Latest TRACK AND FIELD News

Latest TRACK AND FIELD News

More TRACK AND FIELD News

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Prefontaine Classic Result Feels Inevitable as Fans Point to Clear Favorite

Fans rally behind favourite as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone eyes her first Prefontaine Classic win. Why does it feel like a golden opportunity?
Untitled design – 2025-06-30T183559.511

Justin Gatlin Airs Honest Thoughts Over Grant Holloway’s Struggles Following Rough Return

As Grant Holloway is in a bittersweet track season, Justin Gatlin shares his surprising takes on the Olympic champion’s chances.
Grant Holloway

Track and Field Community Left Heartbroken After 23-Year-Old Robbed of World Championship Dreams at Jamaican Nationals

The Olympic champion’s sad outcome in the Kingston National Stadium has made the track and field fans heartbroken.
Briana Williams

Prefontaine Classic Faces Major Setback as Top Track and Field Stars Withdraw in Sudden Twist

: While the Prefontaine Classic is just days away, things are looking bad because of a few track and field stars’ last-minute decision.
Jakob Ingebrigtsen

Grant Holloway’s Rival Suffers Shocking Exit From Jamaican Nationals Following Major Setback

In the turns of events, Grant Holloway’s Jamaican rival had to miss the Nationals final, ending his Tokyo World Championships dream.
Grant Holloway

Noah Lyles’ Fight for Shoe Deal Continues While Track & Field Legend Exposes Endorsement Reality

Justin Gatlin revealed that shoe companies like to keep athlete contract details private to create division and prevent collective bargaining
Noah Lyles

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Harsh Diamond League Wake-Up Call Resurfaces Ahead of Prefontaine Classic Debut

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, an Olympic gold medalist faced significant early career struggles despite her current dominance
Athletics – Women’s 4 x 400m Relay Final

Track and Field Community Shaken as Age Scans Trigger Alarming Questions Over Eligibility and Past Results

Ethiopia's youth track team rocked by age scan failures, sparking public doubt over past records, medals, and athlete eligibility.
Track and field

Can Noah Lyles Still Be Called the World’s Fastest Man? Here’s Why!

The pressure to prove himself must be mounting on Noah Lyles after new facts just came out, questioning his dominance!
Noah Lyles

Shelly-Ann Frazer-Pryce Just One Step Away From History Following Emotional Turmoil at Last Jamaican Race

Shelly‑Ann Fraser‑Pryce has qualified for the Tokyo World Championships at 38, and she would make records by just being present there.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Sha’Carri Richardson Sent Defiant Warning as Jamaican Rivals Ignite World Championship Alarm

Putting Sha’carri Richardson on notice, someone from the track and field world breaks down Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and rivals’ threat.
Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Olympische Spiele, Olympia, OS – 09/08/2024 PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 09 : Richardson Sha Carri (

Favour Ofili Sparks Massive Debate as Track and Field Community Left Clueless Over Nationality

Track and field fans were left confused after Favour Ofili's latest win. Turkey or Nigeria? Which flag would be next to her name?
Favour Ofili

Arkansas Razorbacks Star Makes Honest Admission After Returning Home Amidst Tough Conditions

This track and field star from Arkansas has returend to his home soil after 2 years and has talked of his struggles after a disappointment.
Track and field (1)

Quincy Wilson Makes Shocking Confession as Teenager Reveals Truth Behind Olympic Journey

Ten months after his grandest achievement, Quincy Wilson sheds light on the unknown journey he covered to reach his dream...
U.S. Summer Olympics Relay

Quincy Wilson Reveals Mother’s Drastic Step Following Concerning Mental Health Admission

Once avoiding it for mental health, Quincy Wilson reveals a few things regarding his mother’s stepping in to handle a certain part.
Athletics: Penn Relays 2025 Day 1

Favour Ofili Pushes Past $500,000 Controversy to Humble Americans on Home Soil

Favour Ofili, amidst her controversy regarding allegiance switch, runs past the Americans on their very own home soil.

