Track and field is a collection of athletic events built around running, jumping and throwing, contested mainly in a stadium with an oval track and a central field, and the sport groups its disciplines into sprints, distance races, hurdles, relays, jumps and throws. Also known as athletics, it forms the core of the Olympic Games and is governed worldwide by World Athletics, with results measured precisely in time and distance.
What Track and Field Is
Track and field encompasses the running events held on the oval track and the jumping and throwing events held on the field inside and around it. Athletes specialise in particular disciplines, though combined events such as the decathlon and heptathlon test ability across many.
The sport is fundamentally a measurement of human speed, power and endurance, recorded objectively in seconds, metres and centimetres. Its sprinting events have produced some of the most famous athletes in history, including Usain Bolt.
The Events
The events fall into broad groups, each with its own demands and rules.
- Sprints, such as the 100, 200 and 400 metres, test explosive speed.
- Middle- and long-distance races, from 800 metres up to the marathon, reward endurance and pacing.
- Hurdles and the steeplechase combine speed with obstacle clearance.
- Relays involve teams passing a baton within a marked exchange zone.
- Jumps include the long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault.
- Throws include the shot put, discus, hammer and javelin.
Combined events award points across several disciplines to crown the most complete all-round athlete.
Scoring and Measurement
Most track and field events are decided directly by measurement rather than by points. Running races are won by the athlete who crosses the line first, with electronic timing recording results to hundredths of a second. False starts result in disqualification.
Field events are settled by distance or height. Jumpers and throwers usually receive several attempts, and the best legal mark counts. In combined events, performances in each discipline are converted into points using standardised tables, and the athlete with the highest total wins.
Equipment and Venue
A standard outdoor track measures 400 metres around its inner lane and is divided into lanes for running events. The infield contains the runways, pits, circles and landing areas for the jumps and throws. Athletes wear lightweight spiked shoes for grip on the track surface.
Throwing events use specific implements, the shot, discus, hammer and javelin, each with regulated weights that differ for men and women. Jumping events require apparatus such as the high-jump bar and crossbar, the pole-vault box, and sand pits for the horizontal jumps.
History
Athletic contests of running, jumping and throwing date back to the ancient Olympic Games of Greece, where footraces were the original events. Organised modern athletics developed in the nineteenth century, particularly in Britain, with standardised distances and rules.
Track and field has been at the heart of the modern Olympic Games since their revival in 1896. The founding of an international governing body in the early twentieth century brought worldwide records and championships, cementing athletics as a global sport.
Key Competitions
The Olympic Games remain the most prestigious stage for track and field, held every four years. The World Athletics Championships, contested biennially, are the leading global event outside the Olympics.
A season-long circuit of international meetings brings the top athletes together regularly, while continental championships and the marathon majors add further high-profile events. World records set at these competitions are ratified by the international federation under strict conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between track and field?
Track refers to the running events held on the oval track, while field refers to the jumping and throwing events held on the area inside and around it. Together they form the sport of athletics.
What are combined events?
Combined events test athletes across several disciplines. The decathlon for men has ten events and the heptathlon for women has seven, with performances converted into points to find an overall winner.
How are running races timed?
Races are timed electronically to hundredths of a second, with the winner being the athlete whose torso crosses the finish line first. A false start leads to disqualification.
How long is a standard running track?
A standard outdoor track measures 400 metres around the inner lane and is divided into lanes. The infield holds the runways and areas for the jumping and throwing events.
What throwing events are there in track and field?
The four throwing events are the shot put, the discus, the hammer and the javelin. Each uses an implement of regulated weight, and the longest legal throw wins.
Is track and field the same as athletics?
Yes. Athletics is the broader term used in much of the world, and track and field is the common name for the stadium-based running, jumping and throwing events at its core.
What are the major track and field competitions?
The Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships are the leading global events, supported by a season-long circuit of international meetings and continental championships.