Chapter 1 athletics

The sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing.

1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF ATHLETICS Prepared by : Alberto B. Rosete P.E Instructor

2. CONTENTS LESSON 1: HISTORY LESSON 2: THE TRACK AND FIELD LESSON 3: TRACK EVENTS LESSON 4: FIELD EVENTS

3. HISTORY LESSON 1

4.   In order to find the origins of Athletics, we would have to go very far back in history because Athletics is one of the world’s oldest sporting events. In fact, Olympic Games as we know them today developed from the ancient track and field events that were very being held in Ancient Greece. However, some historians trace the origins of Athletics back to the 10th or even 9th century BC. In the year 776 BC in the ancient Olympia in Greece the first Olympic Games were held and during that games, only one, to use modern-day terminology, track and field event was held and that was the stadium footrace and the winner of that event and the first-ever Olympic winner was Koroibos . Athletics or rather some of the aspects of athletics were present at the Panhellenic Games that were held in Greece and from there the ideas and the main concepts of Athletics spread to Italy around the year 200 BC.

5. During the next several centuries Athletics developed in slow steps. However, during the Middle Ages, the new wave of track and field development began. During that time track and field developed in the Northern part of Europe. Track and field as we know it today began developing in the 19th century when the first competitions in track and field took place. At that time, those track and field competitions primarily were organized by educational institutions, sports clubs, and some military organizations. The events organized by these institutions were actually the ones that included the hurdle races.  

6. During this period, the first national athletics associations have been established, and shortly after that first national competitions took place. Among the first associations that organized such competitions was the Amateur Athletic Association of England who in 1880 organized the annual AAA Championship. Even before England, the New York Athletic Club from the United States organized the first USA Outdoor Track and Field Championship back in 1876.

7. As track and field were developing in big steps during that time, there was one common problem that all athletes shared. During that time, all athletes were considered to be amateurs, and because of the known rule that the amateur athletes could not receive training money, money prizes, or sponsorship deals that were ever-growing issues among the athletes. The charges that some athlete might be a professional eventually lead to stripping of the victories that that athlete had in the previous period. One of the biggest milestones for the development of Athletics came back in 1896 at the Summer Olympic Games. In those Games in Athens, track and field together with a marathon comprised the majority of the sporting events at that Games. Besides that, those Games are also important because they for the first time introduced the metric measurement that was used in the track and field competitions. During the next couple of decades the development of the track and field, or rather, athletics in general, but the Athletics on the path of becoming the most important aspect of the Olympic Games for every game in the future.

8. In 1912, the second milestone in the development of Athletics occurred when the International Amateur Athletic Federation or IAAF was founded and as such, it became the international governing body for track and field. The officials of the IAAF of that time emphasized the importance of amateurism for athletics and it became the basic principle on which IAAF will continue to operate. Up until the early 1920s, track and field was only a male sport. Women became part of athletics only after the women’s sports movement organized the Women’s World Games back in 1921. However, women for the first time participated in track and field competitions at the Olympic Games back in the 1928 Summer Olympic Games.

9. After athletics gained more media coverage and since it became appealing for big companies the amateur statues of the athletes was dropped in favor of the professionalism. Officially, in 1982, International Amateur Athletic Federation abandoned the notion of amateurism and it became the organization of professional athletes. Following that, the next year marked the first year in which the first IAAF World Championship in Athletics was held and from that moment, the popularity of athletics and athletes continued to grow and today they are among the most respected athletes in any sport.

10. THE TRACK AND FIELD LESSON 2

11. Track and field (also known as track and field sports, track and field athletics, or commonly just track) is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area. The throwing and jumping events generally take place within the central enclosed area.   THE TRACK AND FIELD

12. Track and field is one of the sports which (along with road running, cross-country running and race walking) makes up the umbrella sport of athletics. It is under the banner of athletics that the two most prestigious international track and field competitions are held: the athletics competition at the Olympic Games and the IAAF World Championships in Athletics. The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for track and field. Track and field events are generally individual sports with athletes challenging each other to decide a single victor. The racing events are won by the athlete with the fastest time, while the jumping and throwing events are won by the athlete who has achieved the greatest distance or height in the contest. The running events are categorized as sprints, middle and long-distance events, relays, and hurdling. Regular jumping events include long jump, triple jump, high jump and pole vault, while the most common throwing events are shot put, javelin, discus and hammer. There are also "combined events", such as heptathlon and decathlon, in which athletes compete in a number of the above events.

