Athletics (track and field) : Wikis (The Full Wiki) The Isthmian Games (founded 523 BC) held on the Isthmus of Corinth every two years The Roman Games – Arising from Etruscan rather than purely Greek roots, the Roman Games deemphasized footraces and throwing. Instead, the Greek sports of chariot racing and wrestling , as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat, took center stage. The Tailteann Games (claimed foundation 1829 BC) – held near modern Telltown in Ireland , this thirty-day meeting included foot races and stone-throwing events. Other peoples, such as the Celts , Teutons and Goths who succeeded the Romans, enjoyed athletic contests; however, these were often related to combat training . In the Middle Ages the sons of noblemen would be trained in running, leaping and wrestling, in addition to riding, jousting and arms-training. Contests between rivals and friends may have been common on both official and unofficial grounds.

Annually, from 1796 to 1798, L'Olympiade de la République was held in revolutionary France, and is an early forerunner to the modern summer Olympic Games. The premier event of this competition was a footrace, but various ancient Greek disciplines were also on display. The 1796 Olympiade marks the introduction of the metric system into sport. In the 19th century, the formal organization of the modern events accelerated - in France, Germany, and Great Britain in particular. This included the incorporation of regular sports and exercise into school regimes. The Royal Military College, Sandhurst has claimed to be the first to adopt this in 1812 and 1825, but without any supporting evidence. The earliest recorded meeting was organised at Shrewsbury , Shropshire in 1840 by the Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt. There are details of the meeting in a series of letters written 60 years later by C.T. Robinson, who was a pupil there from 1838 to 1841.

The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich held an organised competition in 1849, but the first regular series of meetings was held by Exeter College, Oxford from 1850. [1] Modern athletic events are usually organized around a 400 metre running track on which most of the running events take place. Field events (vaulting, jumping, and throwing) often take place on the infield, inside the track. Athletics was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has formed their backbone ever since. Women were first allowed to participate in track and field events in the 1928 Olympics. An international governing body, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), was founded in 1912; it adopted its current name, the International Association of Athletics Federations , in 2001. The IAAF established separate outdoor World Championships in 1983. There are a number of regional games as well, such as the European Championships , the Pan-American Games , and the Commonwealth Games . In addition there is a professional Golden League circuit, culminating in the IAAF World Athletics Final , and indoor championships such as the World Indoor Championships .

The sport has a very high profile during major championships, especially the Olympics, but otherwise is less popular. The AAU ( Amateur Athletic Union ) was the governing body in the United States until it collapsed under pressure from advancing professionalism in the late 1970s. A new governing body called The Athletics Congress (TAC) was formed. It was later renamed USA Track & Field (USATF or USA T&F). An additional, less structured organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), also exists in the United States to promote road racing. In modern times, athletes can receive money for racing, putting an end to the so-called " amateurism " that existed before. Advertisements Indoor athletics Typical "oval" track consisting of two semicircles joined by straight segments. There are two seasons for track and field. There is an indoor season, run during the winter and an outdoor season, run during the spring. Most indoor tracks are 200 metres and consist of four to 8 lanes. There are also some 150 metre indoor tracks, and others as small as 120 metres have been used.

Some "oversize tracks" (larger than 200 metres) are popular for American collegiate athletics despite the fact that they are not considered valid for setting indoor records. Often an indoor track will have banked turns to compensate for the tight radius of the turns. The banking can help prevent injuries to the athlete, while also promoting higher speeds.[citation needed] In an indoor track meet athletes contest the same track events as at an outdoor meet, with the exception of the 100 m and 110 m/100 m hurdles (replaced by the 55 or 60 m sprint and 55 or 60 m hurdles at most levels, or the 55 m sprint and hurdles at the high school level), the 10,000 m run, 3,000 m steeplechase, 400 m hurdles. Indoor meets also have the addition of a 3,000 m run normally at both the collegiate and elite level, instead of the 10,000 m. The 5,000 m is the longest event commonly run indoors, although there are situations where longer distances have been raced.

In the mid 20th century, there was a series of "duel" races on Madison Square Garden 's indoor track, some of which featured two men racing a marathon (42.2 km). However, this is an extremely rare occurrence, for obvious reasons. In some occasions, there may also be a 500 m race instead of the open 400 m normally found outdoors, and in many college championship races indoors both are contested. There is also a 1500 meter race walk at the high school level. In field events, indoor meets only feature the high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, and shot put (weight throw). Due to space limitations, these events take place on the infield, within the circumferential track. The longer throws of javelin, hammer and discus are added only for outdoor meets, as there is normally not enough space in an indoor stadium to house these events. Other events unique to indoor meets (especially in North America) are the 300 m, 600m, 1000 m, and 35 lb (16 kg) weight throw.

In some countries, notably Norway , standing long jump and standing high jump are also contested, even in the National Championships. For multi-event athletes there is the Pentathlon for women (consisting of 60 m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 m) and heptathlon for men (consisting of 60 m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60 m hurdles, pole vault and 1000 m) indoors. In Secondary school meets the events that are exhibited are the 55m, 600m, 1000m, 1500m racewalk, 3000m, and 55m hurdles. There is also shotput, long jump, high jump, triple jump and 4x200m relay and 4x800m relay. Indoor track in secondary schools is seen as a strength season where not only the legs, but also the arms, core and other main muscles or exercised as opposed to outdoor track which is more focused on running. Outdoor athletics The outdoor track and field season usually begins in the spring and lasts through the summer.

Most tracks are ovals of 400 metres in circumference. Modern All Weather Running Tracks , known to many by genericized brand names such as " Tartan tracks " or "Mondo tracks", are made with rubber surface materials. These typically consist of rubber (either black SBR or colored EPDM granules), bound by polyurethane or latex resins. Older tracks were cinder -covered. Tracks normally consist of 6-10 lanes (up to 12 lanes on the 'front' straight) and many include a steeplechase lane with a water pit on one of the turns. This steeplechase pit can be placed either inside or outside the track, making for a tighter turn or a wider turn. It is common that tracks will surround a playing field used for American football , Canadian football , association football (soccer) , or lacrosse . This inner field is usually known as the infield and has a surface of either grass or artificial turf . All field events can be contested on the infield.

