: Overview and history of Athletics in the Olympic Games. https://www.olympic.org/athletics