Physical Education Department 3rd ESO 3rd term
ATHLETICS
Track and Field/Athletics is a collection of sports events that involve running, throwing,
jumping and walking.
1. THE TRACK
It is split into six to ten lanes which circle around an inner field used for throwing and jumping
events.
2. RACES
The winner of all races conducted on the track is the first person whose torso crosses the
finishing line. A runner is disqualified from a race if they make two false starts, which are
counted if they leave the starting blocks before the starting gun is fired.
Starting block: Device made up of two
adjustable pedals that allow sprinters to give
themselves momentum during a start.
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Physical Education Department 3rd ESO 3rd term
Races are divided in:
2.1. Sprint Events:
• 100 metres
• 110m hurdles (men) and 100m hurdles
(women)
• 200 metres
• 400 metres
• 400m hurdles (men and women)
2.2. Middle Distance Events:
• 800 metres
• 1500 metres
• 3000 metres steeplechase
2.3. Long Distance Events:
• 5000 metres
• 10000 metres
• Marathon (outside the stadium but finishing in it:
42km and 195m)
2.4. Relay races:
Are events in which four athletes participate as a team,
passing a metal baton in between. Events commonly
contested are:
• 4x100m relay
• 4x400m relay
2.5. Racewalking:
• 10km
• 20km
• 50km
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Physical Education Department 3rd ESO 3rd term
3. THROWING EVENTS
There are four different throwing events included in athletics competition which require
athletes to demonstrate power, strength and accuracy.
3.1. Javelin Throw: The men´s javelin weighs
800g, while women´s weighs 600g.
3.2. Shotput: Competitors take their throw from inside a
concrete surfaced circle, with a toe board 10 cm high at the
front of the circle. The shot weighs 7.26kg for men, 4kg for
women.
3.3. Discus Throw: The discus has a weight of 2kg
for men and 1kg for women. To complete a
throw, the competitor starts in a circle. The
thrower spins around three times in the circle to
gain speed, and then, then releases his discus.
3.4. Hammer Throw: The hammer is a heavy metal ball
attached to a wire and a handle. It weighs 7,257kg for men,
4kg for women. Competitors swing the hammer above
their head before releasing it.
4. JUMPING EVENTS
Every jumping event involves four phases in each jump:
1. Starting run - this is the period of time where the athlete gathers speed for the take-off.
2. Take off - this is the transition between the run and the jump with the athlete propelling
their body into the air.
3. Flight - this is the period of time when the body is airborne, sending them horizontally away
from the starting point in the long jump or triple jump and vertically over the bar in the high
jump.
4. Landing - this is the point at which the athlete finishes the jump marking the distance (in
the case of the long jump and triple jump) that they have travelled through the air.
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Physical Education Department 3rd ESO 3rd term
4.1. High Jump: competitors must jump over a
horizontal bar without the aid of any devices.
4.2. Long Jump: in it, competitors sprint down a
runway and jump as far as they can from behind
a foul line into a sand pit (a pit filled with sand.)
4.3. Triple Jump: The triple jump (also called hop, step and
jump) is similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, step
and jump” routine. The competitor runs along the track and
must do a hop, a step and then a jump into the sand pit.
4.4. Pole Vault: event in which a person uses a long,
flexible pole as an aid to jump over a bar.
5. COMBINED EVENTS:
Combined events are competitions in which
athletes participate in a number of track and field
events, earning points for their performance in
each event, which adds to a total points score.
5.1. Women's Heptathlon: Includes seven events.
5.2. Men's Decathlon: Includes ten events.
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Physical Education Department 3rd ESO 3rd term
6. MORE TYPES OF ATHLETICS COMPETITIONS
• Urban races: they are also called “carreras populares” in STanish. In Spain, the most
popular ones are the “San Silvestre” races, held the 31st of December in many cities.
• Cross country races: usually middle or long distance races. They are held in fields,
parks or the countryside. Cross country courses include hills and mud. The cross
country season takes place in winter, from November to February.
• Mountain races: these take place in the mountain, and are very tough. You can find
half marathons and alpine marathons!!
• Indoor track competitions: for the winter season. It is only 200m long, so not all the
events are held.
• Outdoor track competitions: For the summer season, this is the Olympic Track. It is
400m long.
