Athletics words, in the order you need them
Start with the beginner words and you can follow a match. Each level builds on the one before.
Already know some? Search all 77 words and 271 rules
Words
- Track
- Field
- Heat
- Lane
- PB and SB
- Meet
- Sprint
- Middle-distance
- Long-distance
- Hurdles
- Steeplechase
- Relay
- Baton
- False start
- Starting blocks
- Photo finish
- Takeover zone
- Anchor
- Bell lap
- Staggered start
- Marathon
- Half marathon
- Road race
- Race walking
- Bent knee and loss of contact
- Yellow paddle
- Red card
- Penalty zone
- Long jump
- Triple jump
- High jump
- Pole vault
- Runway
- Take-off board
- Trial
- Three consecutive failures
- Pass
- Countback
- Jump-off
- Shot put
- Discus
- Javelin
- Hammer throw
- Sector
- Foul
- Throwing circle
- Implement
- Decathlon
- Heptathlon
- Pentathlon
- Scoring tables
- Disqualification
- World record
- Wind-assisted
- Qualifying standard
- Olympic record
- National record
- Q and q
- Results abbreviations
- Round
- Diamond League
- Seeding
- Lane draw
- Automatic qualifier
- Indoor athletics
- Split time
- Negative split
- Kick
- Drive phase
- Reaction time
- Pacer
- Fosbury flop
- Approach run
- Glide technique
- Rotational technique
- Plant
- Sector line
Rules
- Which events make up the decathlon and the heptathlon, and in what order?
- What are the pentathlon and the women's decathlon?
- How are points given in a combined event?
- What happens if two athletes finish on the same points?
- What happens if an athlete skips an event?
- How much rest do athletes get between events?
- Is a decathlete disqualified for one false start?
- How many attempts does a decathlete get in the long jump and the throws?
- How do the high jump and pole vault work inside a decathlon or heptathlon?
- Who runs against whom in a combined event?
- Do wind and hand timing change the points?
- What happens to a decathlete who is disqualified in one event?
- How do you win the discus throw?
- When does a touch on the rim make the throw a failure?
- Why do throwers walk out of the back of the circle?
- What makes a landing good?
- From where to where is a throw measured?
- What may a thrower put on their hands?
- What are the discus, the circle and the cage?
- How many throws does each athlete get?
- Two athletes throw the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their throw?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may a thrower put down as a marker, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- How do you win the hammer throw?
- What may a hammer thrower do before letting go?
- When does a touch on the rim make the throw a failure?
- Why do throwers walk out of the back of the circle?
- What makes a landing good?
- From where to where is a throw measured?
- What may a thrower put on their hands?
- What are the hammer, the circle and the cage?
- How many throws does each athlete get?
- Two athletes throw the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their throw?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may a thrower put down as a marker, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- How do you win the high jump?
- When is a high jump a failure?
- Who decides the heights, and may an athlete skip one?
- When is an athlete out of the competition?
- What are the bar, the uprights and the landing mat like?
- Two athletes clear the same height. Who is placed higher?
- How does a jump-off for first place work?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their jump?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may an athlete put down to mark a run-up, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- What are the hurdle races, and how is one won?
- How does a hurdle race start?
- What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
- Why does the starter sometimes say "Stand up", and what do the cards mean?
- How high are the hurdles, and how far apart?
- What must an athlete do at each hurdle, and what gets them disqualified?
- When is the wind measured, and what does the reading change?
- What happens if an athlete steps out of their lane?
- What happens when one athlete impedes another?
- Can an athlete step off the track and carry on?
- What decides who crosses the line first?
- How are races timed, and how exact are the times?
- What happens when two athletes cannot be separated?
- How do athletes get from the first round to the final?
- Who decides which heat and which lane an athlete gets?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in athletics?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What help may an athlete have during a race, and what is banned?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- How do you win the javelin throw?
- What makes a javelin throw legal?
- When does a foot on a line make the throw a failure?
- When may a javelin thrower step off the runway?
- What makes a landing good?
- From where to where is a throw measured?
- What may a thrower put on their hands?
- What are the javelin and its runway?
- How many throws does each athlete get?
- Two athletes throw the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their throw?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may a thrower put down as a marker, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- How do you win the long jump?
- What is a foul at the board?
- What may an athlete do in the sand after landing?
- From where to where is a jump measured?
- When is the wind measured, and what does the reading change?
- How long is the runway, and how big is the sand pit?
- How many jumps does each athlete get?
- Two athletes jump the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their jump?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may an athlete put down to mark a run-up, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- What are the middle and long distance races, and how is one won?
- How does a distance race start?
- What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
- Why does the starter sometimes say "Stand up", and what do the cards mean?
- When may runners leave their lanes and move to the inside?
- Who counts the laps, and may a runner be paced or handed a drink?
- What happens if a runner steps on or inside the kerb?
- What happens when one athlete impedes another?
- Can an athlete step off the track and carry on?