However the javelin, hammer and discus throws are sometimes contested on fields outside of the track stadium because they take up a large amount of space, the implements may damage the infield, and the implements could end up landing on the track. However, some infields are used specifically for these events, and for the javelin, an athlete may have a longer run-up by starting it on the other side of the track, and crossing when there are no athletes passing. Because the throwing events effectively result in projectiles being thrown, they are intrinsically more dangerous to spectators. Deaths and bodily injury have occurred as a result. [2] Rules and meet organizers are justifiably safety cautious about the proximity and position of spectators, frequently putting the athletes inside cages with controlled openings to the landing area. Events There are other variations besides the ones listed below, but races of unusual length (e.g. 300 m) are run much less often. The unusual races are typically held during indoor season because of the shorter 200 m indoor track.

With the exception of the mile run, races based on imperial distances are rarely run on the track anymore since most tracks have been converted from a quarter mile (402.3 m) to 400 m; almost all record keeping for imperial distances has been discontinued. However, the IAAF record book still includes the mile world record (currently held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco for men and Svetlana Masterkova of Russia for women) because of its worldwide historic significance. Men and women do not compete against each other, although they may sometimes run in the same races due to time constraints at high school meets. Women generally run the same distances as men although hurdles and steeplechase barriers are lower and the weights of the shot, discus, javelin and hammer are less. Running and racewalking events Running events conducted on a track (generally 400 metres, except indoors): Outdoor events Sprints are events up to and including the 400 metres.

Events commonly contested (as defined by events held in the Olympics or World Championships) are: 20 km 50 km The IAAF also keeps records for the uncommon 30 km distance and separates category by locale, on a track or on a road course. Since the races must be judged for conformity to Racewalk rules (constant contact with the ground and knees straightened through the first part of the stride), usually a road course consists of multiple 2 km loops. Other shorter racewalking events, such as 1500 metres, 3000 metres, and 5000 metres, are included in many meets for less experienced or less endurance-oriented athletes to participate in. While these events are popular, only divisional and localized records are kept. Official World Records are not kept for the shorter distances. Indoor events Due to space limitations, indoor races normally shorten the Sprint and Hurdle races, depending on the available space. Because of the limited space, many races finish by leaving the arena, into a drag rope or stopping abruptly at a padded wall. Common distances are: 60 metres hurdles Other races are run on shorter lap tracks.

Two hundred metre tracks are common, though tracks of many other sizes remain in use, including Imperial distances (measured in yards). Some facilities have "oversize" tracks, but in order for an indoor record to be valid, it must be on a track of 220 yards (slightly longer than 200 metres) or shorter. Though still a commonly held event, the indoor 200 metres has been removed from the World Championship event list. It was determined that a fair race could not be held because of the tight indoor turns, favoring runners in the outside lanes. Many tracks have banked turns to reduce the disadvantage of tight turns, and there are also many flat indoor tracks. Most outdoor event distances are common, though the longer distances (over 5,000 metres) are less common. Even indoor track Marathons have been held. [2] Indoor racewalk events tend to be shorter, as short as 800 metres, or more commonly a variation on the 1500 metres or mile. Steeplechase and long hurdle races are generally not held indoors, though inventive people have created some unique events.

[3] The odd distance races and Imperial distance races are much more common indoors. [4] Per rules, indoor hurdle races are identical to the beginning of their outdoor counterparts, though over shorter distances, usually using just five hurdles. Abbreviated racewalking events are held reasonably often, with IAAF records kept for the 3 kilometre women's walk [5] and the 5 kilometre men's walk. [6] Field events Discus 1500 metres The outdoor Pentathlon was a national championship event in the United States until 1978. It is still contested in many places throughout the world, but rarely as a championship event. The Pentathon was also contested in several of the early Olympic Games, notably in the 1912 Olympics which was won by Jim Thorpe, who also won the Decathlon. The event was modeled after the original Greek Olympic Games, in which the Pentathlon was the foremost contest. It consisted of a Long Jump, Javelin, a statia run of approximately180 metres, Discus, and Greco-Roman style wrestling.

Pentathlon : the indoor Pentathlon includes the following five events: 60 metre Hurdles Rules Track events The rules of track athletics or of track events in athletics as observed in most international athletics competitions are set by the Competition Rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The most recent complete set of rules is the 2009 rules that relate only to competitions in 2009. [5] Key rules of track events are those regarding starting, running and finishing. Starting The start of a race is marked by a white line 5 cm wide. In all races that are not run in lanes the start line must be curved, so that all the athletes start the same distance from the finish. [6] Starting blocks may be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the 4 x 200 m and 4 x 400 m ) and may not be used for any other race. No part of the starting block may overlap the start line or extend into another lane.

[7] All races must be started by the report of the starter's gun or approved starting apparatus fired upwards after he or she has ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position. [8] An athlete may not touch either the start line or the ground in front of it with his or her hands or feet when on his or her marks. [9] At most international competitions the commands of the starter in his or her own language, in English or in French, shall, in races up to and including 400 m , be "On your marks" and "Set". When all athletes are "set", the gun must be fired, or an approved starting apparatus must be activated. [9] However, if the starter is not satisfied that all is ready to proceed, the athletes may be called out of the blocks and the process started over. False start: An athlete, after assuming a final set position, may not commence his starting motion until after receiving the report of the gun, or approved starting apparatus. If, in the judgment of the starter or recallers, he does so any earlier, it is considered a false start.

It is deemed a false start if, in the judgment of the starter an athlete fails to comply with the commands "on your marks" or "set" as appropriate after a reasonable time; or an athlete after the command "on your marks" disturbs other athletes in the race through sound or otherwise. If the runner is in the "set" position and moves, then the runner is also disqualified. [10] As of 2010, any athlete making a false start is disqualified. This rule was already in place in high school and college. [11] In International Elite competition, electronically tethered starting blocks sense the reaction time of the athletes. If the athlete reacts in less than .1 of a second, an alert sounds for a recall starter and the offending athlete is guilty of a false start. [12] Running the race In all races run in lanes, each athlete must keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This also applies to any portion of a race run in lanes. If an athlete leaves the track or steps on the line demarking the track, he/she should be disqualified.

[13] Also, any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified from that event. [14] However, if an athlete is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane, and if no material advantage is gained, the athlete should not be disqualified. There are races that start in lanes and then at a "break" line, the competitors merge. Examples of this are the 800 metres, 4x400 relay and the indoor 400 metres. Variations on this, with alleys made up of multiple lanes on the track, are used to start large fields of distance runners. The finish The finish of a race is marked by a white line 5 cm wide. [15] The athletes must be placed in the order in which any part of their torso (as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line. [16] . Fully automatic timing systems (photo timing) are becoming more and more common at increasingly lower levels of track meets, improving the accuracy, while eliminating the need for eagle-eyed officials on the finish line.

