DEFINITION

TYPES/KINDS

EQUIPMENTS

RECORDS

ATHLETICS

-exercises, sports, or games engaged in by athletes or the practice or principles of athletic activities.

ATHLETICS

THE COMMON TYPES OF ATHLETICS COMPETITIONS

TRACK & FIELD

ROAD RUNNING

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING

RACEWALKING

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the competition venue: a stadium with an oval running track around a grass field. The throwing and jumping events generally take place in the central enclosed area.

MEASURES OF A TRACK

Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road (as opposed to track and cross country running). These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners or wheelchair entrants. Road running is part of a group of road events known as "road races".

Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically 4–12 kilometers (2.5–7.5 mi) long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road. It is both an individual and a team sport; runners are judged on individual times and a points-scoring method for teams. Both men and women of all ages compete in cross country, which usually takes place during autumn and winter and can include weather conditions of rain, sleet, snow or hail, and a wide range of temperatures.

Racewalking, or race walking, is a long-distance athletic event. Although it is a foot race, it is different from running in that one foot must appear to be in contact with the ground at all times. Stride length is reduced, so to achieve competitive speeds, racewalkers must attain cadence rates comparable to those achieved by Olympic 800-meter runners and they must do so for hours at a time since the Olympic events are the 20 km (12.4 mi) race walk (men and women) and 50 km (31 mi) race walk (men only), and 50 mile (80.5 km) events are also held.

EQUIPMENTS USED IN ATHLETICS

Timing DevicesA fully automatic timing system or electric or digital stopwatches are recommended. When Fully Automatic Timing (FAT) is used, times will be recorded in one one-hundredth (1/100) of a second. Most manual timing devices are equipped with a button for start, a button for stop and a reset button. All manual times will be recorded in one-tenth (1/10) of a second.

Starting PistolA starting pistol should be used during training sessions. Special Olympics athletes should be exposed to the gun prior to participating in a competitive event. Suitable replacements for the gun are a bell (mandatory in an indoor track), whistle, clapping 2 pieces of wood together or verbal start.

Starting Blocks The use of starting blocks is optional. Starting blocks should be anchored behind the starting line so that when in the start position, the athlete's hands are set just behind the starting line. The blocks must be adjustable to allow the athlete to attain the most beneficial starting position.

Hurdles Hurdles that suit the ability of the athletes should be used. Competitive hurdles shouldn't b e used until athletes have learned the basis of hurdling technique over practice hurdles. Practice hurdles can be collapsible or designed to fall over easily. Practice hurdles come in many forms — from a light stick balanced on traffic cones to specifically designed beginner/practice hurdles.

Relay BatonOne relay baton is needed for each participating relay team. Batons measuring 10cm in circumference are made of anodized aluminum or lightweight unbreakable plastic. For practice, the following materials cut into 30cm lengths and having smooth edges can be utilized: dowels, old broom handles or PVC pipe.

Shot PutsOutdoor shots, made of iron, and indoor shots, covered with hard plastic, are acceptable for use in SSOO, and either type may be used in competition as long as the following minimum weight requirements are followed:Men:4 kg. Women:2.72 kg

SoftballsOfficial size (30cm) and weight (blue dot, traditional flight) softballs are recommended. Usually a dozen softballs are adequate for a training session. Tennis balls can be substituted for use by lower functioning and multi-handicapped athletes.

WORLD RECORDS IN

ATHLETICS

100m

run

WR Men 9.58 10.44 Usain Bolt JAMAug 16, 2009

Berlin, Germany

OR Men 9.69 10.32 Usain Bolt JAMAug 16, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women 10.49 9.53Florence Griffith Joyner

USA Jul 16, 1988Indianapolis, USA

OR Women 10.62 9.42Florence Griffith Joyner

USA Sep 24, 1988 Seul, Korea

200m

WR Men 19.19 10.42 Usain Bolt USAAug 20, 2009

Berlin, Germany

OR Men 19.30 10.36 Usain Bolt JAMAug 20, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women 21.34 9.37Florence Griffith Joyner

