Field events constitute of events that are participated by men and women outside the track. These include jumping events (Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Pole Vault) and throwing events (Shot Put, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw and Hammer Throw).
Jumping events
The jumping events comprise Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and Pole Vault.
1. Long jump: The long jump is one of the oldest field events. The take-off has to be made from a 20 cm wide board one meter away from a pit. Athletes sprint along a length of track to a take off board and a sandpit. If any part of the runner’s foot goes past the takeoff board, the jumper is considered for a foul and does not receive score for that round. Distance is measured from the end of the takeoff board to the nearest mark made by the jumper on the pit. Best eight competitors have a maximum of six rounds. Professional long jumpers typically have strong acceleration and sprinting abilities. However, athletes must also have a consistent stride to allow them to take off near the board while still maintaining their maximum speed.
Long jump
2. Triple jump: Similar to the long jump, the triple jump takes place on a field heading towards a sandpit. This event is termed as the “hop-step and jump.” The event begins like a long jump, with competitor dashing down the runway and leaping from a takeoff board they first hop then take a step and then jump into the pit. The event is scored identically to the long jump.
Triple jump
3. High jump: In high jump event, competitors combined speed, to generate lift, with jumping technique. Jumpers may approach the bar from either-side, and land on a large, generally inflated cushion. In between, they must clear the 4-meter-long bar without knocking it off its supports. The bar will originally be set at a low height, at which competitors may choose to jump, or pass to another height. The bar is raised to a predetermined height after each round. Each competitor who either clears or passes a height advances to the next round. They are ranked according to the height they clear. An athlete is allowed a maximum of three trials of each height. Competitors are eliminated after missing (failing) three consecutive jumps in a particular height. Athletes have a short run up and then take off from near one foot to jump over a horizontal bar and fall back onto a cushioned landing area. Jumping technique has played a significant part in the history of the event. The modern technique of high jump as shown in the figure is known as “Fosbury Flop”.
High jump
4. Pole vault: Each vaulter sprints down the runway with a fiberglass or carbon fiber pole and plants the pole into the vaulting box. This box is specifically made of fiberglass or carbon fiber. The atheletes then push themselves over the crossbar and land onto the mattress.
Pole vault
The rules require that athletes do not move their hands along the pole. As per technique, they begin clearing the bar with their feet first in a position so that the stomach faces the bar. As with high jumping, vaulters may touch the bar, as long as it doesn’t fall. Round-by-round scoring rules are the same as for the high jump.
Throwing events
There are four major throwing events: Shot Put (putting the shot), Discus, Javelin and Hammer Throw. These are detailed below.
Shot Put
1. Shot Put: In putting the shot event the athletes put a metal ball through the air for maximum distance. For male athletes, the metal ball weights 7.26 kg and for female athletes the weight is 4 kg. The athlete must stay in a circle of 2.135 m (7 ft) diameter until the shot has landed after throw. The put must be made from the shoulder with one arm only, and the shot must not be brought behind the shoulder. In shot put the athlete holds the shot close to their neck in one hand. Then they move in straight line or spin around for gaining momentum and finally putting the shot in a pushing manner in the direction of the purified landing area.
2. Discus: In the discus event the athlete stands inside a throwing circle of 2.5 mt (8’–2 1/2”) diameter. As per technique he/she turns around one and a half times and throws the disc as far as he or she can. The disc is a round plate made of wood and metal and weighs 2 Kg for men and 1 Kg for women. When throwing the discus, the athlete must remain in circle. The feet of the athlete cannot leave this area before the discus lands. Even afterwards the athlete must leave the circle from rear half of the circle. Otherwise it is a fault and the throw will not be counted. The athlete will spin around to gain momentum, speed and then releases the disc in the proper direction. The athlete that throws it furthest from the front part of the circle (and within the legal area) wins the event.
Discus throw
3. Javelin: The javelin is something like a spear. The official javelin size for women is 2.2 to 2.3 meters long and weights 600 grams. The weight of javelin for men is 800 grams and 2.6 to 2.7 meters long.
The javelin must be thrown in a specific way for it to be a legal throw. The athlete has to hold the javelin by its grip, throw the javelin overhand and cannot turn the back to the target when throwing. When throwing the javelin, the athlete runs down a runway to gain momentum and then must throw the javelin prior to crossing a line. The athlete cannot go over the line until the javelin lands. To avoid foul, the athlete must have a really good balance at the end of the throw. The athlete must leave the runway from behind the extended lines of the throwing arc.
Javelin throw
4. Hammer Throw: The hammer throw doesn’t actually involve throwing a hammer like you would think. In this throwing event the athletes throw a heavy ball (7.265 Kg for men and 4 Kg for women) that is attached to a handle with a long (4 feet) wire. Like the discus and the shot put, the athlete must stay in a circle until the hammer lands. They spin several times to gain momentum prior to releasing the hammer. Balance is important due to the force generated by having the heavy ball at the end of the long wire.
Hammer throw