Fully automatic timing (FAT) is required for high level meets and any time a (sprint) record is set (though distance records can be accepted if timed by three independent stopwatches). With the accuracy of the timing systems, ties are rare. Ties between different athletes are resolved as follows: In determining whether there has been a tie in any round for a qualifying position for the next round based on time, a judge (called the chief photo finish judge) must consider the actual time recorded by the athletes to 1/1000th of a second. If the judge decides that there has been a tie, the tying athletes must be placed in the next round or, if that is not practicable, lots must be drawn to determine who must be placed in the next round. In the case of a tie for first place in any final, the referee decides whether it is practicable to arrange for the athletes so tying to compete again. If he decides it is not, the result will stand. Ties in other placings remain. All Comers Track Meets Main article: All Comers Track Meet Track and Field is the most accessible sport for anyone to participate in.

It only takes two people to have a race, or one can simply race a stopwatch. In events called All Comers Track Meets, anyone who wishes to participate is welcome. All comers meets are usually organized by communities, schools, or sports teams. Some sports teams also use all comers meets for fundraising. Most meets are low cost or free. All comers meets are fairly low-key and merely intended for gaining experience or just practicing for races. There is no exclusion on account of participants' lack of membership on a team or equipment. While races are usually seeded based on the entrant's expected level of ability, the most elite of athletes can and do use these meets for training or practice. Track and field on coinage Running commemorative coin Track and field events have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €10 Greek Running commemorative coin , minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics . In the obverse of the coin, a modern athlete figure appears in the foreground, shown in the starting position, while in the background two ancient runners are carved in a manner that gives the appearance of a coin that is "worn" by time.

This scene originally appeared on a black-figure vase of the 6th century BC. See also All About: Track and field All About: Track and field All About: Track and field All About: Track and field Track and field athletics, commonly known as athletics or track and field, is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing and jumping. The name "athletics" is derived from the Greek word "athlos", meaning "contest". History The original and only event at the first Olympics in 776 BC was a stadium-length foot race or "stade", run on a track. There were several other "games" held in Europe in the classical era: * Panhellenic Games: o The Pythian Games (founded 527 BC) held in Delphi every four years o The Nemean Games (founded 516 BC) held in Argolid every two years o The Isthmian Games (founded 523 BC) held on the Isthmus of Corinth every two years * The Roman Games - Arising from Etruscan rather than purely Greek roots, the Roman Games deemphasized footraces and throwing.

Instead, the Greek sports of chariot racing and wrestling, as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat, took center stage. * The Tailteann Games (claimed foundation 1829 BC) - held near modern Telltown in Ireland, this thirty-day meeting included foot races and stone-throwing events Other peoples, such as the Celts, Teutons and Goths who succeeded the Romans, enjoyed athletic contests. However, these were often related to combat training. In the Middle Ages the sons of noblemen would be trained in running, leaping and wrestling, in addition to riding, jousting and arms-training. Contests between rivals and friends may have been common on both official and unofficial grounds. Annually, from 1796-1798, L'Olympiade de la R�publique was held in revolutionary France, and is an early forerunner to the modern summer Olympic Games. The premier event of this competition was a footrace, but various ancient Greek disciplines were also on display. The 1796 Olympiade also marks the introduction of the metric system into sport.

In the 19th century the formal organization of the modern events accelerated - in France, Germany, and Great Britain in particular. This included the incorporation of regular sports and exercise into school regimes. The Royal Military College, Sandhurst has claimed to be the first to adopt this in 1812 and 1825, but without any supporting evidence. The earliest recorded meeting was organised at Shrewsbury, Shropshire in 1840 by the Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt. There are details of the meeting in a series of letters written 60 years later by C.T. Robinson, who was a pupil there from 1838 to 1841. The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich held an organised competition in 1849, but the first regular series of meetings was held by Exeter College, Oxford from 1850.[1] Modern athletic events are usually organized around a 400 metre running track on which most of the running events take place. Field events (vaulting, jumping, and throwing) often take place on the infield, inside the track.

Athletics was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has formed their backbone ever since. Women were first allowed to participate in track and field events in the 1928 Olympics. An international governing body, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), was founded in 1912; it adopted its current name, the International Association of Athletics Federations, in 2001. The IAAF established separate outdoor World Championships in 1983. There are a number of regional games as well, such as the European Championships, the Pan-American Games, and the Commonwealth Games. In addition there is a professional Golden League circuit, cumulating in the IAAF World Athletics Final, and indoor championships such as the World Indoor Championships. The sport has a very high profile during major championships, especially the Olympics, but otherwise is less popular. The AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) was the governing body in the United States until it collapsed under pressure from advancing professionalism in the late 1970s. A new governing body called The Athletics Congress (TAC) was formed. It was later renamed USA Track & Field (USATF or USA T&F).

An additional, less structured organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), also exists in the United States to promote road racing. In modern times, athletes can receive money for racing, putting an end to the so-called "amateurism" that existed before. Indoor athletics Typical "oval" track consisting of two semicircles joined by straight segments. There are two seasons for track and field. There is an indoor season, run during the winter and an outdoor season, run during the spring. Most indoor tracks are 200 metres and consist of four to 8 lanes. There are also some 150 metre indoor tracks, and others as small as 120 metres have been used. Some "oversize tracks" (larger than 200 metres) are popular for American collegiate athletics despite the fact that they are not considered valid for setting indoor records. Often an indoor track will have banked turns to compensate for the tight radius of the turns.

The banking can help prevent injuries to the athlete, while also promoting higher speeds.[citation needed] In an indoor track meet athletes contest the same track events as at an outdoor meet, with the exception of the 100 m and 110 m/100 m hurdles (replaced by the 55 or 60 m sprint and 55 or 60 m hurdles at most levels, or the 55 m sprint and hurdles at the high school level), the 10,000 m run, 3,000 m steeplechase, 400 m hurdles. Indoor meets also have the addition of a 3,000 m run normally at both the collegiate and elite level, instead of the 10,000 m. The 5,000 m is the longest event commonly run indoors, although there are situations where longer distances have been raced. In the mid 20th century, there was a series of "duel" races on Madison Square Garden's indoor track, some of which featured two men racing a marathon (42.2 km). However, this is an extremely rare occurrence, for obvious reasons.

In some occasions, there may also be a 500 m race instead of the open 400 m normally found outdoors, and in many college championship races indoors both are contested. In field events, indoor meets only feature the high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, and shot put (weight throw). Due to space limitations, these events take place on the infield, within the circumferential track. The longer throws of javelin, hammer and discus are added only for outdoor meets, as there is normally not enough space in an indoor stadium to house these events. Other events unique to indoor meets (especially in North America) are the 300 m, 600m, 1000 m, and 35 lb (16 kg) weight throw. In some countries, notably Norway, standing long jump and standing high jump are also contested, even in the National Championships.