USASep 29, 1988

Seul, Korea

OR Women 21.34 9.37Florence Griffith Joyner

USASep 29, 1988

Seul, Korea

400m

run

WR Men 43.18 9.26Michael Johnson

USAAug 26, 1999

Seville, Spain

OR Men 43.49 9.20Michael Johnson

USAJul 29, 1996

Atlanta, GA, USA

WR Women

47.60 8.40Marita Koch

GDROct 06, 1985

Canberra, Australia

OR Women

48.25 8.29Marie José Pérec

FRAJul 29, 1996

Atlanta, GA, USA

800m

run

WR Men 1:41.01 7.92David Rudisha

KENAug 29, 2010

Rieti, Italy

OR Men 1:42.58 7.80Vebjørn Rodal

NOR Jul 31, 1996Atlanta, GA, USA

WR Women 1:53.28 7.06Jarmila Kratochvílová

CSK Jul 26, 1983Monachium, Germany

OR Women 1:53.43 7.05Nadezhda Olizarenko

URS Jul 27, 1980Moscow, USSR

1500m

run

WR Men 3:26.00 7.28Hicham El Guerrouj

MARSep 05, 1998

Rome, Italy

OR Men 3:32.07 7.07Noah Ngeny

KENSep 29, 2000

Sydney, Australia

WR Women

3:50.46 6.51 Qu Yunxia CHNSep 11, 1993

Beijing, China

OR Women

3:53.96 6.41Paula Ivan

ROMSep 26, 1988

Seoul, Korea

5000m

run

WR Men 12:37.35 6.60Kenenisa Bekele

ETHMay 31, 2004

Hangelo, Holand

OR Men 12:57.82 6.43Kenenisa Bekele

ETHAug 23, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women

14:11.15 5.87Tirunesh Dibaba

ETHJun 06, 2008

Oslo, Norway

OR Women

14:40.79 5.68Gabriela Szabo

ROMSep 25, 2000

Sydney, Australia

10000m

run

WR Men 26:17.53 6.34Kenenisa Bekele

ETHAug 26, 2005

Brussels, Belgium

OR Men 27:01.17 6.17Kenenisa Bekele

ETHAug 17, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women

29:31.78 5.64Wang Junxia

CHNSep 08, 1993

Beijing, China

OR Women

29:54.66 5.57Tirunesh Dibaba

ETHAug 15, 2008

Beijing, China

Marathon

(42195m)

WR Men 2:03:38 5.69Patrick Makau Musyoki

KENSep 25, 2011

Berlin, Germany

OR Men 2:06:32 5.56Samuel Wanjiru

KENAug 24, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women 2:15:25 5.19Paula Radcliffe

