TRACK AND FIELD

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based on running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sports derives from the competition venue: a stadium with an oval running track around a grass field. The throwing and jumping events generally take place in the central enclosed area. Track and fields falls under the umbrella sports of athletics, which also includes road running, cross country running, and race walking. The two most prestigious international track and field competitions are held under the banner of athletics. The athletics competition at the Olympic Game and the IAAF world championships in Athletics Federations in the international governing body for track and field. Track and field events are generally individual sports with athletes challenging each other to decide a single victor. The racing events are won by the athlete with the fastest time, while the jumping and throwing events own by the athlete who has achieved the greatest distance or height in the contest. The running events are categorized as sprints, middle and long distance events, relays and hurdling. Regular jumping events include long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault. While the most common throwing events are shot put, javelin, discus, and hammer. There are also “combined events” such as heptathlon and decathlon, in which athletes compete in a number of the above events.