- What decides who crosses the line first?
- How are races timed, and how exact are the times?
- What happens when two athletes cannot be separated?
- How do athletes get from the first round to the final?
- Who decides which heat and which start position an athlete gets?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in athletics?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What help may an athlete have during a race, and what is banned?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- How do you win the pole vault?
- When is a pole vault a failure?
- Who decides the heights, and may an athlete skip one?
- When is an athlete out of the competition?
- What are the rules about the pole?
- What are the box, the bar and the landing area like?
- Two athletes clear the same height. Who is placed higher?
- How does a jump-off for first place work?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their vault?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may an athlete put down to mark a run-up, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- What is race walking, and how is it won?
- What exactly must a race walker do?
- Who judges a race walk, and how?
- What does a yellow paddle mean in race walking?
- How is a race walker disqualified?
- What is the penalty zone in race walking?
- Can a walker be disqualified in the finishing straight?
- How does a race walk start?
- What drinks are provided during the race, and where?
- Can an athlete carry a drink, or take one from someone else?
- What happens if an athlete goes off the course?
- What sort of route is a road walk held on?
- How is a road walk timed, and who is placed first?
- What help may an athlete have during the race?
- What can get an athlete warned or disqualified?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- What is a relay, and how is it won?
- How does a relay start?
- What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
- Why does the starter sometimes say "Stand up", and what do the cards mean?
- What is the baton, and what are the rules for carrying it?
- Where must the baton change hands?
- Who may run in a relay team, and in what order?
- Which parts of a relay are run in lanes, and where do the waiting runners stand?
- What happens if an athlete steps out of their lane?
- What happens when one athlete impedes another?
- Can an athlete step off the track and carry on?
- What decides who crosses the line first?
- How are races timed, and how exact are the times?
- What happens when two athletes cannot be separated?
- How do athletes get from the first round to the final?
- Who decides which heat and which lane an athlete gets?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in athletics?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What help may an athlete have during a race, and what is banned?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- What are the road races, and how are they won?
- What sort of route may a road race use?
- How is a marathon course measured?
- Why do some fast marathon times not count as records?
- How does a road relay work?
- How does a road race start?
- What drinks are provided during the race, and where?
- Can an athlete carry a drink, or take one from someone else?
- What happens if an athlete goes off the course?
- How is a road race timed, and who is placed first?
- What help may an athlete have during the race?
- What can get an athlete warned or disqualified?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- How do you win the shot put?
- What makes a put legal?
- When does a touch on the rim make the throw a failure?
- Why do throwers walk out of the back of the circle?
- What makes a landing good?
- From where to where is a throw measured?
- What may a thrower put on their hands?
- What are the shot, the circle and the stop board?
- How many throws does each athlete get?
- Two athletes throw the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their throw?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may a thrower put down as a marker, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?
- What are the sprints, and how is one won?
- How does a sprint start?
- What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
- Why does the starter sometimes say "Stand up", and what do the cards mean?
- What are the rules for starting blocks?
- When is the wind measured, and what does the reading change?
- What happens if an athlete steps out of their lane?
- What happens when one athlete impedes another?
- Can an athlete step off the track and carry on?
- What decides who crosses the line first?
- How are races timed, and how exact are the times?
- What happens when two athletes cannot be separated?
- How do athletes get from the first round to the final?
- Who decides which heat and which lane an athlete gets?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in athletics?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What help may an athlete have during a race, and what is banned?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- What is the steeplechase, and how is it won?
- How does a steeplechase start?
- What counts as a false start, and what is the penalty?
- Why does the starter sometimes say "Stand up", and what do the cards mean?
- How big are the steeplechase hurdles and the water jump?
- What must an athlete do at each barrier, and what gets them disqualified?
- What happens if a runner steps on or inside the kerb?
- What happens when one athlete impedes another?
- Can an athlete step off the track and carry on?
- What decides who crosses the line first?
- How are races timed, and how exact are the times?
- What happens when two athletes cannot be separated?
- How do athletes get from the first round to the final?
- Who decides which heat and which start position an athlete gets?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in athletics?
- How does an athlete challenge a result or a disqualification?
- What help may an athlete have during a race, and what is banned?
- What must an athlete wear to race?
- How do you win the triple jump?
- Which foot lands where in the triple jump?
- What is a foul at the board?
- What may an athlete do in the sand after landing?
- From where to where is a jump measured?
- When is the wind measured, and what does the reading change?
- How long is the runway, and how big is the sand pit?
- How many jumps does each athlete get?
- Two athletes jump the same distance. Who is placed higher?
- How does an athlete reach the final?
- How long does an athlete have to take their jump?
- In what order do athletes compete, and what if something goes wrong?
- What may an athlete put down to mark a run-up, and when may they practise?
- What do the yellow and red cards mean in a field event?
- How does an athlete challenge a red flag or a result?
- What help may an athlete have between trials?
- What must an athlete wear to compete?