UKApr 13, 2005

London, UK

OR Women 2:23:14 4.91Naoko Takahashi

JPNSep 24, 2000

Sydney, Australia

100m

Hurdles

WR Men - - - - - -

OR Men - - - - - -

WR Women

12.21 8.19Jordanka Donkova

BULAug 20, 1988

Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

OR Women

12.37 8.08Joanna Hayes

USAAug 24, 2004

Athens, Greece

110m

Hurdles

WR Men 12.87 8.55Dayron Robles

CUBJun 12, 2008

Ostrava, Czech Rep

OR Men 12.91 8.52 Xiang Liu CHNAug 27, 2004

Athens, Greece

WR Women

- - - - -

OR Women

- - - - - -

400m

Hurdles

WR Men 46.78 8.55 Kevin Young USAAug 06, 1992

Barcelona, Spain

OR Men 46.78 8.55 Kevin Young USAAug 06, 1992

Barcelona, Spain

WR Women 52.34 7.64Yuliya Pechonkina

RUSAug 08, 2003

Tula, Russia

OR Women 52.64 7.60Melaine Walker

JAMAug 20, 2008

Beijing, China

3000m

Steeplechase

WR Men 7:53.63 6.33Saif Saaeed Shaheen

QUA Sep 03, 2004Brussels, Belgium

OR Men 8:05.51 6.18 Julius Kariuki KEN Sep 30, 1988 Seoul, Korea

WR Women 8:58.81 5.57Gulnara Samitova-galkina

RUS Aug 17, 2008 Beijing, China

OR Women 8:58.81 5.57Gulnara Samitova-galkina

RUS Aug 17, 2008 Beijing, China

4x100m

Relay

WR Men 37.04 10.80

Nesta CarterMichael FraterYohan BlakeUsain Bolt

JAM Sep 04, 2011 Taegu, Korea

OR Men 37.10 10.78

Nesta CarterMichael FraterUsain BoltAsafa Powell

JAM Aug 22, 2008Beijing, China

WR Women 41.37 9.67

Silke GladischSabine RiegerIngrid AuerswaldMarlies Göhr

GDR Oct 06, 1985Canberra, Australia

OR Women 41.60 9.62

Romy MüllerBärbel WöckelIngrid AuerswaldMarlies Göhr

GDR Aug 01, 1980Moscow, USSR

4x400m

Relay

WR Men 2:54.29 9.18

Andrew ValmonQuincy WattsButch ReynoldsMichael Johnson

USA Aug 22, 1993Stuttgart, Germany

OR Men 2:55.39 9.12

Lashawn MerrittAngelo TaylorDavid NevilleJeremy Wariner

USA Aug 23, 2008 Beijing, China

WR Women 3:15.17 8.20

Tatyana LedovskayaOlga NazarovaMariya PiniginaOlga Bryzgina

URS Oct 01, 1988 Seul, Korea

OR Women 3:15.17 8.20

Tatyana LedovskayaOlga NazarovaMariya PiniginaOlga Bryzgina

URS Oct 01, 1988 Seul, Korea

20km

Walk

WR Men 1:16:43 4.34Sergey Morozov

RUSJun 08, 2008

Saransk, Russia

OR Men 1:18:59 4.22Robert Korzeniowski

POLSep 22, 2000

Sydney, Australia

WR Women

1:25:08 3.92Vera Sokolova

RUSFeb 26, 2011

Sochi, Russia

OR Women 1:26:31 3.85Olga Kaniskina

RUSAug 21, 2008

Beijing, China

50km

Walk

WR Men 3:34:14 3.89Denis Nizhegorodov

RUSMay 11, 2008

Cheboksary, Russia

OR Men 3:37:09 3.84Alex Schwazer

ITAAug 22, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women

- - - - -

OR Women

- - - - - -

HighJump

WR Men 2.45m -Javier Sotomayor

CUB Jul 27, 1993Salamanca, Spain

OR Men 2.39m -Charles Austin

USA Jul 28, 1996Atlanta, GA, USA

WR Women 2.09m -Stefka Kostadinova

BULAug 30, 1987

Rome, Italy

OR Women 2.06m -Yelena Slesarenko

RUSAug 28, 2004

Athens, Greece

LongJump

WR Men 8.95m - Mike Powell USA Aug 30, 1991 Tokyo, Japan

OR Men 8.90m - Bob Beamon USA Oct 18, 1968Mexico City, Mexico

WR Women 7.52m -Galina Chistyakova

URS Jun 11, 1988Leningrad, USSR

OR Women 7.40m -Jackie Joyner Kersee

USA Sep 29, 1988 Seoul, Korea

PoleVault

WR Men 6.14m -Sergey Bubka

UKRJul 31, 1994

Sestriere, Italy

OR Men 5.96m -Steven Hooker

AUSAug 22, 2008

Beijing, China

WR Women 5.06m -Yelena Isinbayeva

RUSAug 28, 2009

Zurich, Switzerland

OR Women 5.05m -Yelena Isinbayeva

RUSAug 18, 2008

Beijing, China

TripleJump

WR Men 18.29m -Jonathan Edwards

UKAug 07, 1995

Göteborg, Sweden

OR Men 18.09m -Kenny Harrison

USA Jul 27, 1996Atlanta, GA, USA

WR Women 15.50m -Inessa Kravets

UKRAug 10, 1995

Göteborg, Sweden

OR Women 15.39m -Françoise Mbango Etone

CMRAug 17, 2008

Beijing, China

ShotPut

WR Men 23.12m -Randy Barnes

USAMay 20, 1990

Westwood, USA

OR Men 22.47m -Ulf Timmermann

GDRSep 23, 1988

Seoul, Korea

WR Women 22.63m -Natalya Lisovskaya

URSJun 07, 1987

Moscow, USSR

OR Women 22.41m -Ilona Slupianek

GDRJul 24, 1980

Moscow, USSR

DiscusThrow

WR Men 74.08m -Jürgen Schult

GDR Jun 06, 1986Neubrandenburg, Germany

OR Men 69.89m -Virgilijus Alekna

LTUAug 23, 2004

Athens, Greece

WR Women 76.80m -Gabriele Reinsch

GDR Jul 09, 1988Neubrandenburg, Germany

OR Women 72.30m -Martina Hellmann

GDRSep 29, 1988

Seul, Korea

HammerThrow

WR Men 86.74m -Jurij Siedych

URSAug 30, 1986

Stuttgart, Germany

OR Men 84.80m -Sergey Litvinov

URSSep 26, 1988

Seoul, Korea

WR Women 79.42m -Betty Heidler

GDRMay 21, 2011

Halle, Germany

OR Women 76.34m -Aksana Miankova

BLRAug 20, 2008

Beijing, China

JavelinThrow

WR Men 98.48m - Jan železný CZE May 25, 1996Jena, Germany

OR Men 90.57m -Andreas Thorkildsen

NOR Aug 23, 2008 Beijing, China

WR Women 72.28m -Barbora špotáková

CZE Sep 13, 2008Stuttgart, Germany

OR Women 71.53m -Osleidys Menéndez

CUB Aug 27, 2004Athens, Greece

Decathlon(Men)

Heptatlon(Women)

WR Men 9039 -Ashton Eaton

USAJun 23, 2012

Eugene, US

OR Men 8893 -Roman šebrle

CZEAug 24, 2004

Athens, Greece

WR Women

7291 -Jackie Joyner Kersee

USASep 24, 1988

Seoul, Korea

OR Women

7291 -Jackie Joyner Kersee

USASep 24, 1988

Seoul, Korea

http://sports.specialolympics.org/specialo.org/Special_/English/Coach/Coaching/ATHLETIC/PLANNING/ATHLET-4.HTM

http://records.unitarium.com/athletic-records

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_(sport)#History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_(sport)

SOURCES:

Google.comGoogle.com/images