According to the nature of competitions, athletics events are classified into four types.
These are—
Track Events: All running events come under track events.
Field Events: The jumping and throwing events are called field events.
Combined Events: There are some other unique events which are called as combined events. These are also organised in athletics. In fact, these are the combination of some track and field events, such as decathlon, heptathlon, etc.
Events conducted outside the stadium: These events are held outside the track, on roads or at natural places; for example, Marathon of 42.195 km and 20 and 50 km walk.
Classification of Track Events
Classification of Field Events
Field events are classified into two categories—jumping events and throwing events.
Further these are classified as given below:
Classification of Combined Events
Combined events are those events which are characterised as mixed events from the track as well as field events. For men there are mixed events called ‘Decathlon’ and comprised of 10 events to be completed within the span of two days. Combined track and field events for women are called ‘Heptathlon’ and are divided into seven events. These mixed events are classified below.
- General Rules These are some of the general rules which need to be followed by every athlete during the events.
- The athlete should run with shoes.
- There should be a number on the chest and back of every athlete. No athlete can participate without the number. Only in the games of Pole Vault and High Jump, an athlete can bear one number.
- If an athlete runs before the gun is fired, it is considered as a foul and is expelled from the event. Only in the combined events, the athlete is given a warning for first foul, but on the second foul, the athlete is expelled from the game.
- The starter speaks in English at the time of start.
- If any athlete obstructs the other athlete, then the referee can expel that athlete.
- In the races up to 400 m, all the athletes have to finish them in the same lane allotted to them.
- 800 m race starts in lanes but lanes are changed to first lane after the first curve.
