Track and field athletics

Track and field is part of the sport of athletics. Athletics is a collection of sport events that includes running, jumping and throwing. Track and field events take place in a sports stadium, either on the running track, or on the field inside the running track. These tracks are generally made up of synthetic rubber – rubber particles bound with latex or polyurethane. Other athletics events that are not track and field, include cross country running, road running, marathon running, and race-walking - these events take place outside a sports stadium.

For the group of competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, see Athletics (physical culture). For other uses, see Athletics.

Athletics

Highest governing body	World Athletics
Characteristics
Mixed sex	Yes
Type	Outdoor or indoor
Presence
Olympic	Present since inaugural 1896 Olympics
Paralympic	Present since inaugural 1960 Paralympics

Athletics is a very common sporting event over the world. Athletics is a combination of different sports, generally running, jumping and throwing events. Running events include marathons, hurdle races, long distance and short-distance events. Some jumping events are high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault. Throwing events involve javelin throw, discus throw, hammer throw and shot put.

• 
  Long jump at Berlin, 2009.
• 
  Discus throw at Barcelona.
• 
  Pole vault event at Birmingham.
• 
  200 meters race at Helsinki.

There are also events that combine parts of running, jumping, and throwing. One of these is the decathlon, which includes two short-distance races, a mile run, a hurdles race, javelin, discus, shot-put, high jump and pole vault.

All participants are timed or have a distance measured and this is their result. Participants train hard for an event and always aim to better their results.

Athletics is a sport that people take part in all over the world. It is a sport that is most common between young children up to younger adults. Athletics can be played for enjoyment, but it can also be a competitive sport. Athletics is also an event in the Olympic games.

Other websites

• International Association of Athletics Federations website
• USA Track & Field website
• Results & Statistics for Collegiate, High School, Middle School, and Club teams