Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking.[1] The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross-country running, and racewalking.
The results of racing events are decided by finishing position (or time, where measured), while the jumps and throws are won by the athlete that achieves the highest or furthest measurement from a series of attempts. The simplicity of the competitions, and the lack of a need for expensive equipment, makes athletics one of the most common types of sports in the world. Athletics is mostly an individual sport, with the exception of relay races and competitions which combine athletes’ performances for a team score, such as cross country.
The word athletics is derived from the Ancient Greek ἀθλητής (athlētēs, “combatant in public games”) from ἆθλον (athlon, “prize”) or ἆθλος (athlos, “competition”).[2] Initially, the term described athletic contests in general – i.e. sporting competition based primarily on human physical feats. In the 19th century, the term athletics acquired a more narrow definition in Europe and came to describe sports involving competitive running, walking, jumping and throwing. This definition continues to be prominent in the United Kingdom and the former British Empire. Related words in Germanic and Romance languages also have a similar meaning.
In much of North America, athletics is synonymous with sports in general, maintaining the historical usage of the term. The word “athletics” is rarely used to refer to the sport of athletics in this region. Track and field is preferred, and is used in the United States and Canada to refer to athletics events, including race-walking and marathon running (although cross country running is typically considered a separate sport).
Basic Rules and Regulations Athletics
The start of a race is marked by a white line 5cm wide. In all races that are not run in lanes the start line must becurved, so that all the athletes start the same distance from the finish Starting blocks must be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the 4 x 200 m and4 x 400 m) and may not be used for any other race. No part of the starting block may overlap the start line orextend into another lane. All races must be started by the report of the starter’s gun or approved starting apparatus fired upwards afterhe or she has ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position.
It is deemed a false start if, in the judgment of the starter an athlete fails to comply with the commands “onyour marks” or “set” as appropriate after a reasonable time; or an athlete after the command “on your marks”disturbs other athletes in the race through sound or other-wise. Any athlete making a false start must be warned.RUNNING THE RACE. In all races run in lanes, each athlete must keep within his allocated lane from start to finish. This also applies toany portion of a race run in lanes.
The start of a race is marked by a white line 5cm wide. In all races that are not run in lanes the start line must becurved, so that all the athletes start the same distance from the finish Starting blocks must be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the 4 x 200 m and4 x 400 m) and may not be used for any other race. No part of the starting block may overlap the start line orextend into another lane.• All races must be started by the report of the starter’s gun or approved starting apparatus fired upwards after he or she has ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position. Any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified. FINISH The athletes must be placed in the order in which any part of their bodies (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line. JUMPING EVENTSHIGH JUMP The Competitional. An athlete shall take off from one foot. An athlete fails if: After the jump, the bar does not remain on the supports because of the action of the athlete whilst jumping, or He touches the ground including the landing area beyond the vertical plane through the nearer edge of the crossbar, either between or outside the uprights with any part of his body, without first clearing the bar
ATHLETICS
The University of Lagos will be the venue for athletics events. The rubberized track is brand new and fully ready.