Track Events

If you type “what is track events” into a search engine then you will get several definitions explaining what kind of track events there are, associated with track and field, the sport of athletic contests. Track events are actually among the oldest forms of competition, with the Olympic games dating back to 776 B.C.E. Track events involve contests of running, throwing and jumping. These were the preferred games of ancient times before the prevailing influence of other civilizations, including the Romans, started to affect ancient professional sports. Today track events are still popular throughout the world as well as in colleges and high schools.

What Kind Of Track Events Are There?

There are two seasons for track and field: the indoor Winter season and an outdoor spring/summer season. Indoor track events involve shorter distance races as well as high jump, pole vaulting and long jumping competitions. The outdoor track and field experience involves a larger oval track that surrounds a playing field. Outdoor track events include javelin, hammer and discus throws. Other popular track events activities include sprints, steeplechases, hurdling, relays, road running and race walking, triple jumping, standing long and short jumps and multi-events such as the Pentathlon, Heptathlon and Decathlon.

Track events with a baton include a relay race, that sees members of a team taking turns either running or swimming while they carry a baton, which they later pass. Some types of relay races in track include: medley relays, distance medley relays and sprint medley relays. The most common leg of a relay race seems to be the 4 x 100, 4 x 400, and 4 x 800.

Finding Information On Track Events

Where can you find world records for track events? Three popular sources are Track And Fields News, Hickock Sports and the International Association of Athletics Federations. These resources have detail information on track events schedules, records and as well as some interesting studies done in the field of athletics.

What if you are looking for help on organizing track events for kids? Whether you are a teacher looking to start local high school track events or are interesting in following youth track events, then you can check out the USAtf site, which is the official site of the United States Track and Field organization, the official governing body for track and field events in the country.

Track and field is an exciting and competitive piece of world history – all the more thrilling when you're involved in the event.