The sport of competing in track and field events, including running races and various competitions in jumping and throwing.

1. CHAPTER 2:
MEN/WOMEN FAMOUS
NAMES IN ATHLETICS
Prepared by :
Alberto B. Rosete
P.E Instructor

2. CONTENTS
LESSON 1: FAMOUS NAMES IN ATHLETICS
LESSON 2: MULTI EVENTS
LESSON 3: BASIC RULES AND REGULATIONS
LESSON 4: TERMINOLOGIES

3. FAMOUS NAMESIN ATHLETICS
LESSON 1

4. The Greatest
Male Track
and Field
Athletes

5. ABEBE BIKILA
Abebe Bikila, (born August 7, 1932,
Mont, Ethiopia—died October 25, 1973,
Addis Ababa), Ethiopian marathon
runner who won a gold medal and set a
world record while running barefoot at
the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, then
bested his own record at the 1964
Olympics in Tokyo

6. ADHEMAR DA SILVA
Adhemar Ferreira da Silva (September
29, 1927 – January 12, 2001) was
a Brazilian triple jumper. He won two
Olympic gold medals and set four world
records, the last being 16.56 metres in
1955 Pan American Games. In his early
career he also competed in the long jump,
placing fourth at the 1951 Pan American
Games.

7. AL OERTER
Al Oerter, in full Alfred Oerter, Jr., (born
Sept. 19, 1936, Astoria, Queens, N.Y.,
U.S.—died Oct. 1, 2007, Fort Myers,
Fla.), American discus thrower, who
won four consecutive Olympic gold
medals (1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968),
setting an Olympic record each time.

8. BOB BEAMON
Bob Beamon, (born August 29, 1946,
Bronx, New York, U.S.), American long
jumper, who set a world record of 8.90
metres (29.2 feet) at the 1968 Olympic
Games in Mexico City.

9. BRUCE JENNER
Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as
Bruce, is a former track and field star
who won the gold medal and broke
the world record in the men's
decathlon at the Olympic Games
Montreal 1976. After placing 10th at
the Olympic Games Munich 1972,
Jenner returned four years later to win
gold in world-record fashion.

10. CARL LEWIS
US Long Jump and 100m specialist from
the '80s and '90s. He won nine Olympic
gold medals in the long jump and
sprints. Named in the IAAF Hall of
Fame.

11. EDWIN MOSES
Edwin Moses, (born August 31, 1955,
Dayton, Ohio, U.S.), American hurdler
who dominated the 400-metre hurdles
event for a decade, winning gold medals
in the race at the 1976 and 1984 Olympic
Games.

12. EMIL ZATOPEK
Emil Zatopek (born 1922), a Czech runner,
was the first and only man ever to win
the "triple crown" of the 5,000-and
10,000-meter races as well as the
marathon in a single Olympics. He is
considered to be one of the creators of
interval training, a method that is still used
by athletes today.

13. HAILE GEBRSELASSIE
Haile Gebrselassie (born 18 April 1973) is
an Ethiopian retired long-distance track
and road running athlete. He won two
Olympic gold medals over 10,000 meters
and four World Championship titles in the
event.

14. JESSE OWENS
Jesse Owens was an American
athlete. He is best remembered for his
performance at the 1936 Berlin
Olympics, where he won gold medals
in the long jump, the 100- and 200-
metre dashes, and the 4 x 100-metre
relay. He was the first American track
and field athlete to win four gold
medals at a single Olympic Games.

15. JIM THORPE
Jim Thorpe has been heralded as the
greatest athlete ever, certainly the
most accomplished of the first half of
the 20th century. Thorpe won
Olympic gold medals in the
decathlon and the pentathlon in 1912.
He simultaneously played professional
baseball and football, interchanging
his sport by the seasons. Played
pretty much every sport ever invented
and was good at all of them.

16. LASSE VIREN
Lasse Virén, (born July 22, 1949,
Myrskylä, Finland), Finnish distance
runner who was the first athlete to
win gold medals in both the 5,000-
and 10,000-metre races at
consecutive Olympic Games: at
Munich, West Germany, in 1972 and
at Montreal in 1976.

