Knowra Athletics at the Summer Olympics Athletics at the Summer Olympics Athletics is the Summer Olympic program of track and field, road running, and race walking events. It has featured at every modern Summer Olympics since 1896.
Track and field : A group of athletic competitions held on a running track or field, including races, jumps, and throws. This is the broad event family at the heart of the Olympic athletics program.
Olympic athletics qualification : The rules and selection procedures determining which athletes may compete in Olympic athletics events. Entry standards and national quotas govern access to each event.
Ancient Olympic Games : A series of athletic and religious festivals held at Olympia in ancient Greece. The modern athletics program invokes a tradition rooted in ancient Greek competition.
Olympic medal : An award given for a top-three finish in an Olympic event. Medals make athletics performances a central measure of Olympic success.
Sprinting : Running over short distances at maximum speed, typically 100, 200, or 400 metres. These races produce some of the Games’ most watched contests.
World Athletics : The international governing body responsible for the rules and global organization of athletics. Its technical rules underpin Olympic event conduct and records.
1896 Summer Olympics : The first modern Summer Olympics, held in Athens in 1896. Its athletics competitions began the event’s continuous presence at the Games.
National Olympic Committee : An organization recognized by the IOC to represent a country or territory in the Olympic movement. National teams and quotas connect individual athletics results to national representation.
Middle-distance running : Competitive running over distances commonly ranging from 800 to 3,000 metres. The 800 metres and 1,500 metres combine speed with tactical pacing.
Olympic athletics records : The fastest, farthest, or highest performances recorded in athletics events at the Summer Olympics. Olympic records distinguish performances achieved at the Games from all-time world records.
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