Spotlight Sport - Track & Field

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Gateway to the Summer Games - Spotlight Sports

Track and Field
The basics of track and field, also called "athletics," are running, jumping, and throwing. The activities are also the basics of every sport ever devised.


		Running \| Jumps \| Throws \| Decathlon and Heptathlon News, History, Fast Facts \| All About Athletes \| More Sports

Running
Running competitions can be divided into seven groups. Dashes, also known as "sprints," are the shortest and swiftest running events. Middle-distance races range from 800 meters (874.9 yards) to 1500 meters (3 miles). The 10,000-meter (6.2 miles or 25 laps) race, a distance run, is the longest race run on a track in the Olympic Games. The most grueling distance run is the marathon.

In relay races, four individuals run a lap, called a "leg," then pass a hollow tube, called a "baton," to a succeeding team member. In hurdling events, competitors clear a series of 10 barriers called "hurdles."

Jumps
There are four types of jumps in Olympic competition. High jumpers leap over a bar resting between two upright standards. Contestants are allowed three attempts to clear each height. In pole vaulting, the athlete attempts to clear a crossbar using a long flexible pole. In long jumping, the athlete jumps, attempting to cover the greatest possible distance. An athlete's goal in the triple jump is to leap the greatest distance possible in a series of three quick steps.

Throws
In the shot put, one of four throwing events, an athlete propels a solid, metal ball through the air as far as possible. In the discus throw, the athlete propels the discus outward with a whipping motion of the arm. Hammer throwers compete by hurling a 16 lb. ball attached to a length of wire that has a metal handle. Javelin throwers hurl the javelin, a steel-tipped metal spear, into the air.

Decathlon and Heptathlon
Two other events are the decathlon and the heptathlon. The decathlon is a two-day, 10-event contest for men. Women compete in the heptathlon, a two-day, seven-event competition.

News, History, and Fast Facts

For complete information about playing, coaching, and watching track and field, visit the Copernicus Education Gateway's School Athletics Center: Track and Field page.
CBS Sportline's Olympics 2000 site will keep you informed on what is predicted to be the most closely watched series of events this summer.
To get a more in-depth understanding about the fast-paced track and field events, enjoy NBCOlympics.com illustrated definitions of special terms.
Sydney 2000 gives you extensive background information on the sport, providing detailed explanations of the rules and history of athletics competitions.
The blazing speed of certain track events might be hard to follow, but with Sydney 2000 Kids even younger viewers can keep up with the pace.
Visit the International Amateur Athletic Federation and U.S.A. Track and Field sites for tons of track and field news.

All About Athletes

Research all of the gold medal winners for men's events, and women's events, or just check out Olympic records and the world records.
Click on NBCOlympics.com to read up on great stories from Team U.S.A. athletes, or read basic biographies of the best in the sport.
Log on to U.S.A. Track and Field for biographical information on the Olympic participants.
Find out about great athletes of the past.

More Sports

Baseball	Basketball	Boxing	Canoeing & Kayaking
Cycling	Diving	Equestrian	Fencing
Gymnastics	Rowing	Soccer	Swimming
Tennis	Volleyball	Water Polo	Wrestling

General Sports Links
Olympians will compete in dozens of sports this summer. Even though Gateway to the Summer Games can't feature them all, you can learn about each and every one by visiting the sites listed below.

Griffin Publishing Group's Official Olympic Sports page
For information straight from the source, click on a sport to connect to its organization's official Web site.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation News
This site provides excellent information about Olympic sports and their rules. It also sizes up the best international competitors.
CBS Sportsline's Olympics 2000
Get top news stories and in-depth features about every sport.
CCN/SI
In addition to news on every sport, this site contains athlete diaries.
NBCOlympics.com
Select a sport to study or hear firsthand from an athlete who plays it.
Sydney 2000
The official site of the Sydney Olympics covers the events in detail.
Sydney 2000 Kids' Guide to Olympic Sports
Visit the Sportzone for sports-related information written especially for young students.
USOC
The United States Olympic Committee site includes the rules and history of events as well as athlete bios, diaries, and chats.
Sydney 2000 Fans
This unofficial site provides basic description of events and useful links to more information.

Portions of the above text were excerpted from Share the Olympic Dream--Volume II.
(c) 1995 by Griffin Publishing Group/United States Olympic Committee.

For information on purchasing Griffin materials, please visit the Griffin Publishing Group Web site at http://www.griffinpublishing.com.