For multi-event athletes there is the Pentathlon for women (consisting of 60 m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 m) and heptathlon for men (consisting of 60 m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60 m hurdles, pole vault and 1000 m) indoors. Outdoor athletics The outdoor track and field season usually begins in the spring and lasts through the summer. Most tracks are ovals of 400 metres in circumference. Modern "tartan tracks" or more recently "mondo tracks" are made with a rubberized surface; older tracks were cinder-covered. Tracks normally consist of 6-10 lanes (up to 12 lanes on the 'front' straight) and many include a steeplechase lane with a water pit on one of the turns. This steeplechase pit can be placed either inside or outside the track, making for a tighter turn or a wider turn. It is common that tracks will surround a playing field used for American football, association football (soccer), or lacrosse.

This inner field is usually known as the infield and has a surface of either grass or artificial turf. All field events can be contested on the infield. However the javelin, hammer and discus throws are sometimes contested on fields outside of the track stadium because they take up a large amount of space, the implements may damage the infield, and the implements could end up landing on the track. However, some infields are used specifically for these events, and for the javelin, an athlete may have a longer run-up by starting it on the other side of the track, and crossing when there are no athletes passing. Events There are other variations besides the ones listed below, but races of unusual length (e.g. 300 m) are run much less often. The unusual races are typically held during indoor season because of the shorter 200 m indoor track. With the exception of the mile run, races based on imperial distances are rarely run on the track anymore since most tracks have been converted from a quarter mile (402.3 m) to 400 m; almost all record keeping for imperial distances has been discontinued.

However, the IAAF record book still includes the mile world record (currently held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco for men and Svetlana Masterkova of Russia for women) because of its worldwide historic significance. Men and women do not compete against each other, although they may sometimes run in the same races due to time constraints at high school meets. Women generally run the same distances as men although hurdles and steeplechase barriers are lower and the weights of the shot, discus, javelin and hammer are less. All Comers Track Meets Main article: All Comers Track Meet Track and Field is the most accessible sport for anybody to participate in. It only takes two people to have a race, or one can simply race a stopwatch. In events called All Comers Track Meets, anybody who wishes to participate is welcome. They are pretty low-key and are merely intended for gaining experience or just practicing for races. There is no exclusion because participants have no teams or even equipment. Most such meets are low cost or free. While races are usually seeded based on the entrant's expected level of ability, the most elite of athletes can and do use these meets as training grounds.

Running and racewalking events Running events conducted on a track (generally 400 metres, except indoors): Sprints are events up to and including the 400 metres. Events commonly contested are: * 50 metres (indoors only) * 55 metres (indoors only) * 60 metres (indoors only) * 100 metres * 200 metres * 400 metres Middle Distance Events are events longer than sprints and up to 3000 metres. Events commonly contested are: * 600 metres (uncommon) * 800 metres * 1000 metres (uncommon) * 1500 metres * One mile[2] * 2000 metres (uncommon) * 3000 metres * 3000 metres steeplechase Long Distance Events are events over 3000 metres. Events commonly contested are: * 5000 metres * 10000 metres Hurdles events require the runner to run over evenly spaced barriers during the race.

Events commonly contested are: * 60 metres hurdles (indoors only) * 100 metres hurdles (women) * 110 metres hurdles (men) * 400 metres hurdles Relay races are events in which four athletes participate as a team, passing a metal baton in between. Events commonly contested are: * 4 x 100 metres relay * 4 x 200 metres relay (high school & collegiate) * 4 x 400 metres relay * 4 x 800 metres relay Some events, such as medley relays, are rarely run except at large relay carnivals. Typical medley relays include: * Sprint Medley Relay (SMR): the four legs are two 200 metre legs, 400 metres, 800 metres; or alternately two 100 metre legs, 200 metres, 400 metres * Distance Medley Relay (DMR): the four legs are 1200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1600 metres Road Races are events conducted on open roads, sometimes finishing on a track.

Events commonly contested are: * 10 km * 20 km * Half marathon(21.0975 km) * Marathon (42.195 km). The marathon is the only common road-racing distance run in major international athletics championships, such as the Olympics. Racewalking may be contested on either the track or on open roads. Events commonly contested are: * 10 km * 20 km * 50 km Field events * Discus Throw * Hammer Throw * Javelin Throw * Shot Put Jumping events * High Jump * Pole Vault * Long Jump * Triple Jump The following events also take place, but are uncommon: * Standing high jump * Standing long jump * Standing triple jump Multiple-event competitions Multiple event competitions include events from both the track (running) and field events. Pentathlon: the outdoor Pentathlon includes the following five events: * Long Jump * Javelin * 200 metres * Discus * 1500 metres The outdoor Pentathlon was a national championship event in the United States until 1978. It is still contested in many places throughout the world, but rarely as a championship event.

The Pentathon was also contested in several of the early Olympic Games, notably in the 1912 Olympics which was won by Jim Thorpe, who also won the Decathlon. The event was modeled after the original Greek Olympic Games, in which the Pentathlon was the foremost contest. It consisted of a Long Jump, Javelin, a statia run of approximately 180 metres, Discus, and Greco-Roman style wrestling.

Pentathlon: the indoor Pentathlon includes the following five events: * High Hurdles (110 metres for men, 100 metres for women) * Shot Put * Long Jump * High Jump * Middle distance (1500 metres for men, 800 metres for women) Heptathlon: the Heptathlon includes the following seven events: Outdoors (usually only women): * 100 metre high hurdles * High Jump * Shot Put * 200 metres * Long Jump * Javelin Throw * 800 metres Indoors (usually only men): * 60 metres * Long Jump * Shot Put * High Jump * 60 metres hurdles * Pole Vault * 1000 metres Decathlon: the Decathlon includes the following ten events: * 100 metres * Long Jump * Shot Put * High Jump * 400 metres * 110 metre high hurdles * Discus * Pole Vault * Javelin * 1500 metres Rules Track events The rules of track athletics or of track events in athletics as observed in most international athletics competitions are set by the Competition Rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

The most recent complete set of rules is the 2009 rules that relate only to competitions in 2009.[3] Key rules of track events are those regarding starting, running and finishing. Starting The start of a race is marked by a white line 5 cm wide. In all races that are not run in lanes the start line must be curved, so that all the athletes start the same distance from the finish.[4] Starting blocks may be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the 4 x 200 m and 4 x 400 m) and may not be used for any other race.