17. MICHAEL JOHNSON
USA sprinter. Held world record in
200m for 12 years from 1996 to 2008,
and is still the current world-record
holder in 400m (set in 1999). First
man to win gold medal in 200m and
400m in the same Olympics

18. PAAVO NURMI
Paavo Nurmi, in full Paavo Johannes
Nurmi, (born June 13, 1897, Turku,
Finland—died October 2, 1973,
Helsinki), Finnish track athlete who
dominated long-distance running in
the 1920s, capturing nine gold
medals in three Olympic Games
(1920, 1924, 1928), as well as three
silvers.

19. RAY EWRY
Raymond "Ray" Clarence Ewry
(October 14, 1873 – September 29,
1937) was an American track and field
athlete who won eight gold medals
at the Olympic Games and two gold
medals at the Intercalated
Games (1906 in Athens). This puts
him among the most successful
Olympians of all time.

20. SERGEI BUBKA
Bubka won six consecutive IAAF
World Championships, an Olympic
gold medal and broke the world
record for men's pole vault 35
times. He was the first pole vaulter to
clear 6.0 meters and 6.10 meters.

21. USAIN BOLT
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is still
known as the fastest man alive.
Though he retired in 2017 (and had
lost a race or two), the eight-time
Olympic gold medalist currently holds
the official world record for both the
men's 100-meter and 200-meter
sprints, which he achieved at the
2009 World Championships in Berlin.

22. VILLE RITOLA
Vilho "Ville" Eino Ritola (18 January
1896 – 24 April 1982) was a Finnish
long-distance runner. Known as one
of the "Flying Finns", he won five
Olympic gold medals and three Olympic
silver medals in the 1920s.

23. The Greatest
Female Track
and Field
Athletes

24. MILDRED “BABE”
DIDRIKSON ZAHARIAS
One of America's foremost female
athletes, Mildred Ella “Babe” Didrikson
Zaharias was an Olympic gold medal
winner who broke world records in
multiple sports and went on to found the
Ladies Pro Golf Association. At the 1932
Olympics in Los Angeles, 21-year-old
Zaharias received a gold medal for the
javelin throw, setting a new world record
at 143 feet. The next day she set a new
world record (breaking her own) of 11.7
seconds in the 80-meter hurdle, winning
another gold medal.

25. BETTY CUTHBERT
Betty Cuthbert, byname of Elizabeth
Cuthbert, (born April 20, 1938,
Merrylands, New South Wales,
Australia—died August 6, 2017, Perth,
Western Australia), Australian sprinter,
who starred at the 1956 Olympic
Games in Melbourne, Australia, where
she won three gold medals; she added
a fourth gold medal at the 1964

26. FANNY BLANKERS-
KOEN
Fanny Blankers-Koen, (born April 26,
1918, near Baarn, Netherlands—died
January 25, 2004, Amsterdam),
versatile Dutch track-and-field athlete
who, at the 1948 Olympics in London,
became the first woman to win four
gold medals at a single Games.

27. FLORENCE GRIFFITH-
JOYNER
Florence Griffith Joyner, in full Delorez
Florence Griffith Joyner, née Delorez
Florence Griffith, byname FloJo, (born
December 21, 1959, Los
Angeles, California, U.S.—died September
21, 1998, Mission Viejo, California),
American sprinter who set world records in
the 100 metres (10.49 seconds) and 200
metres (21.34 seconds) that have stood
since 1988.

28. IRENA SZEWINSKA
Polish sprinter who won seven Olympic
medals (three of them gold). She
participated in five Olympic games,
broke 10 world records, and is the only
athlete, male or female, to have held a
world record in the 100m, 200m, and
the 400m.

29. JACKIE JOYNER-
KERSEE
Considered by many to be the greatest
female athlete of the 20th Century, her
heptathlon score (which won her the
gold medal in 1988) is still a world
record.

30. SHIRLEY STRICKLAND
Shirley Strickland de la
Hunty, née Shirley Strickland, (born
July 18, 1925, Guildford, Western
Australia, Australia—died February 17,
2004, Perth), Australian athlete, who
won seven Olympic medals between
1948 and 1956, in an era when
Australian women dominated track
events.

31. WANG JUNXIA
Wang Junxia (born January 19,
1973) is a Chinese former long-
distance runner who is the current
world record holder at 3,000 meters.
She also held the world record for
the 10,000 meters for 23 years,
between 1993 and 2016.