13. Records are kept of the best performances in specific events, at world and national levels, right down to a personal level. However, if athletes are deemed to have violated the event's rules or regulations, they are disqualified from the competition and their marks are erased. The athletes wear small clothes that make running easier; men wear shorts and sleeveless shirts while women wear swim-like suits.

14. TRACK AND FIELD AREA

15. TRACK EVENTS LESSON 3

16. TRACK EVENTS Running events include: Sprints (100m, 200m, 400m) Middle distance (800m, 1500m) Long distance (3000m Steeplechase, 5000m, 10,000m) Hurdles (110/100m, 400m) Relays (4x100m, 4x400m, mixed 4x400m) Hurdle Steeplechase Walking Relay

17. SPRINT Sprint Running (Athletics) Sprint running races are short distances races in which athletes try to run at their maximum speed throughout the entire distance of the race. Sprint races are part of the track and field discipline and are included in all events that feature track and field competitions. The 400m oval running track is split into eight lanes, where each lane is 4ft wide. Up to eight athletes compete in a single race. Competitions are conducted in a heats format, where athletes in groups of eight take part in a every race, with winners moving on to the next round, until the final winner is decided. Sprint races can be of various distances from 50 - 400m. The three formats used for the Olympics are: 100m, 200m and 400m. The 100m and 400m races are also conducted in a relay format where a team of four each run a leg and pass a baton from one runner to the next.

18. For the 100m race all runners are lined up in a straight line in a track, and for the 200m and 400m the start position is based on which lane the athlete is on the track. The runner to first cross the finish line is the winner. The time taken to finish the race for each athlete is also tracked for historical record keeping.

19. MIDDLE DISTANCE Middle distance races are part of the track and field discipline, usually the 800m and 1500m races, though it encompasses all track running races from 800m up to 3km such as the mile. Any longer races on the track as referred to as long distance races, which comprises of all running races of distances from 3km up including the steeplechase. The 800m runners start the race in lanes, though they merge together after about 100m to run along the inside of the track. Longer middle distance races such as the 1500m and mile races start with the runners spread across the track in a line and they immediately race to the inside of the track. As the runners are not restricted to run in their own lane, it enables more jockeying for position and for tactics to play a part, making for exciting finishes to races.

20. LONG DISTANCE Endurance running, also referred to as long-distance running, is a sport of the track and field discipline, which comprises of all running races of distances from 3kms up to the marathon. The sport has recently been dominated by runners from African countries, who hold the world records for all long distance races. There are several distances for which long-distances races are conducted, of which the most common are the, 5K, 10K, and the marathon (42.2K) races. Some of the other types of endurance running that are less popular are, the half marathon, ultra-marathon and cross-country running.

21. In major competitions, the 5K and 10K races are mostly conducted on a track, and the marathon races are conducted on city roads. The Olympics and the World Championships both have races for all the three distances, for both men and women. Though the 5K and 10K races are only conducted as part of a major event, every year, several standalone marathon races are held in various cities around the world, for both men and women. In these races, amateurs are also allowed to take part along with professional runners. Some of the most popular marathons are, New York marathon, Boston marathon, London marathon, Berlin marathon, Chicago marathon, and Tokyo marathon.

22. HURDLING Hurdling is the basis of a few track and field events. In the said events, obstacles or barriers which are called hurdles are set to which each athlete must jump over. Failure to do so may get an athlete disqualified. The standard hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. There is also a 400-meter hurdle race for both men and women. All these distances are events in the Summer Olympics and the World Championships in Athletics. The 110-meter and 100-meter hurdles are done on a running track, the 400-meter versions covers one whole oval track. There are also shorter distances which are done on indoor tracks, the distances start from 500 meters onwards. Hurdles in track races are usually 68-107 centimeters in height, but sometimes it varies on the age and gender of the participants .     Hurdles or hurdling is a track and field sport which involves running and jumping over obstacles at speed. Hurdling is part of athletics at the Olympic Games.