No part of the starting block may overlap the start line or extend into another lane.[5] All races must be started by the report of the starter's gun or approved starting apparatus fired upwards after he or she has ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position.[6] An athlete may not touch either the start line or the ground in front of it with his hands or his feet when on his marks.[7] At most international competitions the commands of the starter in his own language, in English or in French, shall, in races up to and including 400 m, be "On your marks" and "Set". When all athletes are "set", the gun must be fired, or an approved starting apparatus must be activated.[7] However, if the starter is not satisfied that all is ready to proceed, the athletes may be called out of the blocks and the process started over. False start: An athlete, after assuming a final set position, may not commence his starting motion until after receiving the report of the gun, or approved starting apparatus. If, in the judgment of the starter or recallers, he does so any earlier, it is considered a false start.

It is deemed a false start if, in the judgment of the starter an athlete fails to comply with the commands "on your marks" or "set" as appropriate after a reasonable time; or an athlete after the command "on your marks" disturbs other athletes in the race through sound or otherwise.[8] Any athlete making a false start must be warned.[9] Running the race In all races run in lanes, each athlete must keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This also applies to any portion of a race run in lanes. If an athlete leaves the track or steps on the line demarking the track, he/she should be disqualified.[10] Also, any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified from that event.[11] However, if an athlete is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane, and if no material advantage is gained, the athlete should not be disqualified.

The finish The finish of a race is marked by a white line 5 cm wide.[12] The athletes must be placed in the order in which any part of their torso ( as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line.[13] Ties between different athletes are resolved as follows: In determining whether there has been a tie in any round for a qualifying position for the next round based on time, a judge (called the chief photo finish judge) must consider the actual time recorded by the athletes to 1/1000th of a second. If the judge decides that there has been a tie, the tying athletes must be placed in the next round or, if that is not practicable, lots must be drawn to determine who must be placed in the next round. In the case of a tie for first place in any final, the referee decides whether it is practicable to arrange for the athletes so tying to compete again. If he decides it is not, the result will stand. Ties in other placings remain.

Track and field on coinage Running commemorative coin Track and field events have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the ?10 Greek Running commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the obverse of the coin, a modern athlete figure appears in the foreground, shown in the starting position, while in the background two ancient runners are carved in a manner that gives the appearance of a coin that is "worn" by time. This scene originally appeared on a black-figure vase of the 6th century BC. Canada’s Brianne Theisen-Eaton breaks through for gold medal in pentathlon at world indoor championship | National Post Canada’s Brianne Theisen-Eaton breaks through for gold medal in pentathlon at world indoor championship Vicki Hall | March 19, 2016 12:39 AM ET StumbleUpon PORTLAND, Ore. — Brianne Theisen-Eaton sat in third place heading into the fifth and final event of the pentathlon Friday night with little chance at world indoor championship gold. The Humboldt, Sask.

native needed to beat Ukrainian Anastasiya Mokhnyuk by 10 seconds – a massive margin – in the 800 metres for the first world title of her career. The American crowd chanted “Brianne, Brianne, Brianne” as she burned around the track at the Oregon Convention Center. On the final lap, the University of Oregon product could hear her husband – world decathlon champion Ashton Eaton, of the United States – screaming, “You can win. You can win.” The Canadian crossed the finish line in two minutes, 9.99 seconds – a full 13 seconds ahead of her Ukrainian rival. Stunned and out of breath, she stared at the video screen and tried to do the math in her head. “I think I was delirious at that point,” she said later in the media mixed zone. “It was all a blur.” Related After what seemed like forever, the public address announcer removed all doubt. In a break from his competition, Ashton ran over and hugged his wife in front of the cameras. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “I finally got a gold medal,” she said. “Yes, you did,” he replied.

Theisen-Eaton won silver at the, 2013 world championships in Moscow, the 2014 world indoor championships in Sopot, Poland, and the 2015 world championships in Beijing. Finally, her golden dream came true in Portland, just two hours from her training base in Eugene, Ore. “I’m so excited for her,” said Ashton, the world record holder in both the decathlon and the men’s heptathlon. “It’s no secret that she’s been getting second quite a bit. Especially with me around, it’s tough for her. She struggles to overcome those things. But today, she did. She’s really turning it around. “She’s a tough woman. I get to see it every day. Now everyone else does.” Theisen-Eaton won the competition – which includes the 60-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 metres – with 4,881 points. Mokhnyuk seized silver with 4,847 points. Alina Fodorova, also of Ukraine, scored 4,770 points for bronze.

And so the 27-year-old Canadian is a medal favourite heading into what will likely be her last Olympics this summer. “I wasn’t coming in here focusing on the gold medal, because I know that’s not how I’m going to win in Rio,” she said. “It’s going to be just, ‘Do the best you can do.’ And so that was my goal coming in here. It was one event at a time and just do the best you can do in every single event. “Even if I walked away today with fourth or fifth place, I would have known I did everything I could do, and that’s what I’m most proud of.” In other events, Edmonton’s Angela Whyte finished fifth in the women’s 60-metre hurdles. Tim Nedow, of Brockville, Ont. placed seventh in the men’s shot put. Athletics (track and field) Athletics (track and field) 2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection . Related subjects: Sports A women's 400 metre hurdles race on a typical outdoor red rubber track. Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing and jumping.

The name is derived from the Greek word "athlon" meaning "contest". Some languages (e.g. German and Russian) refer to these sports as "light athletics" to distinguish them from "heavy athletics," like weight lifting, wrestling, etc. History Athletics was the original event at the first Olympics back in 776 BCE where the only event held was the stadium-length foot race or "stade". There were several other "Games" held throughout Europe in the classical era: Panhellenic Games: The Pythian Games (founded 527 BCE) held in Delphi every four years The Nemean Games (founded 516 BCE) held in Argolid every two years The Isthmian Games (founded 523 BCE) held on the Isthmus of Corinth every two years (one year being that which followed the Olympics) The Roman Games – Arising from Etruscan rather than purely Greek roots, the Roman Games deemphasized footraces and throwing. Instead, the Greek sports of chariot racing and wrestling, as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat, took centre stage.

