There are many popular games where people participate. Most of them are team games. However, if you take a look at participation in Athletics, you will find a few and most of them 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 some of the national and international series.
Athletics events
The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has the following events listed under Athletics.
• Track events
1. Competitive career: this includes:
I. [Distance] Short distances known as Sprints.
ii. [Distance] Average distances
iii. [Distance] Long distance
iv. Hurdles Event Distances – This includes hurdling on the track.
One has to overcome obstacles successfully and reach the goal to achieve it.
v. Obstacle Course – Similar to Hurdle Events, 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 he covers his distance, he has to hand over the baton to his other team member who starts running his distance from there. Example: 4 x 100 m 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, run walk, etc. where speed and distances vary.
• Field events
1. Jumping Events: These events involve the athlete jumping towards a specified goal.
to. Horizontal distance
I. Long jump: here the athlete achieves a certain speed through a short distance sprint and then has to jump over a sand pit that covers the maximum horizontal distance possible.
ii. Triple jump – similar to the long jump, except that the run is replaced with a jump and a step or a jump. This is followed by the final jump that covers a good horizontal distance.
B. Vertical distance / height
I. High jump: here the athlete has to overcome an obstacle along the vertical scale or has to overcome an obstacle placed at a certain height.
ii. Pole vault: This is similar to the high jump, except that one has to overcome 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.
to. Shot put
B. Disc
vs. Javelin
D. Hammer