Kishane Thompson Shares Honest Thoughts on the Move That Gave Noah Lyles the Edge in Paris

Kishane Thompson reflects on the lean that gave Noah Lyles Olympic gold, weeks after redeeming himself at Jamaica’s national trials.
noah lyles and kishane thompson

Justin Gatlin Highlights the Brutal Grind That Track and Field Stars Continue to Face

The life of a professional track and field athlete is a cycle of global travel and recurring competitions,as highlighted by Justin Gatlin
Justin Gatlin

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Award That Put Her in Spotlight Resurfaces Amid Latest Nomination

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2016 ESPY moment with Allyson Felix resurfaces as she earns another nomination in 2025.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

Tina Clayton Reveals Sad Truth After Beating Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Dream Final Moment

At Jamaican National Trials, Tina Clayton defeated sprinting legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m final with a personal best of 10.81s
World Athletics Championships Oregon22 – Day Seven

Fans Stand By Tara Davis-Woodhall as She Reveals Bitter Truth of Track and Field

Tara Davis-Woodhall speaks out on track and field’s invisibility, urging urgent reform after Grand Slam Track’s collapse.

Gabby Thomas Left in the Dust as Nigerian Rival Outsprints Olympic Star in Blistering Finish

Gabby Thomas finishes second to Nigeria’s Favour Ofili in the ATX Sprint Classic 100m final, raising fresh concerns before Worlds.
Gabby Thomas

Tyreek Hill Smokes Noah Lyles’ Brother as Fans Challenge the Olympic Champion: “Get It Together”

NFL star Tyreek Hill competed in the ATX Classic 100m prelims, clocking 10.10 seconds and out-racing brother of Olympic champion Noah Lyles.
Tyreek Hill and Noah Lyles

Emotions Run High as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Makes Heartfelt Confession After Qualifying for Final World Championship

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce qualifies for her final World Championships, sharing an emotional moment after a powerful return to form.
Day 2 – World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Gets an Important Flashback While Qualifying for World Championships at 38

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce just ran the last race on the Jamaican soil and with her third position win, she is back in the past.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Oblique Seville Almost Took World Lead From Kishane Thompson if Not for 1 Thing

In the JAAA National Senior Championships, Oblique Seville gave a stiff competition to Kishane Thompson despite facing issues.
Oblique Seville

About TRACK AND FIELD

Speed. Technique. Thrill. Track and Field is a sport that incorporates all this and more. Races so electrifying that they bring the house down, speeds so blazing that you might miss them in the blink of an eye, and rivalries so intense that there is a constant tussle for dominance. Well, the recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympics provided a hearty dose of track action. And now, the ongoing Diamond League circuit is ensuring that track fans continue to be on the edge of their seats. But, do you know what the initial days of this fascinating sport looked like?

Track and Field: History and evolution of the sport

On the marks, set, go. If only the evolution of track and field were so easy. Instead, it was something that gradually happened over years of evolution.

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Ancient- One of the oldest sports to have existed, the cornerstone of track and field was laid by the Greeks, where men would exhibit their athletic talents as part of celebratory events. Initially limited to foot races, stadion and diaulos were the competitions that comprised the crux of the sport, which has been around since the first Olympics in Ancient Greece, dating back to 776 B.C. Although the Romans continued the games till 394 A.D., when it was banned, the sport saw a resurgence after the decline of the Roman empire. Tracing back to the 16th and 17th centuries, foot races had become a regular sight in Europe.

Modern- The 1860s predominantly saw the wave of transformation, wherein the first championships featuring amateur men were held in England. Athletic clubs and organizations sprung up across Europe and the United States, with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coming into being in 1887.

Olympic age- 1896, was when the first Modern Olympic Games were flagged off in Athens, which included track and field in the sports that debuted.

20th century- With athletes flocking from across the world to exhibit their athletic talent, track and field's stature elevated substantially. Technical developments fostered improvements in training and diet, and the track saw the likes of legends like Jesse Owens, Usain Bolt, Flo-Jo, etc coming out at the top.

What are the major events in track and field?