Other peoples enjoyed athletic contests, such as the Celts, Teutons and Goths who succeeded the Romans. However, these were often related to combat training, and were not very well organized. In the Middle Ages the sons of noblemen would be trained in running, leaping and wrestling, in addition to riding, jousting and arms-training. Contests between rivals and friends may have been common on both official and unofficial grounds. Many athletic sports have found favour in Europe throughout the ages. However, in Britain they fell out of favour between the 13th and 16th centuries due to government restrictions on sports aiming to reduce the practice of archery. After this ban was lifted in the 17th century sports began to flourish once more, but it was not until the 19th century that organization began to appear. This included the incorporation of regular sports and exercise into school regimes. The Royal Military College, Sandhurst has claimed to be the first to adopt this in 1812 and 1825 but without any supporting evidence. The earliest recorded meeting was organised at Shrewsbury, Shropshire in 1840 by the Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt.

There are details of the meeting in a series of letters written 60 years later by CT Robinson who was a pupil there from 1838 to 1841. Modern athletic events are usually organized around a 400 metre running track, on which most of the running events take place. Field events (vaulting, jumping, and throwing) often take place in the field in the centre of the running track. Many athletic events have an ancient origin and were already conducted in competitive form by the ancient Greeks . Athletics was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been part of the program ever since, providing the backbone of the Olympics. Women were not allowed to participate in track and field events in the Olympics until 1928. An international governing body, the IAAF was founded in 1912. The IAAF established separate outdoor World Championships in 1983. Other major events include the World Indoor Championships and the European Championships. The sport has a very high profile during major championships, especially the Olympics, but otherwise ranks well down the list of sports by public interest in almost all countries.

The leading regular circuit of events takes place in Europe each summer, and includes the Golden League events. The AAU ( Amateur Athletic Union) was the governing body in the United States until it collapsed under pressure from advancing professionalism in the late 1970s. A new governing body called The Athletics Congress (TAC) was formed, it was later renamed USA Track and Field (USATF or USA T&F). An additional, less structured organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) also exists in the USA to promote road racing. Both organizations allow athletes to receive money for racing putting an end to the " shamateurism" that existed before. Indoor track and field There are two seasons for track and field. There is an indoor season, run during the winter and an outdoor season, run during the spring and summer. Most indoor tracks are 200 meters, however, less frequently, there are smaller and larger tracks that measure from between 145 (11 laps to a mile) to 300 meters. The indoor track consists of four to six lanes instead of the eight to ten on an outdoor track. Often an indoor track will have banked turns to compensate for the tight bends.

In an indoor track meet athletes contest the same events as an outdoor meet with the exception of the 100 m and 110 m/100 m hurdles (replaced by the 60 m sprint and 60 m hurdles at most levels and sometimes the 55m sprint and 55m hurdles at the high school level), and the 10,000 m run and 3,000m steeplechase. Indoor meets also have the addition of a 3,000 m run normally at both the collegiate and elite level instead of the 10,000 m. The 5,000 m is the longest event commonly run indoors, although there are situations where longer distances have been raced. In the mid 20th century, there was a series of races 'duel races' at Madison Square Garden's (NY) indoor track, some of which featured two men racing a marathon (26.2 miles). However, this is an extremely rare occurrence, for obvious reasons.

In some occasions, there may also be a 500 m race instead the open 400 m normally found outdoors, and in many collegiate championship races indoors both are contested. In the field events, indoor meets only feature the high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump and shot put. The longer throws of javelin, hammer and discus are added only for outdoor meets, as there is normally not enough space in an indoor stadium to house these events. Other events unique to indoor meets (especially in the United States) are the 300m, 600m, 1000m and 35 lb. weight throw. In some countries, notably Norway, standing long jump and standing high jump are also contested. For multi-event athletes there is the Pentathlon for women (consisting of 60m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800m) and heptathlon for men (consisting of 60m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault and 1000m). Outdoor track and field The outdoor track and field season begins in the spring and may last through the summer.

Usually the tracks are an oval shape track of 400 meters. However, some old tracks are still measured in yards, so they measure 440 yards. The track consists of 6-10 lanes and, for the bigger tracks, a steeplechase lane with a water pit. This can be inside or outside the track, making for a tighter turn or a wider turn. Often schools will place a playingfield in the middle of the track, usually football / soccer / lacrosse, due to their size and shape. This inner field is usually known as the infield. Recently, some of these fields have been made out of AstroTurf or FieldTurf instead of grass. Field events consist of the high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump and shot put. They also consist of the javelin, hammer and discus throws; however, often these are outside of the stadium because they take up a large amount of space and may damage grass fields. However, many tracks without a playing field in the middle use the infield for the throwing events. Events There are other variations besides the ones listed below but races of unusual length (e.g. 300 m) are run much less often.

The unusual races are typically held during indoor season because of the shorter 200m indoor track. With the exception of the mile run, races based on imperial distances are rarely run on the track anymore since most tracks have been converted from a quarter mile (402.3 m) to 400 meters; almost all recordkeeping for imperial distances has been discontinued. However, the IAAF record book still includes the mile world record (currently held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco for men and Svetlana Masterkova of Russia for women) because of its worldwide historic significance. Men and women do not compete against each other. Women generally run the same distances as men although hurdles and steeplechase barriers are lower and the weights of the shot, discus, javelin and hammer are less. Track events - running events conducted on a 400 meter track. Sprints: events up to and including 400 m. Common events are 60 m (indoors only), 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres.

Middle distance: events from 800m to 3000 m, especially 800 metres, 1500 metres, mile and 3000m. In the United States (especially high schools), distance events include 800 m, 1600 m (mile), and 3200 m (2 miles). (1 mile=1609.344 meters) steeplechase - a race (usually 3000 m) in which runners must negotiate barriers and water jumps. Long distance: runs over 5000 m. Common events are 5000 m and 10000 m. Less common are 6, 12, 24 hour races. Hurdling: 110 m high hurdles (100 m for women) and 400 m intermediate hurdles (300 m in some high schools). Relays: 4 x 100 metres relay, 4 x 400 metres relay, 4 x 200 m, 4 x 800 m, etc.

Some events, such as medley relays, are rarely run except at large relay carnivals. Most American high schools run the 4x100 and 4x400, with the 4x400 being the finishing event to the meet. Road running: conducted on open roads, but often finishing on the track. Common events are half-marathon and marathon. The marathon is the only distance run in major international athletics championships such as the Olympics. Race walking: usually conducted on open roads. Common events are 10 km, 20 km and 50 km. Field events Athletics | A for Athlete | Fandom powered by Wikia Track Athletes from Europe list Source is Canada (also known as CAN ) Athletics events are core Olympic competitions. Determine who can run faster, jump higher and throw farther. Athleteics go back to ancient games. Events The 57 Athletics events fit four categories: track events, road events and combined events. Track events include sprints, middle- and long-distance running, hurdling, the steeplechase and relays.

