Track and field's greatest events and top competitors
By Mike Rosenbaum, About.com Guide to Track & Field
Track and field's top athletes compete in numerous meets spread across the globe every year, but every competitor aims for the sport's two signature events: the quadrennial Summer Olympic Games, plus the World Outdoor Championships, which are held in odd-numbered years. Many competitors also focus on the World Indoor Championships, which are held in even-numbered years. Read more about these events, and the athletes who compete in them, in the following pages.
Summer Olympic Games
Track and field events form the heart of the world's largest athletic spectacle. The quadrennial Summer Olympic Games include five sprint or relay races, five distance running events, two hurdles races, two men's race walking events (just one for women), two horizontal jumping events, two vertical jumps and four throwing events plus the 3000-meter steeplechase, the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon.
World Championships
The IAAF World Championships in Athletics, commonly known as the World Outdoor Championships, began in 1983 and were held every four years through 1991, before becoming a bi-annual event, held in odd-numbered years. The first indoor world track and field championship, billed as “The World Indoor Games,” was held in 1985. The initial IAAF-sanctioned World Indoor Championships began two years later. The event was held every other year through 2003. It was then moved to even-numbered years, beginning in 2004, to avoid coinciding with the Outdoor Championships.
Interviews
Read exclusive interviews with standout competitors from yesterday and today.
- Stephanie Brown Trafton, part 1
- Stephanie Brown Trafton, part 2
- Bob Beamon
- Amy Acuff, part 1
- Amy Acuff, part 2
Sprinter Profiles
Profiles of the world's top male and female sprinters.
- Usain Bolt
- Tyson Gay
- Sanya Richards
- LaShawn Merritt
- Allyson Felix
- Veronica Campbell-Brown
- Lauryn Williams
- Muna Lee
Distance Runner Profiles
Profiles of the world's top male and female distance runners, including everything from 800-meter middle distance specialists through marathon runners and race walkers.
- Bernard Lagat
- Kenenisa Bekele
- Shannon Rowbury
- Tirunesh Dibaba
- Ryan Hall
- Haile Gebrselassie
- Shalane Flanagan
Jumper Profiles
Profiles of the world's top male and female long jumpers, pole vaulters, high jumpers and triple jumpers.
Thrower Profiles
Profiles of the world's top male and female discus throwers, shot putters, javelin throwers and hammer throwers.
Hurdler Profiles
Profiles of the world's top male and female hurdlers.
Multi-Sport Profiles
Profiles of the world's top decathlon and heptathlon performers.
World Records
Men's and women's world records, as recognized by the IAAF.