23. RELAYS Relay running is a type of running race in which athletes compete as a team, rather than as individuals. The two most common relay races in track and field are the 4 x 100m and the 4 x 400m races, in which four athletes run 100m and 400m each respectively. A less common relay is the sprint medley relay, usually consisting of four legs run at distances of 400, 200, 200, and 800 meters. The latest event to be added to the athletics program is the mixed 4x400m (2 men, 2 women). The major aspect of a relay race is the baton. The first runner of each team starts the race with a baton. After the first runner completes their part of the run, the baton has to be passed on to the next runner in the team. This continues until the final runner finishes the race with the baton in hand. During each exchange the athlete receiving the baton is allowed to be in motion before receiving the baton, but cannot go beyond 10m without the baton. If any of the athlete drops the baton, or the runner exceeds the 10m limit, the team will be disqualified.

24. For the 100m each relay, runners have to stay in their lane for the entire race, whereas for the 400m race, the first runner stay in their lane, the second runner moves into the inside lanes after running their first bend. Relay running is a part of the track and field events, and is contested during the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

25. STEEPLECHASE EVENTS Steeplechase , in athletics (track-and-field), a footrace over an obstacle course that includes such obstacles as water ditches, open ditches, and fences. The sport dates back to a cross-country race at the University of Oxford in 1850. As an Olympic track event (for men only), it was first run in the 1900 Games, and by the 1920 Games it was standardized at 3,000 metres , or about 7.5 laps on a 400-metre track. The steeplechase is also contested at a distance of 2,000 metres in international meets, though not at the Olympic Games. Scandinavian runners, such as  Volmari Iso-Hollo of Finland, were the top finishers from the 1920s through the ’40s, but Kenyan athletes, led by Kip Keino and Moses Kiptanui , came to dominate the event after midcentury.

26. Runners of the standard course face a total of 7 water jumps and 28 hurdling jumps. Hurdles are 91.4 cm (36 inches) high, and one of them, which has a top bar of 12.7 cm (5 inches), is placed immediately in front of the water jump, which is 3.66 meters (12 feet) long.

27. RULES IN RUNNING EVENTS The runners should abide by the following rules in order to complete a race − Sprinters should run in designated lanes and cannot cross lanes, throughout the race. In races with bunched starts, athletes can break inside. In 800-meter race, they start from staggered positions and can break inside after the first bend. In longer races of 1500 meters, 5000 meters, and 10000 meters, athletes can break inside after the start. Sprinters shouldn’t step on white lines that mark their lanes throughout the race. Sensors are placed in the starting pistol and at the blocks. In case of a false start, the athlete is disqualified. Before giving the ‘set’ command or before firing the starter gun, athletes cannot touch the other side of the start line with their hands or feet. Athletes should not obstruct other athletes during the race. If an athlete is obstructed, the referee may order the race to be held again, or he may ask the athlete to take part in the next round. Athletes may leave the track voluntarily before the race ends, but they cannot come back to the track else they will be disqualified.

28. TRACK DESIGN Running competitions are held either on Outdoor Tracks or Indoor Tracks. Outdoor Tracks  − Running races can be conducted both indoors and outdoors. In international competitions, outdoor tracks are oval shaped and they encompass the field used for various field events. Indoor Tracks  − World indoor athletic championships are held in indoor tracks. The indoor track is also an oval shaped track with measurements similar to that of outdoors, but it has a 60-meter straight track across the length of the oval. This is used for the 60-meter sprint race.

29. RUNNING - TERMS Before knowing the rules and the procedure for racing, let’s get familiar with some common terms used in this sport. Starting Blocks  − Starting blocks are provided at the starting points in most sprint races. These blocks have sensors to record starting time and pressure. They provide grip and help athletes to push themselves at the start. False Start  − Once the starting signal is given, players usually take more than 0.1 seconds to respond to it and start running. A player who reacts before 0.1 seconds is disqualified. Starting lines  − Starting lines are 50 mm wide lines in white that indicate the starting point in a race. In a straight 100-meter race, the lines are all straight; in the 200 meter and 400 meter race the lines are staggered or curved so that each athlete runs equal distances to finish the race.