32. WILMA RUDOLPH
She competed in the 1956 Olympic
games and won a bronze medal in
4x100 relay. She won three gold
medals and broke at least three
world records. Rudolph became the
first American woman to win three
gold medals in track and field at the
same Olympic game.

33. MULTI EVENTS
LESSON 2

34. MULTIPLE EVENTS
The Men’s Decathlon and Women’s Heptathlon include a combination
of events, held over two days each. Points are awarded for each event
and the overall winner is the athlete with the most points.
• The decathlon includes ten events in the following order, for the first
day: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m. The second day
events are 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin, 1500m.
• The heptathlon includes seven events in the following order, for the
first day: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200m. The second
day events are long jump, javelin and 800m.

35. DECATHLON
• The decathlon is an event in track and field which consists of
ten track and field events. The word decathlon is from the Greek
word deka which means ten, and Athlons which means feat.
The men's decathlon is an event at the Olympic Games.
• Most decathlon events are held over two days. Each participant
receives a score based on their performance in each event, with
the winner the athlete with the highest total score.

36. There are two divisions, the men’s decathlon and the women’s
decathlon.
• The men’s decathlon consists of 100m sprint, long
jump, shot put, high jump, and 400m for day 1; 110
meters hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and
1500m for day 2.
• In women’s decathlon, the events consist of 100m, discus
throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and 400m for day 1;
100m hurdles, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 1500m for
day 2.
• There is also a one hour decathlon. In this version, the
athletes have to start the last of ten events within an hour
after the start of the first event.

37. HEPTATHLON
• The track and field event of the heptathlon is comprised of seven
events. The name comes from the Greek word hepta which means
seven and Athlon which means contest. The women's heptathlon is
an event at the Olympic Games.
• The participants in the heptathlon are called a heptathletes. There is
a women’s and men’s heptathlon, which comprise a different set of
seven events. The men’s heptathlon is usually conducted indoors,
while the women’s heptathlon is done outdoors. The first four events
are completed on the first day and the remaining three are done on
the second day.

38. • The women’s heptathlon was introduced in the 1980s, first
appearing in the Olympics in 1984. The event consists of the
100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m sprint, long
jump, javelin throw, and 800m run.
• The men’s heptathlon consists of these events: 60m
sprint, long jump, high jump, 60m hurdles, pole vault, and 1000
meters.
• Both versions have more or less the same scoring system.
Each participant receives a score based on their performance
in each event, with the winner the athlete with the highest total
score at the end of the competition.

39. MARATHON
• The marathon is a long-distance running event, taking place over
a course of 42.195km or (26 miles & 385 yds.) in length.
• The marathon was originally conceived as a race for the 1896
Olympics in Athens, commemorating the run of the soldier
Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of
Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. Legend has it that
Pheidippides delivered the momentous message "Niki!"
("victory"), then collapsed and died.
• The unusual distance of the marathon is a result of the 1908
Olympic Games in London where the race distance was changed
to 26 miles to cover the ground from Windsor Castle to White City
Stadium, with 385 yards added on so the race could finish in front
of royal family's viewing box.

40. • The marathon is a long-distance running race where athletes
compete on a course that is 42.2 kms (officially 42.195 kms)
long. Marathon races are conducted on road courses that are
part of city roads. The inspiration for the race was a Greek
messenger who is believed to have run a similar distance to
deliver a message of victory. Marathon races have been
dominated by runners from African countries, who hold the
record for the all-time 10 fastest finishes in the history of the
race.
• Though marathon races have been part of Olympics since the
inaugural modern Olympics in 1896, the official distance as it
stands right now was not fixed until 1921. Barring very few
instances women were not allowed to compete in marathon
races until 1983, when separate races for women were started.

41. • Besides the Olympics and the World Championships,
several marathon races are conducted every year in
many cities all over the world. The most prestigious races
among them are, New York marathon, Boston marathon,
London marathon, Berlin marathon, Chicago marathon,
and Tokyo marathon. In these races thousands of
amateurs are also allowed to take part along with the
professional runners. Races are conducted for different
age classifications and also for wheelchair contestants.

