TRACK EVENTS

 HISTORY OF TRACK EVENTS

• Track and field is one of the oldest of sports. Athletic
contests were often held in conjunction with religious
festivals, as with the Olympic Games of ancient Greece. For
11 centuries, starting in 776 B.C., these affairs — for men
only — were enormously popular and prestigious events.
• In 1866 the first English championships were held by the
newly formed Amateur Athletic Club, which opened the
competition to all "gentlemen amateurs" specifically,
athletes who received no financial compensation for their
efforts.
• In 1896 the first modern Olympic Games were staged.
Although initially of limited appeal, the Olympics captured
the imagination of athletes and grew steadily, making track
and field an international sport for the first time.
TRACK EVENTS
 HISTORY OF TRACK EVENTS
• In 1913 the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF)
was formed by representatives from 16 countries. The IAAF
was charged with establishing standard rules for the sport,
approving world records, and ensuring that the amateur
code was adhered to.
• The participation of women in track and field is a relatively
recent development. In 1921 representatives from six
countries formed an athletic federation for women, which
merged with the IAAF in 1936. Participation by women has
grown rapidly in many countries in recent years, particularly
in the United States, where many schools have added
women's track and field to their athletic programs.
TRACK EVENTS
 OLYMPIC SYMBOL AND FLAG
 Olympic Rings
• In 1912 the founder of the International Olympic Committee,
Pierre de Coubertin, designed a symbol of five interlocking
rings to represent the modern Olympic movement.
• Five rings are used to represent each of the inhabited
continents – Africa, Americas (North and South) Asia,
Australasia and Europe. The rings interlock with each ring
passing under then over the next ring to signify equality. The
five colours, blue, yellow, black, green and red are the five
most used colours on national flags.
• The symbol was officially adopted in 1914 and first used in
1920.
TRACK EVENTS
 OLYMPIC SYMBOL AND FLAG
• The five Olympic rings are depicted on a white background
to form the Olympic Flag. The flag is carried in procession
during the Opening Ceremony of the games and then flies
throughout the duration of the games.