30. Finish line  − The finish line is a 50 mm wide line marked across the track. It usually is a straight line perpendicular to the sides of the track and is at the straight part of the track. If it is at the curved part of the track, it is marked along the radius. Break lines  − Break lines are 50 mm wide arced lines and indicate the end of a bend. Small cones or prisms of any color other than white are sometimes placed on the lines separating lanes before the break lines start.

31. FIELD EVENTS LESSON 4

32. Jumping Jumping events include: Long Jump High Jump Triple Jump Pole Vault

33. LONG JUMP Long jump is a sport of the track and field discipline in which athletes try to leap forward as far as possible. The event is known to be part of ancient Olympics, and has been a part of modern Olympics since its inception in 1896. To perform a long jump, athletes sprint down a runway and takeoff from a wooden marker board which is about 8 inch wide, and travel as far as possible in the air, before landing into a sand pit. No part of the athlete's foot should cross the takeoff board, if it does, the jump is disqualified. After the jump, the traceable mark on the sand pit, closest to the takeoff board is used to measure the distance of the jump. Each athlete gets three attempts in each round.

34. Long jump competitions are part of all track and field events, the most popular of which are the Olympics and the World Championships. Competitions are conducted for both men and women in all events. The men's world record as of 2015 was set by Mike Powell from the United States, recording a 8.95 m jump, and the women's it is 7.52 m, set by Galina Chistyakova .

35. RULES AND REGULATIONS Long Jump: The athlete begins running from his or her starting position and jumps, landing in a sand pit. There is a foul line, in the run-up area, that the athlete has to be aware of; Jumping from beyond this line results in a 'foul jump'. Jumpers try to get as close to the foul line as legally possible before initiating their jump. No part of the athlete's foot should cross the front edge of the foul line. If, at the point of take-off, any part of his foot crosses the front edge of the foul line, then the jump is termed to be illegal or a 'foul jump', and does not count. The long jumper has three attempts to register his or her best legal jump. A foul jump accounts for an attempt. Only the farthest legal jump counts. The distance or the 'jump' is measured from the front edge of the foul line to the first landing point of the athlete, from the first point of contact.

36. LONG JUMP TRACK

37. TRIPLE JUMP Triple jump is an athletic sport of the track and field discipline, in which athletes get to take two steps before making the final jump. The first two steps are also referred to as hop and step. The objective of the sport is to cover as much distance as possible in the three leaps. A triple jump field consist of a runway path, a marker line to start the jump from, and a sand pit about 14 feet away from takeoff line. To make the jump, athletes sprint towards the takeoff mark and perform hop, step and jump in one continuous sequence. All three aspects of the triple jump are required to be performed in the correct foot sequence. The foot used for takeoff should be used for landing of the first jump. The second jump should land on the other foot, and the third jump has to be landed with both feet together.

38. If an athlete oversteps the takeoff mark or misses the foot sequence, the jump is disqualified. Each athlete gets six attempts, and the athlete with the longest jump is declared as the winner. Triple jump is an Olympic event and is conducted for both men and women. World Championships and all other major athletic events also feature triple jump competitions.

39. RULES AND REGULATIONS The rules for the triple jump are quite simple for an athlete. An athlete simply needs to do the following. Start the jump before the board. If they go over the foul line on the take-off board, the attempt will be discarded as a foul. When jumping, the athlete must land on the same foot used to take-off (Hop). During the second phase, the athlete must land on the opposing foot and initiate the third phase of the jump. The athlete can land in the sand. The measured distance will be measured from the closest mark in the sand to the take-off point.

40. TRIPLE LONG JUMP TRACK

41. HIGH JUMP The high jump event is part of track and field. The participants attempts to jump over a horizontal bar placed up high without the aid of any devices. The winner is the athlete to successfully clear the highest bar height. The participants can begin jumping at any height which is announced by the judge, they can also pass. They then have three attempts to clear the height. If the height is cleared, they can them attempt the next height, where they will have three more attempts. Once the jumper has three consecutive misses, they are out of the competition and the highest height they cleared is their result. The participants cannot take off on both feet; they must take off on one foot. A failed jump is when the bar is dislodged by the action of the participant while jumping. The style or technique the participants use must be flawless so that they can have a chance of clearing a high bar.