42. WALKING EVENTS
• Race walking is a special long-distance race event in which the
participants must walk as fast as they can, while they are
expected to maintain good form. The competitors are penalized
for bending the knee as it passes under the body or having no
foot-to-ground contact.
• The men compete in both 20km and 50km events, women only
in the 20km event.

43. RACE WALKING
• As evident from the name, race walking is a track and
field event in which competitors attempt to outrace one another
without running. This event requires no specialized equipment
except for the shoes.
• Race walking established itself as a field event in the 1880s.
The first ever codes of race walking came from an effort to
regulate rules for the famous 19th century long distance
walking events known as Pedestrianism.
• Race walking has been an Olympic sport since 1904. It is an
Olympic athletics event with the distances of 20 km for both
men and women and 50 km for men only. Race walking event
distances range from 3 kilometers up to 100 km.

44. The two main rules ensure that the competitors
do not run:
• The first rule is that the back toe of the
participant must not leave the ground unless
the heel of the front foot touches the ground.
• The second rule is that the supporting leg
should straighten from the point of contact
with the ground and stay like that until the
body passes directly over it.
These rules are judged simply by the
human eye. Speed is achieved by stepping
quickly to ensure rapid turnover. This reduces
the chance of feet leaving the ground.

45. ATHLETICS BASIC
RULES AND
REGULATIONS
LESSON 3

46. RUNNING EVENTS
Running Events
•From the firing of the starter’s gun to breasting the finishing
tape, an athlete is expected to adhere strictly to some basic rules
like he/she must always start behind the start line and must
remain in lane throughout the race.
•Jumping the gun can lead to disqualification from the game.
Running before the starter’s gun is fired is declared as a “false
start” and can eventually lead to disqualification, if the runner
faults twice. Sometimes, athletes are warned before being
disqualified.

47. • If a runner tries to impede a fellow athlete’s progress by
blocking, shoving or interfering to gain unfair advantage,
he/she is disqualified from the game.
• A runner must always wear sneakers or athletic shoes during
the game.
• In shorter events such as in 800 meters race, athletes should
stay inside the lane. In longer events, they are allowed to
move to the innermost lanes with a condition that they should
not touch the other participants.

48. THROWING EVENTS
• In throwing events like javelin, hammer throw and short put, an athlete is
expected to aim farther than anybody else. Just like the jumping events,
only the longest throw counts here.
• Javelin is the only event that allows the participant to run. The
participants dart through a runway of 30 meters before pitching their
javelin.
• In shot put, discus and hammer throw, athletes are allowed to spin their
object within a pre-defined circle to create momentum before lobbing. A
six millimeters wide iron band trimmed in white encircles the area.
Touching the top of the iron band or the ground outside while hurling can
lead to disqualification. Also, there is a wooden stop board at the front to
keep athletes from slewing out of the circle. Athletes can hit the board,
but touching the top of the board may lead to disqualification.
• In all throwing events, the object lobbed must land within a specified
area.

49. JUMPING EVENTS
• In jumping events, the athletes run through a runway and as high as
possible. However, the rules vary according to the events.
• Most jumping events have a sand pit or a pad to enable the athlete land
easily after the jump. The foot of the athlete should not touch the ground
before the jump, or else it’s declared a ‘scratch’ and earns him zero points.
The length of the jump is measured from the line to the point where foot
touches the ground.
• If the athletes happen to fall back after landing, the distance measured is to
the contact point. The athletes are given three ties or chances and the best
try is counted.
• The same rules apply to vertical jump events like high jump and pole vault,
except for the way the distance is measured here. A height goal marked by a
bar is set by the athlete and if cleared, they score for the specific round.
Some events allow three chances to the athletes, while some other events
allow the athletes to keep trying on higher bars until they fail.

50. DECATHLON
Here are the most important decathlon rules to know:
•The events are spread over two consecutive days. The first day, the
100 meter dash, long jump, shot put, high jump, and 400 meter dash
are held. On the second day, the 110 meter hurdles, discuss, pole
vault, javelin, and 1500 meter run are held.
•For javelin, discuss, shot put, and long jump, each competitor is
allowed three attempts. The best of these attempts is taken as the
official attempt.
•Athletes must make an attempt in all 10 events of the decathlon. If a
competitor fails to try in an event, they are disqualified from the
decathlon.