• During the Closing Ceremony the flag is presented to a

representative of the next host nation
TRACK EVENTS
 OLYMPIC SYMBOL AND FLAG
• BLUE – EUROPE
• BLACK – AFRICA
• RED – AMERICA
• YELLOW – ASIA
• GREEN - AUSTRALIA
TRACK EVENTS
 RUNNING EVENTS
 SPRINTS
• A sprint is a short running race. In a track and field competition
there are generally three different sprint distances: 100m, 200m,
and 400m. The original Olympic event, the station race, was a
sprint of around 180m.
• A sprint race starts out with the runners in starting blocks in their
lane. The official will say "on your marks". At this point the racer
should be focused on the track, have their feet placed in the blocks,
fingers on the ground behind the starting line, hands slightly wider
than shoulder width, muscles relaxed. Next the official will say
"Set". At this point the runner should get their hips slightly above
shoulder level, feet pushed hard into the blocks, holding their
breath and ready to race. Then there is the bang and the race has
started. The runner should exhale and run out of the blocks not
jumping. The initial part of the race the runner is accelerating to top
speed. Once top speed is achieved then endurance kicks in as the
runner tries to maintain that speed for the rest of the sprint.
TRACK EVENTS
 RUNNING EVENTS
 SPRINTS
• Sprinters should remain relaxed while running and
move their arms in a straight back and forth motion.
They should be focused on their lane and the track at
the start and the finish line for the last half of the race or
so.
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
I. IMPORTANT FACTORS NECESSARY TO A GOOD SPRINT
• Sprinters need to work their body from head to toe. Leg
strength is very important for a sprinter, but it takes a lot
more than that to increase speed. Remembering to keep
their hips tall, tighten the back and stomach, and keep the
toes, heels, and knees up is a lot to think about. The best
sprinters must learn to control all these factors in order to
beat their competition to the finish line.
• Sprinters also need to realize that rest is necessary while
training. Many sprinters overwork and tire their muscles to
the point of exhaustion and hurt their overall speed instead
of increasing it.
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
I. IMPORTANT FACTORS NECESSARY TO A GOOD SPRINT
• Core Strength
• Stride Length and Force
• Healthy Food for a Healthy Body
• Hip Power
• Arms and Hands
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
II. KIND OF STARTS
• There are three types of sprint starts:
 Bunch or Bullet start - The toes of the rear
foot are approximately level with the heel
of the front foot and both feet are placed
well back from the starting line.
 Medium start - the knee of the rear leg is
placed opposite a point in the front half of
the front foot.
 Elongated start - the knee of the rear leg is
level with or slightly behind the heel of the
front foot.
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Standing Start
 On your Marks
 The foot is placed up to the starting line but not on it.
 The feet are about shoulder width apart to obtain a well
balanced position
 The weight is distributed so that about 2/3rds of the
weight is on the front foot
 Bend the knees and lean forwards.
 Arms synchronized with the legs - in this case, left foot
forward and right arm forward
 Back, neck and head in line
 Remain motionless
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Crouch 4 point Start
 On your Marks
 Place the left foot behind the line
 Place the right foot behind the left
 Remove the left foot and place the left knee adjacent to the
right ankle
 The toe of the left foot should be turned under
 Hands should be slightly wider than shoulder width
 Arms should be straight but not locked at the elbow
 The fingers must be behind the line
 The fingers should form a bridge, with the thumbs pointing
toward one another
 When viewed from the side the shoulder should be above
the start line
 The head and neck should be in line with the spine
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Crouch 4 point Start
 Set
 Hips raised to a position slightly higher than the
shoulders
 There should be an angle of 90 degrees at the front knee
 There should be an angle of 120 degrees on the rear
knee
 When viewed from the side the shoulder should be
above the start line
 The head and neck should be in line with the spine
 Remain motionless
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• 40 Yard Dash 3 point Start
 On your Marks
 Place your stronger leg, usually the leg you jump with, in
front.
 From a kneeling position, place the left (stronger) foot
forward so that the edges of your toes are approximately
16 to 20 inches behind the starting line
 With the knee of your back leg on the ground, position it
alongside the ball of your front foot with a 4 to 6-inch
space (fist) between the legs
 Extending your right arm out just behind the line, raise
your hips up to a position where the angle of the front leg
is about 90 degrees, and the angle of the rear leg is
about 120 degrees
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• 40 Yard Dash 3 point Start
 On your Marks
 The right hand should be extended up onto the fingertips
with the fingers spread
 The left arm should rest on the thigh of the left leg or in a
position behind the body as if in a running position.
 Assume a relaxed position with most of your body weight
on the legs and a small amount of your weight on the
extended front arm
 The power at the start comes from your legs, not your
arm, so do not lean too far forward so that too much
weight is on your arm
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Block Start
 On your Marks
 Blocks correctly positioned in the lane (200m/400m at a
tangent to the curve)
 Correct distances from the start line to the front and rear
blocks
 Foot blocks at the correct angles
 Blocks firmly located in the track
 Feet correctly located in the blocks
 Fingers behind the line and form a high bridge
 Hands evenly positioned slightly wider than shoulder
width
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Block Start
 On your Marks
 Shoulders back and vertically above or slightly
forward of the hands
 Arms straight but not locked at the elbows
 Head and neck in line with the spine
 Eyes focused on the track (1 to 2 metres
ahead)
 Gentle breathing
 Face and neck muscles relaxed
TRACK EVENTS
 SPRINTS
III. COMMAND OF STARTS
• Block Start
 Set
 Hold the breath
 Hips rise slowly to a position above the shoulders
 Head and neck in line with the spine
 Eyes focused on the track one or two metres ahead
 Shoulders vertically above or slightly forward of the
hands
 Front leg knee angle approx. 90 degrees
 Rear leg knee angle approx. 120 degrees
 Feet pushed hard back into the blocks
TRACK EVENTS
 MIDDLE DISTANCE
• The middle distance races are the 800m, the 1500m,
and the 1 mile long runs.
• These races require different skills and tactics to win
that the sprints.
• They rely more on endurance and pacing than just
pure speed. Also, the runners don't stay in a single