Field events consist of events where competitors throw (ex: shot put, javelin) or jump (ex: high jump, long jump). Road events consist of the marathon and race walking. Finally, combined events consist of the women’s heptathlon and the men’s decathlon, where competitors compete in several events, with the winner crowned after earning the most points. Since George Orton’s two medals at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris, gold in the 2,500-metre steeplechase and bronze in the 400-metre hurdles, Canada (also known as CAN ) has enjoyed podium finishes in Athletics events since 1900 except 2004 and 2000. The 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta featured a world-record performance by Donovan Bailey in the 100 metres, followed up by the 4x100-metre relay team’s golden win.

Philip Edwards became the first Canadian athlete in history to win five Olympic medals, taking two bronze medals in the 800 metres in 1932 and 1936, two more bronze medals in the 4x400-metre relay in 1928 and 1932, and one more bronze in the 1,500-metre in 1932. The 2008 team from Canada (also known as CAN ) has: Former world champion hurdler Perdita Felicien . Tyler Christopher Canadian record breaker with his 2005 World Championship bronze in the 400-metre and won gold at the 2008 World Indoor Athletics Championships. Jessica Zelinka is the defending Pan American Games champion in the Heptathlon. Adam Kunkel took home Pan American Games gold last in 2007 in the 200-metre hurdles. Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt shocked the world with a world-record run in the 100 metres in New York City this spring.

After a silver medal in the 200-metre race at the IAAH World Championships last year, he leads the list of international competitors to watch in Beijing. The Athletics competition at the 2008 Olympic Games will take place at the National Stadium in the Olympic Green in Beijing. Tiananmen Square will be the starting point for the marathon , with the race ending in the National Stadium. History The original and only event at the first Olympics in 776 BC was a stadium-length foot race or "stade", run on a track. There were several other "games" held in Europe in the classical era: The Isthmian Games (founded 523 BC) held on the Isthmus of Corinth every two years The Roman Games – Arising from Etruscan rather than purely Greek roots, the Roman Games deemphasized footraces and throwing. Instead, the Greek sports of chariot racing and wrestling, as well as the Etruscan sport of gladiatorial combat, took center stage. Other peoples, such as the Celts , Teutons and Goths who succeeded the Romans, enjoyed athletic contests. However, these were often related to combat training .

In the Middle Ages the sons of noblemen would be trained in running, leaping and wrestling, in addition to riding, jousting and arms-training. Contests between rivals and friends may have been common on both official and unofficial grounds. In the 19th century the formal organization of the modern events started. This included the incorporation of regular sports and exercise into school regimes. The Royal Military College, Sandhurst has claimed to be the first to adopt this in 1812 and 1825, but without any supporting evidence. The earliest recorded meeting was organised at Shrewsbury , Shropshire in 1840 by the Royal Shrewsbury School Hunt. There are details of the meeting in a series of letters written 60 years later by C.T. Robinson, who was a pupil there from 1838 to 1841. The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich held an organised competition in 1849, but the first regular series of meetings was held by Exeter College, Oxford from 1850. [1] Modern athletic events are usually organized around a 400 meter running track on which most of the running events take place.

Field events (vaulting, jumping, and throwing) often take place on the infield, inside the track. Athletics was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has formed their backbone ever since. Women were first allowed to participate in track and field events in the 1928 Olympics. An international governing body, the IAAF , was founded in 1912. The IAAF established separate outdoor World Championships in 1983. There are a number of regional games as well, such as the European Championships , the Pan-American Games , and the Commonwealth Games . In addition there is a professional Golden League circuit, cumulating in the IAAF World Athletics Final , and indoor championships such as the World Indoor Championships . The sport has a very high profile during major championships, especially the Olympics, but otherwise is less popular. The AAU ( Amateur Athletic Union ) was the governing body in the United States until it collapsed under pressure from advancing professionalism in the late 1970s. A new governing body called The Athletics Congress (TAC) was formed. It was later renamed USA Track and Field (USATF or USA T&F).

An additional, less structured organization, the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), also exists in the United States to promote road racing. In modern times, athletes can receive money for racing, putting an end to the so-called " amateurism " that existed before. Indoor track and field Edit Typical oval track consisting of two semicircles joined by straight segments. There are two seasons for track and field. There is an indoor season, run during the winter and an outdoor season, run during the spring. Most indoor tracks are 200 meters and consist of four to six lanes. There are also some 150 meter indoor tracks, and others as small as 120 meters have been used. Some "oversize tracks" (larger than 200 meters) are popular for American collegiate athletics despite the fact that they are not considered valid for setting indoor records. Often an indoor track will have banked turns to compensate for the tight radius of the turns. The banking can help prevent injuries to the athlete, while also promoting higher speeds.

Template:Fact In an indoor track meet athletes contest the same track events as at an outdoor meet, with the exception of the 100 m and 110 m/100 m hurdles (replaced by the 55 or 60 m sprint and 55 or 60 m hurdles at most levels, or the 55 m sprint and hurdles at the high school level), the 10,000 m run, 3,000 m steeplechase, 400 m hurdles. Indoor meets also have the addition of a 3,000 m run normally at both the collegiate and elite level, instead of the 10,000 m. The 5,000 m is the longest event commonly run indoors, although there are situations where longer distances have been raced. In the mid 20th century, there was a series of "duel" races on Madison Square Garden 's indoor track, some of which featured two men racing a marathon (26.2 miles). However, this is an extremely rare occurrence, for obvious reasons.

In some occasions, there may also be a 500 m race instead of the open 400 m normally found outdoors, and in many college championship races indoors both are contested. In field events, indoor meets only feature the high jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump, and shot put (weight throw). Due to space limitations, these events take place on the infield, within the circumferential track. The longer throws of javelin, hammer and discus are added only for outdoor meets, as there is normally not enough space in an indoor stadium to house these events. Other events unique to indoor meets (especially in North America) are the 300m, 600m, 1000m, and Template:Convert weight throw. In some countries, notably Norway , standing long jump and standing high jump are also contested, even in the National Championships.

For multi-event athletes there is the Pentathlon for women (consisting of 60 m hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 m) and heptathlon for men (consisting of 60 m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 60 m hurdles, pole vault and 1000 m) indoors. Outdoor track and field Edit The outdoor track and field season usually begins in the spring and lasts through the summer. Most tracks are ovals of 400 meters in circumference. Modern " tartan tracks " or more recently "mondo tracks" are made with a rubberized surface; older tracks were cinder -covered. Tracks normally consist of 6-10 lanes (up to 12 lanes on the 'front' straight) and many include a steeplechase lane with a water pit on one of the turns. This steeplechase pit can be placed either inside or outside the track, making for a tighter turn or a wider turn. It is common that tracks will surround a playing field used for American football , football (soccer) , or lacrosse .

