Athletics words · Beginner
The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.
B · Beginner · 51 words · Step 1 of 2General terms
Track
The running surface of a stadium. A standard track is a 400-metre oval with two straights and two bends, divided into numbered lanes.
Field
The infield and surrounding areas used for jumping and throwing events.
Heat
A qualifying race. When too many athletes enter an event to race together, they are split into heats and the best finishers move on to the next round.
Lane
The marked strip on the track assigned to each runner, especially important in sprints and relays.
See also: Track
PB and SB
PB is an athlete's personal best, their best ever result in an event. SB is their season's best, their best result in the current season.
Also called: personal best, season's best
Meet
An organised athletics competition featuring multiple events.
Also called: meeting
Track events
Sprint
A short, fast race (typically 100m, 200m or 400m) run at maximum effort.
Middle-distance
Races like 800m and 1500m requiring a mix of speed and endurance.
Long-distance
Races such as the 5000m and 10,000m on the track, and road races such as the marathon. They depend on stamina more than speed.
Hurdles
A sprint event in which runners clear a series of hurdles on the track. The hurdles are built to tip over, and knocking one down does not by itself disqualify a runner.
Steeplechase
A distance race over hurdles and a water jump. The 3000m steeplechase has 28 hurdle jumps and seven water jumps.
See also: Hurdles
Relay
A team race in which each runner covers one leg and hands a baton to the next. In the best-known relays, the 4 × 100m and the 4 × 400m, four runners run one leg each.
See also: Baton
Baton
The short tube handed from runner to runner in a relay. It must be passed inside the takeover zone. Passing it outside means the team is disqualified.
See also: Relay, Takeover zone
False start
When an athlete starts before the starting gun is fired. The athlete responsible is disqualified, except in combined events, which have their own rule.
Starting blocks
The angled foot supports that sprinters push off from at the start of a race.
The ruleWhat are the rules for starting blocks?Photo finish
A very close finish decided by reviewing a high-speed camera image to determine the exact order of finishers.
Takeover zone
The marked stretch of track in which the baton must be passed. Under World Athletics rules it is 30m long in the 4 × 100m and 20m long in the 4 × 400m and longer relays.
Also called: exchange zone, changeover zone
See also: Track, Baton
Bell lap
The last lap of a distance race. A bell is rung as the leader starts it.
Staggered start
In a race run partly or wholly in lanes around a bend, athletes start from different points so that each covers the same distance. Without the stagger, the outer lanes would run further.
Road events and race walking
Road race
A race run on public roads, not on a track. The marathon and the half marathon are the best known.
See also: Track, Marathon, Half marathon
Race walking
A race in which athletes must walk, not run. One foot must stay in contact with the ground, as seen by the human eye, and the advancing leg must be straight from first contact until it is upright.
Also called: racewalking
Bent knee and loss of contact
The two faults race walking judges look for. Loss of contact means both feet are visibly off the ground. A bent knee means the advancing leg is not straight from first contact until it is upright.
See also: Race walking
Jumping events
Long jump
An event where athletes sprint down a runway and jump as far as possible into a sand pit.
Triple jump
Similar to long jump, but involves a hop, a step and a jump in sequence before landing in the pit.
See also: Long jump
High jump
An event where athletes run up and jump over a horizontal bar, landing on a cushioned mat, without knocking the bar down.
Pole vault
An event where athletes use a flexible pole to launch themselves over a raised bar.
Runway
The straight track athletes sprint down before jumping in long jump, triple jump or pole vault.
Also called: run-up
See also: Track, Sprint, Long jump, Triple jump, Pole vault
Take-off board
The board at the end of the runway that jumpers take off from. In the long jump and triple jump, an athlete who breaks the vertical plane of the take-off line with any front part of the foot has committed a foul, even when running up without jumping.
Also called: take-off line
See also: Long jump, Triple jump, Runway
Trial
One attempt in a field event. Under World Athletics rules, when more than eight athletes enter a jump or throw, each gets three trials and the eight with the best valid marks get three more. With eight or fewer, each gets six. Competition rules can change this. The high jump and pole vault work differently.
Also called: attempt
See also: High jump, Pole vault
Three consecutive failures
In the high jump and pole vault, three failed trials in a row, at any heights, end an athlete's competition. The exception is a tie for first place.
Also called: three misses
See also: High jump, Pole vault
Throwing events
Shot put
An event in which athletes put, not throw, a heavy metal ball as far as they can from a marked circle. The shot is put from the shoulder with one hand only.
Discus
An event where athletes spin and throw a flat, disc-shaped object for distance.
Javelin
An event where athletes run and throw a long spear-like implement as far as possible.
See also: Implement
Hammer throw
An event where athletes spin and release a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle, throwing it for distance.
Sector
The marked, pie-shaped landing zone throws must land within to count.
Foul
An invalid attempt in a jump or throw, such as breaking the take-off line in a jump or touching the ground outside the circle in a throw. It does not count.
See also: Take-off board, Trial
Combined events
Decathlon
A combined event of 10 events over two days. The men's order is the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m on day one, then the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m on day two. World Athletics rules also provide for a women's decathlon.
See also: Hurdles, Long jump, High jump, Pole vault, Shot put
Heptathlon
A combined event for women of seven events over two days: the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m on day one, then the long jump, javelin and 800m on day two. Indoors, men compete in a heptathlon too, with different events.
Officiating and results
Disqualification
Removal from an event for a rule violation, such as a false start or lane violation.
Also called: DQ
See also: False start
World record
The best performance ever recorded in an event. It counts as a record only once World Athletics ratifies it, which can be refused, for example when the wind helped too much.
Wind-assisted
A performance helped by a following wind of more than 2 metres per second, so it cannot be ratified as a record. The limit applies where wind is measured: the sprints up to 200m, the sprint hurdles, the long jump and the triple jump.
Also called: wind-aided
See also: Sprint, Hurdles, Long jump, Triple jump
Qualifying standard
A minimum performance level athletes must achieve to be eligible for certain competitions, like the Olympics.
Also called: entry standard
Olympic record
The best performance ever recorded in an event at the Olympic Games.
National record
The best performance in an event by an athlete from one country.
Also called: NR
Q and q
Marks in results for athletes who go through. On the track, Q means qualified by place and q means qualified by time. In field events, Q means qualified by standard and q means qualified by performance.
See also: Track
Competition terms
Round
A stage of a competition. Events with many entries are cut down through heats and semi-finals to a final.