Track & Field

Track and field is an athletic activity that involves running, throwing, jumping and walking. Organized events take place for children, high school teenagers, college students, adults and even senior adults. Track and field competitions were some of the earliest organized competitions for men and women as well. The varying number of events gave athletes of all abilities the opportunity to compete in competitions in the United States, as well as around the globe. Running events make up the majority of events and receive the largest portion of global interest.

The Olympics continue to be the main stage for all track and field events today, and the Olympics showcases only once every four years. The events began to evolve over the centuries as a number of new track competitions were incorporated as well as non-track and field events.http://www.olympic.org/en/content/Sports/

It is believed that track and field athletics in the United States dates to the 1860s. The nation's first national athletic group, the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America, held the first collegiate races in 1873, and in 1888 the Amateur Athletic Union held its first championships.http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-track-and-field.htm The first NCAA national championships were held for men in 1921, and women’s track and field became part of the Olympic Games in 1928.http://www.athleticscholarships.net/history-of-track-and-field.htm

Track and field athletics original orientation was a part of the ancient Greek athletic carnivals, and were also very popular in Rome. In England track and field was revived sporadically between the twelfth and nineteenth centuries. The first recorded college track meet occurred in 1864 between Oxford and Cambridge universities.http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-track-and-field.htm