42. Special high jump footwear is often used for this event; the shoes have thicker soles and extra grip at the heel to provide stability and support at take off.

43. RULES AND REGULATIONS High Jump The height of the bar will start where all competitors are capable of jumping. The height the bar is raised between each round will also be geared to the ability of the competitors. The competitors shall be informed of this before the competition begins. Competitors have a maximum of seven jumps. Competitors may commence jumping at any of the heights above the minimum height and may jump at their discretion at any subsequent height. Elimination will be after 3 consecutive failures (although they do not have to be at the same height). After the competitor has won the competition and still has jumps to take, the height to which the bar is raised shall be decided after the judge of the competition has consulted the wishes of the competitor.

44. Ties for first place only shall be decided by counting back. In the event of a tie the winner will be (reference the IAAF Handbook) The athlete with lowest number of jumps at that height The athlete with the fewest number of failures up to and including the last height cleared. If there is subsequently still a tie for first place the jumpers move back to the last height which those included in the tie jumped at one attempt If more than one jumper involved in the tie is successful the bar goes up until there is a result. If there is still a tie for first place jumper move back to the last height which those included in the tie jumped at one attempt The designated high jump judge will decide whether or not a jump is valid.

45. HIGH JUMP PLAYING AREA

46. POLE VAULT Pole vault is a full medal track and field event at Olympic Games, requiring a competitor to leap over a bar using a long flexible pole made either of carbon fiber or fiberglass. It is one of the four major jumping events in athletics, the other three are high jump, long jump and triple jump. The pole vault has a lot of similarities to high jump. Pole Vault requires high running speed as an essential requirement for a athlete to be able to successfully jump over the bar using the pole. The technique requires a lot of practice and time to be mastered. Inexperienced athletes trying the pole vault can lead to broken poles and injury. It is crucial to use a pole in accordance to your body weight. Usually there is a red band to indicate recommended range of where to grip the pole. There is a specific area in which pole bends perfectly and the vaulter must take special consideration of that for efficient bending.

47. The winner is the athlete to successfully clear the highest bar height. The athlete can choose which height they would like to start. They then have three attempts to clear the height. If the height is cleared, they can them attempt the next height, where they will have three more attempts. Once the vaulter has three consecutive misses, they are out of the competition and the highest height they cleared is their result.

48. RULES AND REGULATIONS Pole Vaulting Rules Each athlete chooses his/her height that they wish to be entered for in competitions Each competitor has three tries to clear the height; if cleared, the jumper advances to the next height and will again, have three more attempts. If a competitor fails to clear all three attempts, they are out and their highest height is recorded; if a competitor fails to clear any bar throughout the entire competition, they will receive a ?NH? which stands for ?no height?.

49. Competitors also have the option of passing a height. For instance, if a vaulter misses their first jump, they have the option of passing on to the next height, but with only two attempts instead of three. Correspondingly, if a vaulter misses two jumps in a row, they can also pass to the next height but with only one attempt left. Once a competitor reaches their third miss, they are out. A jump-off takes place in the event of a tie and it is considered sudden death starting at the last attempted height. If both vaulters miss, the bar is lowered and if the jump is made, it is raised a little bit. Each competitor gets one attempt. Fouls Are Ruled When: The pole dislodges the bar, even if the vaulter cleared the bar The competitors fail to complete a jump within the time that is allotted, counting as a missed attempt

50. POLE VAULT PLAYING AREA

51. Throwing Throwing events include: Discus Shot Put Javelin Hammer Throw

52. DISCUS THROW Discus or discus throw, is a track and field event. In this event, the athlete will attempt to throw a heavy disc (called a discus) as far as he/she can. There are varying weights for international competitions. Men through age 49 will throw a 2-kilogram discus; 1.5 kilograms for 50-59-year old men’ 1 kilogram for 60 and beyond. For the women through age 74, the discus throw is around 1 kilogram, for women 75 years old; the discus is around .75 kilograms. The discus is usually made of plastic, wood, fiberglass, and carbon fiber. For the athletes to make a throw, they will start in a circle of 2.5 meters in diameter. Then the athlete will spin counter clockwise around one and a half time through the circle, then the athlete can release his/her throw.

