Everything you need to know about athletics

There are many popular games where people participate. Most of them are team games. However, if you take a look at Athletics participation, you will find quite a few and most are individual events. However, the amount of training and preparation that goes into it is commendable. How many people are fully aware of the events that are part of athletics? Most people know only a few of the national and international series.

athletics events

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has the following events listed under Athletics.

• Track events

1. Competitive Race: This includes:

Yo. [Distance] Short distances called Sprints.

ii. [Distance] medium distances

iii. [Distance] Long distance

IV. Hurdling Distances: This includes running hurdles on the track.

One has to overcome the obstacles successfully and reach the goal to achieve it.

v. Obstacle Course – Similar to the Obstacle Course, except the track here would contain obstacles and waterfalls.

saw. [Team event] Relay – Medium Distance: Here each member has to run a specific distance, carrying a ‘baton’. Once you cover your distance, you have to hand over the baton to your other team member, who starts running your distance from there. Example: 4 x 100m relay.

vii. [Team event] Relay – Long Distance.

2. Walking – This is another event where people have to cover a distance by walking. There are variants such as brisk walk, running walk, etc. where speed and distances vary.

• Field events

1. Jumping Events: These events involve the athlete jumping towards a given goal.

A. Horizontal distance

Yo. Long Jump: Here the athlete reaches a certain speed through a short distance sprint and then has to jump over a sand pit covering the maximum possible horizontal distance.

ii. Triple Jump – Similar to the long jump, except that the run is replaced with a hop and step or hop. This is followed by the final jump covering a good horizontal distance.

b. Vertical Distance/Height

Yo. High Jump: Here the athlete has to clear a hurdle along the vertical ladder or has to clear a hurdle placed at a certain height.

ii. Pole Vault: This is similar to the high jump, except that one has to clear the obstacle by jumping from the support of a long flexible pole.

2. Throwing Events: These events involve the athlete throwing a certain implement and measuring the horizontal distance of the throw.

A. Shot put

b. disk

against javelin

d. hammer