This inner field is usually known as the infield and has a surface of either grass or artificial turf. All field events can be contested on the infield. However the javelin, hammer and discus throws are sometimes contested on fields outside of the track stadium Template:Fact because they take up a large amount of space, the implements may damage the infield, and the implements could end up landing on the track. However, some infields are used specifically for these events, and for the javelin, an athlete may have a longer run-up by starting it on the other side of the track, and crossing when there are no athletes passing. Events Edit There are other variations besides the ones listed below, but races of unusual length (e.g. 300 m) are run much less often. The unusual races are typically held during indoor season because of the shorter 200 m indoor track. With the exception of the mile run, races based on imperial distances are rarely run on the track anymore since most tracks have been converted from a quarter mile (402.3 m) to 400 m; almost all record keeping for imperial distances has been discontinued.

However, the IAAF record book still includes the mile world record (currently held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco for men and Svetlana Masterkova of Russia for women) because of its worldwide historic significance. Men and women do not compete against each other, although they may sometimes run in the same races due to time constraints at high school meets. Women generally run the same distances as men although hurdles and steeplechase barriers are lower and the weights of the shot, discus, javelin and hammer are less. Running Events 1600 meters (High School mile) Long Distance Events: events over, and including, the 3000 meters (3 k).

Common lengths include: 3000 meters 3200 meters (High School 2 mile) 5000 meters (5 k, or approximately 3.1 miles) - most often run only at the collegiate and elite level 10,000 meters (10 k, or approximately 6.2 miles) - most often run only at the collegiate and elite level In the United States, high school athletes in most states normally run the 800 m, 1600 m, and 3200 m. In a few states high school athletes run the 1500 m and 3000 m or mile and 2 mile instead of the 1600 m and 3200 m. Some people also consider the two mile distances to be middle distance events. Hurdles: events that require the runner to jump over evenly spaced barriers during the race.

Common lengths include 60 meter hurdles (indoors only) 100 meter hurdles (women) 300 meter intermediate hurdles (the usual intermediate hurdle length in middle and high school competitions) 400 meter intermediate hurdles (the usual intermediate hurdle length in collegiate and elite competitions) Steeplechase (usually 3000 meters and taking the place of the two mile distance in some competitions; one barrier per lap includes a water pit) Relays: races in which four athletes participate as a team, passing a metal baton in between. Common lengths include: 4 x 100 meter relay (400 meter relay) 4 x 200 meter relay (800 meter relay) 4 x 400 meter relay (mile relay) 4 x 800 meter relay (2 mile relay) Some events, such as medley relays, are rarely run except at large relay carnivals.

Typical medley relays include: Sprint Medley Relay (SMR): the four legs are 400 meters, two 200 meter legs, 800 meters; or alternately 200 meters, two 100 meter legs, 400 meters Distance Medley Relay (DMR): the four legs are 1200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1600 meters Most American high schools run the 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800, where college meets usually only include the 4x100 and 4x400. In both instances, the 4x400 is the last event at the meet. Road Races: conducted on open roads, but often finishing on the track.

Common lengths are: 5000 meters (5 k) Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton finally wins gold | INDOOR WORLDS | Other Sports Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton finally wins gold By Vicki Hall , Postmedia Network First posted: Saturday, March 19, 2016 12:29 AM EDT | Updated: Saturday, March 19, 2016 12:39 AM EDT Canada's Brianne Theisen-Eaton celebrates after she won the women's 800-metre sprint and the pentathlon event during the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Portland, Ore., on Friday, March 18, 2016. (Elaine Thompson/AP Photo) Article Doping crisis out in the open at indoor track worlds PORTLAND, ORE. - Brianne Theisen-Eaton sat in third place heading into the fifth and final event of the pentathlon Friday night with little chance at world indoor championship gold. The Humboldt, Sask.

native needed to beat Ukrainian Anastasiya Mokhnyuk by 10 seconds – a massive margin – in the 800-metre run for the first world title of her career. The American crowd chanted “Brianne, Brianne, Brianne” as she burned around the track at the Oregon Convention Center. On the final lap, the University of Oregon product could hear her husband – world decathlon champion Ashton Eaton, of the United States – screaming, “You can win. You can win.” The Canadian crossed the finish line in two minutes, 9.99 seconds – a full 13 seconds ahead of her Ukrainian rival. Stunned and out of breath, she stared at the video screen and tried to do the math in her head. “I think I was delirious at that point,” she said later in the media mixed zone. “It was all a blur.” After what seemed like forever, the public address announcer removed all doubt. In a break from his competition, Ashton ran over and hugged his wife in front of the cameras. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “I finally got a gold medal,” she said. “Yes you did,” he replied.

Theisen-Eaton won silver at the, 2013 world championships in Moscow, the 2014 world indoor championships in Sopot, Poland, and the 2015 world championships in Beijing. Finally, her golden dream came true in Portland, just two hours from her training base in Eugene, Ore. “I’m so excited for her,” said Ashton, the world record holder in both the decathlon and the men’s heptathlon. “It’s no secret that she’s been getting second quite a bit. Especially with me around, it’s tough for her. She struggles to overcome those things. But today, she did. She’s really turning it around. “She’s a tough woman. I get to see it every day. Now everyone else does.” Theisen-Eaton won the competition – which includes the 60-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, long jump and 800 metres – with 4,881 points. Mokhnyuk seized silver with 4,847 points. Alina Fodorova, also of Ukraine, scored 4,770 points for bronze.

And so the 27-year-old Canadian is a medal favourite heading into what will likely be here last Olympics this summer. “I wasn’t coming in here focusing on the gold medal, because I know that’s not how I’m going to win in Rio,” she said. “It’s going to be just, 'Do the best you can do.’ And so that was my goal coming in here. It was one event at a time and just do the best you can do in every single event. “Even if I walked away today with fourth or fifth place, I would have known I did everything I could do, and that’s what I’m most proud of.” Edmonton’s Angela Whyte finished fifth in the women’s 60-metre hurdles. Tim Nedow, of Brockville, Ont. placed seventh in the men’s shot put.

Question: Which event completes the indoor Pentathlon - 60 metre hurdles, high jump, long jump, 800 metres and ...........?
Answer: SHOT PUT