Athletics is one of the oldest yet also most modern sports in the world. But what exactly is “athletics,” and what does it include? Which disciplines are there, and how do they differ? Whether you’re a sports enthusiast, thinking about taking it up yourself, or simply curious – here’s a comprehensive overview.
The term covers sports that involve the natural movements of the human body: running, jumping, and throwing. In total, there are around 20 athletic disciplines. Let’s take a brief look at all of them.
Athletics is usually practiced as an individual sport, meaning you compete alone for victory. However, there are also disciplines where you can participate as part of a team.
Athletics is usually practiced as an individual sport, meaning you compete alone for victory. However, there are also disciplines where you can participate as part of a team.
In sprinting, short distances must be covered as quickly as possible. Athletes can compete in various categories: 60 meters (indoor only), 100 meters, and 200 meters. Starts are always signaled with a loud starting sound, and athletes push off from starting blocks – something you might remember from school sports. Whoever crosses the finish line first wins. Sprinting is the fastest discipline and a major crowd favorite.
You can also sprint as part of a team. A relay team has four members. Depending on the event, the total distance varies: 4 × 100 meters, 4 × 400 meters, or 4 × 800 meters. In a relay, each team member runs their section of the distance (for example, 400 meters) and then hands over the baton to the next runner. The baton exchange must occur within a defined “exchange zone” (about 20 m long). Teamwork is crucial – even the fastest run won’t matter if the baton isn’t passed correctly.
This requires both speed and endurance: middle distances include 800 meters, 1,500 meters, one mile, or 4 × 800 meter relays. Runners usually start from a standing “high start” position. Tactics matter here – many races are decided by a final sprint.
These events focus on endurance over longer distances, such as 5,000 meters or 10,000 meters, either on the track or in city road races. Unlike sprints, the key here is maintaining a steady, well-chosen pace.
In hurdles, athletes must clear multiple hurdles (which look like low barriers) evenly spaced along the track. For men, the standard distance is 110 meters; for women, it’s 100 meters. The key is a rhythmic running style with consistent take-off from the same leg. Unlike steeplechase, hurdles can be knocked over without penalty, but it slows the runner down.
This event is particularly exciting: over 3,000 meters, athletes must clear fixed barriers and water jumps. Unlike hurdles, these obstacles are solid and cannot be knocked over. Runners may leap over them in stride or step on them before jumping.
Key differences from hurdles:
Race walking is a highly technical discipline – not to be confused with leisurely strolling. The challenge is moving quickly without breaking into a run, which is against the rules. At least one foot must be in contact with the ground at all times, and the leading leg must be straight when it touches down. Common distances include 10 km, 20 km, and 35 km.
These events take place outside stadiums, on public roads – including marathons.
Typical distances: 5 km, 10 km, half marathon, marathon.
Athletes sprint toward a take-off board and jump forward using one leg, aiming to cover the greatest distance possible. Overstepping the board makes the attempt invalid. Distance is measured from the board to the nearest landing mark in the sandpit.
A more technical version of the long jump with three distinct phases:
The aim is to jump backwards over a bar without knocking it down
In the high jump, athletes must take a run-up and jump backwards over a bar without knocking it down.
Similar to the high jump, but athletes use a flexible pole (usually fiberglass) to propel themselves over the bar. The pole enables far greater heights than in the high jump.
Athletes “put” (not throw) a heavy metal ball from the shoulder, using explosive force to launch it into a marked sector. They must remain within a circular throwing area and cannot overstep its boundary.
A flat disc, the discus, is thrown with a spinning motion, and must land within a marked sector.
Athletes run up to 30 meters before launching a pointed javelin, which must land tip-first.
The “hammer” is a heavy metal ball held by a handle attached to a wire rope approximately 1.20 m long. Similar to shot put, athletes stand in a boundary ring and build up momentum with several turns to throw the hammer over their heads. They must not lose their balance or release the hammer too early.
In combined events, athletes must not only excel in one discipline, but also compete in several consecutive events – often over two days. This makes combined events one of the most demanding challenges in athletics and they are often referred to as the “supreme discipline.”
Depending on whether men or women are participating, the scope of the multi-event competition differs in terms of both duration and the disciplines to be completed. Men compete in ten individual disciplines (decathlon), women in seven (heptathlon). There is also the pentathlon, which is essentially a more compact version for the indoor season and is held on a single day of competition.
Each individual performance is evaluated using a points system – not based on ranking, but using performance value tables. The points collected from all ten disciplines add up to the total score.