Track and field is a sport that covers a plethora of events under its banner. Speaking of the Olympics in particular, it features 48 events, 24 men's events and 24 women's. Care to know what they are?

Track DisciplineEvents
Sprint100m, 200m, 400m
Middle-distance/Long-distance800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, 3000m steeplechase
Hurdles100m hurdles, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles
Road RunningHalf marathon, marathon
Race Walks20k race walk, 35k race walk
Relays4x100 relay, 4x400 relay, 4x400 relay mixed
Field DisciplineEvents
JumpsHigh jump, pole vault, long jump, triple jump
ThrowsShot put, discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw
Combined EventsHeptathlon, Decathlon
Cross Country
Mountain Running
Ultra Running
Trail Running

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What are the rules and regulations of track and field in major competitions like the Olympics?

Sprinting Rules

  • Most of the sprinting events from 100m to 5000m conduct qualifying rounds before the finals. Usually heats, semifinals, and then the finals. The top three on the finals scoreboard take home gold, silver, and bronze.
  • Sprints, hurdles, and relay races feature starting blocks, followed by the firing of a pistol to commence the race. If a runner starts before the fire, it's called a 'false start.' This will lead to disqualification.
  • 100m sprints and 110m/100m hurdles comprise starts where racers are all in one line. Whereas, in the 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay, and 400m relay categories, they are placed in staggered positions.
  • Running outside the allocated lanes would also lead to disqualification. If an athlete is forced to cross the lane by another one so that there is no material advantage, they will not be disqualified. The same for a person who strays out or crosses the line, and in doing so, they do not get an advantage, there will be no disqualification.
  • The athlete whose torso crosses the vertical finish line plane will be declared the winner.
Relay Rules
  • For any of the relays, baton handover must not happen beyond the 20m changeover box. If yes, then this would amount to disqualification.
  • The baton should not fall or touch the ground in any way.
Middle Distance Rules
  • There are no starting blocks in these races. Also, athletes line up in an upright position. In 800m, the 8 runners will stand in staggered positions before the start. Through the first turn, they have to stay in their respective lanes, but can then break to the inside. If done very early, then can lead to disqualification.
  • 1500m and the steeplechase have group starts, and no fixed lanes are allocated.
  • In steeplechase, if an athlete steps aside during a barrier, they will be disqualified. They can jump above them in any way, but no part of the foot or leg should be below the horizontal plane of the upper bar while they are attempting to clear it.
Long Distance Rules
  • The 10,000m, marathon, race walk, decathlon, and heptathlon are events that directly conduct finals with no qualifying rounds.
  • The starts happen in an upright position and involve no touching of the ground.
  • Usually, these feature mass starts. However given the possibility that there are more than 12 runners in the race, they are divided into staggered groups. The first one will have 65 percent of the athletes that usually appear on a start line.
  • There are no lane assignments. Track athletes can break for positions right after the commencement.
Race Walking Rules
  • The walker must be in contact with the ground continuously. Even the advancing leg should be straight from the instance when it comes in contact with the ground till it goes into the upright position.
  • There are anything between six and nine judges in the event. And they are free to issue warnings upon violations like leg contact or perhaps a bent knee.
  • If participating athletes get warnings from 3 different judges, they get disqualified. Also, if an official medical officer asks them to retire from the race, the competitors must leave.
Jumping Rules
  • High jump- The jump-off must happen from one foot. And given that the athlete makes contact with the crossbar and falls off the supports, it will be counted as a failed attempt. Also, athletes will be given 3 attempts for a particular height. The option to pass a certain height and try for the next is also available. But, if there are 2 failed attempts at a single height, and the athlete skips that to move on to the next, the next should be cleared on the first try.
  • Pole Vault- Participants can use a substance either on their hands or the pole to facilitate a better grip. But, tape on fingers or hands is prohibited, unless there is an open wound. Athletes are also allowed to use their poles, of any material, length, or diameter. If they break, the participants still get another go at it. However, there are three criteria for disqualification. First is when the vaulter makes the crossbar fall by touch. Second is when they move their lower hand above their upper one or their upper hand higher on the pole after leaving the ground. And third, if they steady or replace the bar while conducting the vault.
  • Long Jump- The measurement for the jumps is calculated from the takeoff line to the closest break in the landing area, done by any part of the participant's body. Failed attempts happen on exceeding the takeoff line while jumping, or on taking off from outside either end of the take-off board. Or perhaps touching the ground outside the landing area closer to the take-off line, in comparison to the nearest break in the sand.
  • Triple Jump- There are three stages of a triple jump- a hop, a step, and a jump, all done in the said sequence. Hope and jump have to be made from the same foot used for take-off, while the step involves the other. Failed attempts have identical criteria to the long jump. However, there is one exception, and that is when an athlete makes contact with the ground with their sleeping leg during a jump, it isn't considered a failure.
Decathlon and Heptathlon Rules-
  • The decathlon and heptathlon events are conducted over two consecutive days.
  • In both these events, 3 attempts in the long jump, shot put, discus, and javelin throw are allowed. And a single false start in track events is allowed.
Throwing Rules-
  • Shot, discuss, and hammer throw are all done from within the demarcated throwing circles. While the javelin throw features a runway. Crossing either while a throwing attempt is made will count as a failed attempt.
  • Also, the athletes must not exit and stay in the throwing area until the javelin or the respective implement touches the ground. And for it to be considered a valid throw, they should land within the landing zone.
  • Gloves are only permitted in hammer throw, while any sort of tape is not allowed unless there is an open wound on the hands or the fingers.
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What are the major track and field championships?

