Athletics became codified and standardised via the English AAA and other general sports organisations in the late 19th century, such as the Amateur Athletic Union (founded in the US in 1888) and the Union des sociétés françaises de sports athlétiques (founded in France in 1889).
Vsakoletno tekmovanje se je začelo tudi v ZDA "USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships", ki se je prvič odvijalo leta 1876 v "New York Athletic Clubu".