Track and field or athletics is a sport… or rather a set of sporting events.

The most famous one is the 100 meters, a race where you have to cover this distance as fast as possible. 

There are several speed races, but also endurance races, such as the marathon: 42 kilometers… It sure wears out sneakers!

That’s not all! There are also jumps, like the long jump, the high jump, the pole vault…

… And throws: discus, shot put, javelin and hammer.

Some athletes practice all these at the same time. For example, decathletes run four races, jump three jumps and throw three times. Not bad, eh?

Running, jumping, throwing objects… these gestures are simple and natural. That’s why athletics is practiced all over the world.

But where does athletics come from?