Some of the pivotal athletic competitions include-

  • The Athletics World Championships (Once every 2 years)
  • Olympic Games (Once every 4 years)
  • Commonwealth Games (Once every 4 years)
  • World Indoor Championships (Once every 2 years)
  • World Diamond League Meetings (Every year)
  • World Athletics Relays (Biennial)
  • Marathon Majors (Every year)
  • World Athletics Cross Country Championships (Biennial)
  • New York Marathon (Every year)

Who are the greatest track and field stars of all time?

Here are some of the most decorated track and field athletes of all time:

NameCountryEventOlympic medalsPersonal best
Paavo NurmiFinlandMiddle and Long Distance Runner 12 medals- 9G, 3S10000m - 30:06.2h

3000m - 8:20.4h

5000m- 14:28.2h

Carl LewisUnited States

 

100m,200m, Long Jump, 4x100m relay10 medals- 9G, 1SLong Jump- 8.87

100m- 9.86

200m- 19.75

Usain BoltJamaica100m, 200m, 4x100m relay8 medals- 8G100m- 9.58 (WR, AR)

200m- 19.19 (WR, AR)

Jesse OwensUnited States100m, 200m, Long Jump, 4x100m relay4 medals- 4G100m- 10.2h

200m- 20.7h

4x100m relay- 39.8h

Long Jump- 8.13

Allyson FelixUnited States200m, 4x400m relay, 4x100m relay, 400m11 medals- 7G, 3S, 1B200m- 21.69

400m- 49.26

4x100m relay- 40.82

4x400m relay- 31.16.85

Florence Griffith JoynerUnited States100m, 200, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay5 medals- 3G, 2S100m- 10.49

200m- 21.34

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Jackie Joyner-KerseeUnited StatesHeptathlon, Long Jump6 medals- 3G, 1S, 2BHeptathlon- 1331

Long Jump- 7.49

Bob BeamonUnited StatesLong Jump1 medal- 1GLong Jump- 8.90
Javie SotomayorCubaHigh Jump2 medals- 1G, 1SHigh Jump- 2.45 (WR)
Jan ZeleznyCzechiaJavelin Throw4 medals- 3G, 1SJavelin Throw- 98.48 (WR)
 

Haile Gebrselassie

EthiopiaLong Distance Runner2 medals- 2G10000m- 26:22.75

5000m- 12:39.36

AI OerterUnited StatesDiscus Throw4 medals- 4GDiscus Throw- 69.46
Sergey BubkaUkrainePole Vault1 medal- 1GPole Vault- 6.15