53. The discus must land around the 34.92-degree sector. The six key movement of discus throw are: wind up, move in rhythm, balance, right leg engine, orbit, and delivery.

54. RULES AND REGULATION Discus The body of the disc could be made either of wood or other suitable material, having a circular edge with a metal rim. It could either be solid or hollow. It should weigh around 2 kg and have a diameter of 22 cm (for men). For women the weight is 1 kg and the diameter is 18 cm. The cross section of the edge should have a radius of 6mm and it should be a proper circle. The sides of the disc shall be identical, sans any sharp edges, irregularities, and protrusions. The sides should taper in a straight line from the point where the curve of the rim starts to a circle which has a radius of 25 mm to 28.5 mm, from the mid point. Finally, the finishing has to be smooth.

55. The Throw The discus can be thrown by an athlete after he or she stands in a circle which has a diameter of 2.5 meter. While the athletes attempt the throw, they cannot touch the top of the rim. However, they can touch the inner part of the rim of the circle. An athlete is not permitted to touch the ground outside the stipulated circle. Furthermore, prior to the disk hitting the ground, the athlete cannot go out of the circle. If he or she does that, it is considered as a foul. In Olympics, each of the athletes is given 8 chances and the best of them is recorded to determine the result. Another important point is that if the disc ends up outside the landing area, the throw would not be held valid.

56. DISCUS THROW PLAYING AREA

57. SHOT PUT Shot put is a track and field event in which the athlete will “put” (but more like of throwing) a shot – a heavy metal ball, the farthest that he can without leaving the circle that is 7 feet wide. To win this, the athlete should put the shot farther among its competitors. This sport was known to have started by the Ancient Greeks, but the very first event of it on record was in Scottish Highlands during the first century. In the Middle Ages, there were known competitions for soldiers throwing cannonballs. With time, shot put competitions were included in big events like British Amateur Championships and last 1896, shot put for men became an official event for Olympics. Eventually, shot put competitions for women were also included from 1948.

58. How to perform the shot put may sound so simple, but winning it requires great deal of balance, coordination, power, and momentum. The shot should be held by the base of the fingers - not the palm, and the hand should be bent back. The shot should be put in the neck and the palm should be facing the putting direction. During the throw or put as it is called, there are different styles that you can use to get the maximum distance. The glide style involves rotating 180 degrees towards the putting direction and there’s the spin style in which the thrower faces the rear, then spins to the throwing direction but giving the upper body a hard twist to get the highest possible throwing momentum.

59. RULES AND REGULATIONS Shot Put Rules Once the athlete's name is called, they have 60 seconds to release the shot The shot must be placed close to the neck and resting on the shoulder, while keeping it in that position the entire time until it is released. No padding or extra equipment is necessary The shot must be released above the height of the shoulder with one hand The athlete is permitted to touch the inside surface of the stop board; however neither the top nor the outside of the circle or stop board can be touched or passed The shot is required to land within the legal sector (34.92 ⁰ ) The competitor must exit the circle from the back

60. Fouls Occur When: A player does not pause within the circle before throwing motion A player allows the shot to drop below the shoulder The shot lands outside the boundaries of the sector or touches the sector line A player leaves the circle before the shot has landed or the competitor fails to leave the circle from the back The player touches the top/end of stop board, the top of the iron ring, or steps or touches on/outside of the line of the circle

61. SHOT PUT PLAYING AREA

62. JAVELIN Javelin or javelin throw is part of the track and field event. A javelin or a spear about 8 feet long is used to throw for maximum distance. The participant runs first within a predetermined area and then throws the javelin. The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) stated that non-orthodox techniques cannot be used in javelin throw. The participants must hold the javelin at its grip and throw over hands, over the participant’s upper arm or shoulder. Like other throwing competitions, the participant is not allowed to leave the area until the javelin has landed. The participants throw the javelin towards a sector which has an angle of 28.96 degrees extending outwards from the end of the runway.

