Athletics
Athletics
Track and field athletics is a collection of sports
events that involve running, jumping, throwing
and walking.
Organised athletics are traced back to the ancient
Olympic games from 776 BC, and most modern
events are conducted by the member federations
of the IAAF. The athletics meeting forms the
backbone of the modern summer Olympics and
other leading international meetings.
Athletics
Track events: Field events:
100m Jumping:
200m Long jump
400m
Triple jump
800m
1500m
High jump
3,000m Pole vault
5,000m Throwing
10,000m Javelin
Marathon Shot putt
Steeplechase Discus
Hurdles Hammer
Power walking
Track events
Track events cover lots of
different distances.
Sprints anything up to 400m
Middle distance 800m- 3000m
Long distance events 3000m+
Sprints
Athletes use starting blocks to begin a race
The starter will say ‘Take your marks’,
‘set’….Then fire the starting gun.
Athletes must remain in their own lane at all
times.
The first runner to pass the finishing line with
their torso wins.
Starting a race before the gun has went off will
result in a false start. A race is only allowed 1
false start, whoever causes the 2nd false start
will be disqualified.
200m and 400m races start staggered to allow
for the curve of the track.
Sprint technique
On balls of feet
Push hard off the ground
High knees
Fast stride
Arms backwards and forwards action
Drive elbows back
Elbow bend 90 degree
Appearance of being Tall, Relaxed
and Smooth with maximum Drive.
Middle/long distance
Middle: Long distance:
Competitors do not use starting
Is all about pacing yourself
blocks. Runners may not touch Having enough energy to last for a long
period of time.
the ground with their hands at the Arm action slower
start. In the 800, starting It is important to have a comfortable
positions are staggered to stride and rhythm
equalize the length of each lane The foot strikes the ground less on the
on the curved track. Runners ball of the foot and more to the back of
must remain in their lanes until the foot.
the end of the first turn. Stamina The knee has some flex.
is important in all middle Leg movement is smooth.
distance events, as is strategy, as Swing arms from shoulders in a
runners must conserve some comfortable back and forward
energy in order to finish strong. movement. Arms and shoulders should
be relaxed.
Head straight; focus ahead ten to fifteen
meters.
Relay race
Is one of the most exciting races to
watch in the Olympics. This is the
only team event in athletics.
4 runners in a relay team. Runners
exchange a baton over 4x100m or
4x400m distance.
Field events
Comprise of the jumping and
throwing events:
Name the events below:
Jumps
Jumping for distance:
Long jump
Triple jump
Jumping for height:
High jump
Pole vault
Long jump
The long jump is a power event Run up should be rhythmic and
that comprises of the following very fast.
four phases: You must determine your take off
foot before you start, sink hips and
Approach run up next to last stride must be long,
Take off explode vertically by swinging free
limbs upwards
Flight through the air Hips high
Landing Swing legs through
To achieve maximum distance in Extend heels as far away from take
the long jump the athlete will off line as possible
have to balance three Sink heels into ground on landing
components - speed, technique Continue to land forward, don’t fall
and strength. back!
Long jump techniques
In the stride jump style the athlete maintains the take off position for as long as
possible and only as the athlete comes into land does the take off leg join the free
leg for a good landing position
The hang style -On take off the athlete drops the free leg to the vertical, which is
then joined by the take off leg. The arms go overhead to slow down the rotation
about the athlete's centre of gravity. The legs are then lifted upwards and forwards
whilst lower the trunk. The arms swing past the legs during the landing phase to
ensure a good leg shoot.
The Hitch-Kick -Following take off the free leg is straightened and swung back
and down as the take off leg folds up beneath the hips and comes forward bent.
The take off leg then continues forward, straightening for landing. The free leg
completes its backward swing behind the hip and then folds up and moves
forwards bent, to join the take off leg ready for landing
Long jump technique
Triple jump
Comprises of 4 phases: approach phase, hop phase, step phase and the
jump phase.
The approach run for the Triple Jump is similar to that of the Long
Jump and the objective is to create the greatest amount of speed that
can be controlled throughout the triple jump hop, step and jump
phases.
