Athletics Vocabulary

word example sentence meaning

athlete Paavo Nurmi and Carl Lewis a person who is skilled in

are two of the greatest track and field events; a
athletes of all time. sportsperson

athletics Many people compete in the sport of competing in

athletics meetings while they track and field events
are in school.

baton The worst mistake a relay a short stick or tube passed

runner can make is to drop from runner to runner in a
the baton. relay race

bell lap The bell rang and I knew I the final lap in a distance
only had the 400 metres of race, signalled by the ringing
the bell lap to go. of a bell

decathlon A decathlon competition is a men's athletic competition

normally held over two days. combining 10 track and field
events

discus The discus throw is one of a heavy, thick-centered disk;

the oldest events in the sport of throwing the
athletics. discus

false start She moved forward before failed start of a race, usually
the starting gun went off, caused by a runner moving
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and a false start was forward before the starting

declared. gun is fired

field Some athletes prefer track an area of open land; events

events while others prefer in athletics that involve
the field events. throwing, jumping and
vaulting

foul If a long jumper's foot goes an unfair or illegal act, e.g.

over the takeoff board, the foul throw, foul jump
jump will be called a foul.

hammer Most athletes who compete a 16-pound metal ball

in the hammer throw are big attached to a wire for
and very strong. throwing in an athletic
contest; the sport of throwing
the hammer

heptathlon Women who compete in the a women's athletic

heptathlon have to spend a competition combining 7 track
lot of time training for all the and field events
different events.

high jump Most athletes who compete sport in which competitors

in the high jump are very jump over a bar that is raised
tall and slim. until only one competitor can
jump over it
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hurdles The hurdles used in women's upright frames, normally

races are 10 cm lower than placed in a series, that
those used in the men's athletes jump over; a race
events. over such frames

javelin Officials must be sure that a lightweight, spear-like

javelin throwers have plenty object; the sport of throwing
of room in which to the javelin
compete.

lane Most running tracks have 8 each of a number of parallel

lanes, allowing up to 8 strips marked on a running
runners to compete in a track for athletes to run along
race.

lap A 400-metre race is one lap one circuit of, or one time
of an outdoor track, or two around, a running track or a
laps of an indoor track. racetrack

long jump Carl Lewis was a champion an athletic event in which

sprinter, but he was also a competitors jump as far as
four-time Olympic champion possible along the ground in
in the long jump. one leap

marathon Not many people become a long-distance running race

marathon runners because it of 26 miles and 385 yards
is such a difficult race. (42.195 km)
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middle- Many of the world's best a race distance of between

distance middle-distance runners 800 and 5,000 metres
come from Northern Africa.

pole-vault The pole-vault is one of the an event in which competitors

most technically difficult vault over a high bar with the
events in athletics, and also aid of an extremely long,
one of the most exciting to flexible pole used to give
watch. extra spring

relay The relay races are some of race between teams of

the few events in athletics runners in which each team
which are team sports, not member in turn covers part of
individual sports. the total distance

record The main goals for top the best performance in a

athletes are Olympic medals, sporting event that has been
world titles, and world officially measured and noted
records.

shot put Many of the world's best an athletic contest in which a

competitors in shot put very heavy metal ball is
come from Northern and thrown as far as possible
Eastern Europe.

sprint One of the sprint races that a short, fast race run over a
always creates a lot of distance of 400 metres or less
interest is the 100 metres.
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starting Before the race, the small rigid blocks for bracing
blocks sprinters sqatted down and a runner's feet at the start of
positioned their feet in the a race
starting blocks.

steeplechase When runners in the a running race in which

steeplechase go over the competitors must clear
water jump, they're trying hurdles and water jumps
not to fall over.

track An athletics track is usually a prepared circuit for athletes

oval in shape, 400 metres to run on; the sport of
long, and it usually has 8 running on such a track
running lanes.

track and "Track and field" is the term athletics events that take
field used in North America, while place on a running track and
"athletics" is used in most on a field often enclosed by
other places. the track

triple jump Most people who are good at an event in which competitors
the triple jump are tall and leap as far as possible by
lean, and most are also good performing a hop, a step and
at sprinting. a jump