63. Javelin is a part of the men’s decathlon and the women’s heptathlon. In international competitions, men use a javelin between 8 feet 6 inches and 8 feet 10 inches; the women use a javelin between 7 feet 3 inches and 7 feet 7 inches.

64. RULES AND REGULATIONS Holding the javelin must be done at the grip part and should always be maintained above the shoulder level. For valid throw, the javelin must lie before the specified zone and its tip should hit the ground. There is a special marking line on the runway within which the athlete needs to throw. The athlete should not leave the ground until the javelin lands on the ground. After the throwing action has been made, the thrower should not turn back towards the pointing direction, until it lands. The number of throws allowed per athlete is same as that of the discus throw. Once the competition has started, the athletes cannot use the perimeter for practice purpose.

65. Using any device that may assist the thrower in throwing is strictly prohibited. For example, tapping of fingers are not allowed unless there is a wound. The throw will be considered as a foul in the following cases − Improper throw of the javelin in the attempt. Demarking of the line with any body part. Player going out of the marking line while throwing The tip of the javelin lies outside the edges of the landing sector. The time is increased to 1 minute if there are 2-3 number of competitors. In case only one competitor is left, time is increased to 2 minutes.

66. JAVELIN THROW PLAYING AREA

67. HAMMER Hammer throw is one of the events in track and field competitions. A heavy object on the end of a thin wire is hurled for maximum distance. The game dates back to the 15th century. Hammer throw is one of the oldest events in the Olympic Games. For the men’s division, the hammer weighs around 16 pounds and measures around 3 feet and 11 ¾ inches. For the women’s division, the hammer weighs around 8.82 pounds and measure around 3 feet and 11 inches in length. A winner is decided if he or she can throw the hammer the farthest. It was used to be thought as a strength event, but now it’s more on speed so one can throw the hammer in a farther distance.

68. The action of throwing involves two swings, then around three or four body rotations in circular motion using a heel-toe movement of the foot. This is then moved in a circular path. It gradually increases its velocity, and then the participant throws the ball from the circle.

69. RULES AND REGULATIONS An athlete has to abide by the following rules while performing in a Hammer Throw competition Before the starting of preliminary swinging, an athlete is allowed to put the head of hammer either inside or outside the circle. It is not a foul if before the starting of preliminary swing, the thrower puts his hammer on ground but if after preliminary swing, the head of the hammer touches ground or the hammer is dropped by the athlete, then it will be counted as a foul. While being in the air, if the hammer breaks then it will not be counted as foul, provided the athlete has played under correct rules and regulations.

70. Rules about Hammer A hammer consists of the following three parts: Metal head, Wire, and Grip. The head of the hammer should be made up of solid material like iron and it should be spherical in shape. The diameter should be 110 mm for men and 95 mm for women. Filling is allowed and should be done in such a manner that it will be immovable and the center of gravity will not be more than 6 mm from the center of the sphere. Wire that is going to be used over here will be single and unbroken type having a minimum diameter of 3mm. It should not stretch more while being in air. The wire can be lobbed to the either ends of the hammer.

71. Construction of the grip can be either single or double loop type but it should be rigid and should not have any hinging joints at both the sides. The grip should be attached to the wire in such a manner that it cannot be turned within the loop of the wire. Measurement of the hammer should be done from the inside of the grip. To ensure the safety of the spectators, the performance should be carried out inside an empty cage.

72. HAMMER THROW PLAYING AREA

73. THANK YOU & GOD BLESS

74. RE FERENCES: http://www.carifta2012.com/the-history-of-athletics-track-and-field-history/https://www.topendsports.com/sport/athletics/events.htm https://www.tutorialspoint.com/running/running_terms.htm https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/en/our-schools/shanghai/pudong/fobisia/official-rules-and-regulations/athletics-rules-and-regulations https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/sportsu-pole-vault.html https://sportsaspire.com/discus-throw-rules https://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/shot-put-rules.html https://www.tutorialspoint.com/javelin_throw/javelin_throw_rules.htm https://www.tutorialspoint.com/hammer_throw/hammer_throw_rules.htm