lane for the entire race.
• They start out in staggered lanes, to make the
distance the same for each runner, but the race soon
becomes open with no lanes and the runners must to
pass around each other to gain the lead.
TRACK EVENTS
 LONG DISTANCE
• There are three main long distance races: the
3000m, the 5000m, and the 10,000m races.
• These races are similar to the middle distance
races, but the emphasis is even more on correct
pacing and endurance.
TRACK EVENTS
 HURDLES
• A hurdles race is one in which obstacles are
placed at intervals along the track that the
runners must jump over on their way the finish
line.
• Typical hurdle races are the 100m and 400m for
women and 110m and 400m for men. Timing,
footwork, and technique are key in wining hurdles
events. Of course you still need to be fast, but
jumping the hurdles in stride without much
slowing down is how to win in the hurdles.
TRACK EVENTS
 RELAYS
• Relay races are where teams of runners compete
against each other.
• There are typically 4 runners and 4 legs to the
race.
• The first runner starts with the baton and runs the
first leg handing off to the second runner. The
hand off must typically take place within a given
area of the track.
• The second then hands off to the third and the
third to the fourth.
• The fourth runner runs the final, or anchor, leg to
the finish line. Common relay races are the
4x100m and the 4x400m.
TRACK EVENTS
 ROAD RACES
• Road running is the sport of running on a measured course
over an established road (as opposed to track and field and
cross country running). These events are usually classified as
long-distance according to athletics terminology, with races
typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the
marathon.
• The three most common IAAF recognized distances for "road
running" events are 10K runs, half marathons and
marathons. Despite this, there are far more 5K road race
events, due to their popularity for charity races and similar,
less competitive reasons to hold an event.
• Road running may offer those involved a range of challenges
and interests such as dealing with hills, sharp bends, varied
surfaces, inclement weather, and involvement in a large
group. Aerobic fitness, or the ability of the body to use
oxygen, is the biggest factor contributing to success
TRACK EVENTS
 STEEPLECHASE
• Steeplechase, in athletics (track-and-field), a
footrace over an obstacle course that includes
such obstacles as water ditches, open ditches,
and fences.
• Runners of the standard course face a total of 7
water jumps and 28 hurdling jumps. Hurdles are
91.4 cm (36 inches) high, and one of them, which
has a top bar of 12.7 cm (5 inches), is placed
immediately in front of the water jump, which is
3.66 meters (12 feet) long.
TRACK EVENTS
 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENTS
 MEASUREMENT OF THE OVAL
• The standard 400-meter oval track has a
minimum width of 72 meters. According to the
International Association of Athletics
Federations, or IAAF, the standard running
track includes an oval track with a minimum
of four lanes and safety zones measuring at
least 1 meter on the inside and outside.
TRACK EVENTS
 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENTS
 HURDLES
• Races with hurdles as obstacles were first
popularized in the 19th century in England. Most
of these races have 10 hurdles spaced at equal
intervals. DISTANCE TO FIRST HURDLE •
Women- 13 m • Men- 13.72 m DISTANCE
BETWEEN HURDLES • Women- 8.50 m • Men-
9.14 m There are two types of hurdle races:
intermediate and high. Intermediate hurdles are
91.4 cm high for men and 76.2 cm high for
women. Men's high hurdles are 106.7 cm high
and for women's are 83.8 cm high. Intermediate
hurdle races over 400 m or 440 yard in men and
women's competition. Most outdoor high hurdle
races are 110 m for men and 100 m for women.
TRACK EVENTS
 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENTS
 STEEPLECHASE
• It is a race usually of 3000 meters over two kinds of
obstacle, hurdles and water jumps. Runners must clear
91.4 cm for men and 76.2 cm for women hurdles 28
times. These hurdles are sturdier than the one used in
hurdle races, and runners may put a foot on top of
them as they pass over them. Runners must cross
water jumps seven times. A water jump consists of a
hurdle and a water-filled pit 3.66 meter square. The
steeplechaser steps onto the hurdle and leaps across
the water. The pit is 70 cm deep at the foot of the
hurdle and slopes up to the track level. Most
steeplechaser come down in the water at the shallow
end of the pit to soften their landing.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Jesse Owens (September 12, 1913 to
March 31, 1980), also known as "The
Buckeye Bullet," was an American
track and field athlete who won four
gold medals and broke two world
records at the 1936 Olympic Games
in Berlin. Owens specialized in the
sprints and the long jump, and was
recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps
the greatest and most famous athlete
in track and field history".
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee (born
March 3, 1962) is an American
retired track and field athlete,
ranked among the all-time greatest
athletes in the heptathlon as well as
long jump. She won three gold,
one silver, and two bronze
Olympic medals, in those two
events at four different Olympic
Games.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Usain St Leo Bolt OJ CD is a
retired Jamaican sprinter. He
is a world record holder in the
100 metres, 200 metres and 4
× 100 metres relay. Owing to
his achievements and
dominance in sprint
competition, he is widely
considered to be the greatest
sprinter of all time.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis
is an American former track and
field athlete who won nine
Olympic gold medals, one
Olympic silver medal, and 10
World Championships medals,
including eight gold. His career
spanned from 1979 to 1996,
when he last won an Olympic
event.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Kenenisa Bekele is an
Ethiopian long-distance runner
and the current world record
and Olympic record holder in
both the 5000-metre and
10,000-metre events. He won
the gold medal in both the
5000 m and 10,000 m events
at the 2008 Summer
Olympics.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES

Lydia de Vega-Mercado
who is a retired athlete
from the Philippines, was
considered Asia's fastest
woman in the 1980s
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES

Eric Shauwn Brazas Cray is a

Filipino-born American track and
field athlete who competes in
sprinting and hurdling events.
He represented his country at
the 2013 World Championships
in Athletics, competing in the
hurdles. He won gold medals at
the Southeast Asian Games in
2013 and 2015.
TRACK EVENTS
 ATHLETES
Marestella Sunang is a
Filipino long jumper. Torres
finished fourth at the 2002
Asian Championships and won
the silver medal at the 2005
Asian Championships. She
also competed at the 2005
World Championships without
reaching the final. She also
participated in the 2008
Olympics in Beijing, China.