51. HEPTATHLON
The general rules for heptathlon are:
•Only three attempts can be made in pitches and long jumps.
•The way the bar is raised is uniform.
•The time between jumps is 1.5 minutes in height and 2 minutes in
pole vault.
•Jumps or throws are not used for tiebreaking.
•There must be three timekeepers to take the time of each
competitor.
•The disqualification in the exits is given when three incorrect exits
are made.
•Between the end of the race and the beginning of the next, a
minimum time of 30 minutes is given.
•Between the end of one day and the beginning of the next there
must be a time of 10 hours.
•Participation is drawn before the start of each event.

52. MARATHON
Rules for Marathon for Men at Olympics: The International Association of
Athletics Federations or IAAF is authorized to set rules for the track and field
events. The rules set for the Marathon at the international competitions are-
• The marathon should be run on made up road. The athletes are not
permitted to run on soft or grassy lands.
• The starting and finishing points of the marathon are properly and
distinctively marked.
• The distance of the route in kilometer has to be informed to the athletes
during the race.
• Different stages of the race have to be well marked for the convenience of
the runners.
• The athletes are given a warning five minutes prior to the onset of the race.
• An athlete competing in the marathon is bound to leave the race if ordered
by an official medical staff.

53. • Runners are not allowed to take refreshment at places not specified
by the organizing committee as the refreshment station. In such case,
the athlete is liable to disqualification from the race.
• During the marathon, an athlete is allowed to leave the road with prior
permission of a judge. Even after leaving the road, the athlete has to
be under supervision of the judge, so that he cannot take any short
cut route.
• The athlete, who is unable to finish the race, is not given any credit
for his performance.
• The automatic timing device used for measuring the time during the
races has to be approved by the IAAF

54. TERMINOLOGIES IN
ATHLETICS
LESSON 4

55. TRACK AND FIELD: GLOSSARY
AND TERMS
• Baton - a tube that is passed from one relay race member to another. The
runner holding the baton is the current runner for that team in the race.
They are typically about 1 foot long and 1.5 inches in diameter.
• Decathlon - a combined track and field event that consists of 10 different
events. Sometimes the decathlon winner is dubbed the greatest athlete in
the world.
• Discus - a throwing event in track and field where a metal discus is thrown
for distance.
• Fosbury Flop - a technique used in the high jump where the jumper's goes
head first over the bar with their back toward the bar when going over it.

56. • Hammer - the hammer throw is a track an field throwing event where
a large heavy ball connected to a handle with a long chain is thrown
for distance.
• Heptathlon - a combined track and field event that consists of 7
different events.
• High Jump - a track and field jumping event. Athletes must clear a
high bar without knocking it over by jumping.
• Hurdle - an obstacle in a race that runners must jump or clear while
running.
• Javelin - a track and field throwing event where a spear-like javelin is
thrown for distance.

57. • Long Jump - jumping event where athletes compete for the
longest jump in distance.
• Pace - the rate at which a runner is running. It's important in long
distance races to have the proper pace; slow enough so the
runner doesn't tire out before the end of the race, but fast enough
to win.
• Pentathlon - a combined track and field event that consists of 5
different events.
• Pole vault - a track and field jumping event where a long pole is
used to propel the jumper to great heights.
• Relay race - a race involving multiple runners (typically 4) where
each runner runs a leg of the race handing off a baton to the next
runner.

58. • Sandpit - an area in a jumping event (i.e. long jump or triple jump)
where the athlete lands.
• Shot put - a field throwing event where a heavy ball is thrown for
distance.
• Sprint- a short running race where acceleration and top speed are
important.
• Starting blocks - items used in sprint races where the runner puts
their feet in to get a good start for the run.
• Steeplechase - a middle to long distance run with obstacles
including large hurdles and water.
• Triple Jump - a track and field jumping event with three distinct
phases to the jump including a hop, a step, and a jump.

59. THANK YOU
&
GOD BLESS

60. REFERENCES:
https://www.topendsports.com/world/lists/greatest-all-time/athletics.htm
https://www.rookieroad.com/track-field/what-is-decathlon/
https://www.mapsofworld.com/sports/olympics/athletic-events/marathon-for-men.html
http://olympics.sporting99.com/london-2012/sports/athletics-rules-and-regulations.html
https://www.ducksters.com/sports/trackandfieldterms.php