Track and field is a broad sport comprising several events, including pole vaulting, shot putting, hammer throwing, broad jumping, relay races, sprints, and long-distance races.
Track and field includes various athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing, and features prominently in the Olympics and other global competitions.
Like many other sports, track and field's origins can be traced back to ancient Greece, where it was a key component of the original Olympic Games in 776 BC. Greek athletes competed in foot races, discus throwing, long jump, javelin, and wrestling.
Over the years, track and field gained prominence in the Roman Empire, and it was later revived in the 19th century for the 1896 Olympic Games.
Track and field has three primary areas: running events like sprints (100m, 200m, 400m), middle-distance (800m, 1500m), long-distance (500m, 10,000m), hurdles (110m, 400m), and relay races (4x100m, 4x400m); jumping events, which include the long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault; and throwing events, including shot put, discus throw, javelin throw, and hammer throw.
Combined events are competitions where athletes participate in multiple track and field events, earning points for their performance in each event, which adds to a total points score.
The decathlon includes ten events (100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1500m). The heptathlon includes seven events (100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m).
Track and field events are typically held in outdoor stadiums with an oval running track, usually 400 meters long, and a field area for jumping and throwing events. Indoor venues, often with a 200-meter track, are also used, particularly in winter.
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) establishes track and field rules. The fundamental rules are as follows: starting (races begin with a starting gun, and false starts are penalized), land infringements (athletes must remain in their designated lanes during sprints and hurdles), and jumping and throwing (there are specific rules relating to technique, equipment, and attempts).
Each event in track and field requires specific equipment. Running requires spikes for traction and starting blocks for sprints. Jumping uses high jump bars, sand pits for long and triple jumps and pole vaulting poles. For throwing, there are shot puts, discuses, javelins, hammers, and cages for safety.
Track and field competitions range from local meets to global championships. The key track and field events include the Olympic Games, the World Athletics Championships, and the Diamond League. Track and field is also featured prominently in continental competitions like the European Athletics Championships and national championships in several countries.
Topics related to track and field are appropriate for this portion of our web guide, although retail sales sites should be listed in the corresponding Shopping & eCommerce category.
Recommended Resources
An online resource for triathlon training, particularly for beginners, Beginner Triathlete offers a variety of training plans, articles, and tips to help newcomers get started in the sport and improve their performance. Featured are both stock and custom training plans, articles for beginners, and on gear, nutrition, motivation, health, training, and injuries. Scheduled races may be found on the site. Other resources include training logs, gear reviews, and an online forum.
https://beginnertriathlete.com/
Founded in 1998 by John Dye, the website followed cross country and track and field at the high school level while covering most state and national championships. It was acquired by ESPN in 2008, but was shut down when ESPN discontinued its high school division in 2012. Later acquired by RunnerSpace, the site was restarted, covering high school and college running events. Track and field news, photographs, videos, schedules, results, ranking, and teams are covered.
https://www.dyestat.com/
Established in 1960, Everything Track & Field is a comprehensive resource for track and field equipment, training, and coaching information. The company has grown to become a large supplier of track and field equipment worldwide, including a wide range of products, such as jumping, throwing, sprinting, and hurdling equipment, as well as educational resources, meet management tools, and training programs. They also track camps and clinics to help athletes of all levels.
https://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/
Little & Junior TrackStars coaches are current and former high school and college track athletes who understand the importance of this foundational sport, and have experience in group and individual training and skill-building. The program is designed to introduce children ages 3-15 to the fundamentals of track and field, emphasizing fun, fitness, and skill-building through creative games, interactive teamwork, and friendly competition. They offer after-school programs and summer camps.
https://www.littletrackstars.com/
The State Running Network is an online platform that provides coverage and resources for cross-country and track-and-field events across various states. Operated by Marathon Sports, the site offers meet hubs, race results, athlete rankings, and training resources. The network supports events like the New England Cross Country Championships and provides updates, race videos, recaps, and interviews with athletes and others connected to the sport. A shopping page is included.
https://staterunning.net/
USATF is a United States national governing body for track and field, cross-country running, road running, and racewalking, known as the sport of athletics outside the United States. Founded in 1979, the USATF was known as the Athletics Congress after it spun off from the Amateur Athletic Union. Its official sponsors, suppliers, technology partners, and medical network partners are acknowledged, along with its governance, contacts, memberships, programs, and events.
https://www.usatf.org/
