MODULE 3

FIELD EVENTS

Jumping Events: Men and women compete in four jumping events: the high jump, long jump,
triple jump, and pole vault.

LESSON 6: JUMPS

Long jump: also called broad jump, sport in athletics (track-and-field) consisting of a horizontal

jump for distance. It was formerly performed from both standing and running starts, as separate
events, but the standing long jump is no longer included in major competitions. It was
discontinued from the Olympic Games after 1912. The running long jump was an event in the
Olympic Games of 708 BCE and in the modern Games from 1896.

There are five main components of the long jump: the approach run, the last two strides,
takeoff, action in the air, and landing. Speed in the run-up, or approach, and a high leap off the
board are the fundamentals of success.

Triple jump: also called hop, step, and jump, event in athletics (track and field) in which an
athlete makes a horizontal jump for distance incorporating three distinct, continuous
movements—a hop, in which the athlete takes off and lands on the same foot; a step, landing
on the other foot; and a jump, landing in any manner, usually with both feet together. If a
jumper touches ground with a wrong leg, the jump is disallowed. Other rules are similar to
those of the long jump.

The rules for the triple jump are quite simple for an athlete. An athlete simply needs to do the
following.

 Start the jump before the board. If they go over the foul line on the take-off board, the
attempt will be discarded as a foul.

 When jumping, the athlete must land on the same foot used to take-off (Hop).

 During the second phase, the athlete must land on the opposing foot and initiate the
third phase of the jump.

 The athlete can land in the sand.

  The measured distance will be measured from the closest mark in the sand to the take-
off point.

High jump, sport in athletics (track and field) in which the athlete takes a running jump to attain
height. The sport’s venue (see illustration) includes a level, semicircular runway allowing an
approach run of at least 15 metres (49.21 feet) from any angle within its 180° arc. Two rigid
vertical uprights support a light horizontal crossbar in such a manner that it will fall if touched
by a contestant trying to jump over it. The jumper lands in a pit beyond the bar that is at least 5
by 3 metres (16.4 feet by 9.8 feet) in size and filled with cushioning material. The standing high
jump was last an event in the 1912 Olympics. The running high jump, an Olympic event for men
since 1896, was included in the first women’s Olympic athletics program in 1928.

Dick Fosbury using the Fosbury flop

technique.
 Upright

Landing Pad

Crossbar

Fosbury flop

Dick Fosbury, byname of Richard Douglas Fosbury, (born March 6, 1947, Portland, Oregon,
U.S.), American high jumper who revolutionized the sport by replacing the traditional approach
to jumping with an innovative backward style that became known as the “Fosbury flop.”

TECHNIQUES USED IN HIGH JUMP

The High Jump comprises of three main elements: the approach; the takeoff and
the bar rotation. A good approach to high jump coaching is to look at and work on these three
elements individually.

Following are some of the important rules of high jump set by International Association of
Athletic Federation (IAAF)

 Take-off must be made with one foot only.

  Dislodging of the bar or breaking the plane near the edge of the bar before clearing will
not be counted as successful jump.

 Jumping height is decided by the Chief Judge. Players can accept the challenge or may
pass it.

 If the competitor fails to jump the required height in three consecutive attempts, then
he/she will be disqualified from the competition.

 During the final match, whoever clears above the bar with highest height is declared as
winner.

 In case there is a tie, following two conditions may be applied to decide the winner.

o The player who has fewer misses at the height at which the tie has occurred, is
declared as winner.

o The player who has fewest misses in the overall tournament is declared as
winner.

 The jumpers have to face a jump-off if there will be a tie for a first place.

 The height will be greater than the previous level. Each player will be given one chance
for each clearance

Pole vault: sport in athletics (track and field) in

which an athlete jumps over an obstacle with the
aid of a pole. Originally a practical means of
clearing objects, such as ditches, brooks, and
fences, pole-vaulting for height became a
competitive sport in the mid-19th century.
An Olympic event for men since the first modern
Games in 1896, a pole-vault event for women was
added for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

An athletic event in which competitors attempt to vault over a high bar with the end of an
extremely long flexible pole held in the hands and used to give extra spring.
in competition, each vaulter is given three chances to clear a specified height. A bar rests on
two uprights so that it will fall easily if touched. It is raised progressively until a winner emerges
by process of elimination. Ties are broken by a “count back” based on fewest failures at the
final height, fewest failures in the whole contest, or fewest attempts throughout the contest.
The pole may be of any material: bamboo poles, introduced in 1904, quickly became more
popular than heavier wooden poles; glass fiber became the most effective and popular by the
early 1960s. The poles may be of any length or diameter.

A slide way, or box, is sunk into the ground with its back placed directly below the crossbar
(see illustration). The vaulter thrusts the pole into this box upon leaving the ground. A pit at
least 5 metres (16.4 feet) square and filled with soft, cushioning material is provided behind the
crossbar for the landing.

The rules of this sport are made and governed by IAAF (International Association for Athletic
Federation). Now let’s learn about some important common rules.

General Rules

 On the scoring form, it is mandatory to mention the weight of the athlete next to his
name.

 At any particular height, maximum three trials are allowed.

 After three consecutive failures in trial, the athlete is automatically removed from the
tournament.

 After taking the first attempt, it is advised to take second and third consecutive attempts
at the same height.
Trial Time Limitation Rules

Trial time limitation rules are as follows −

 An athlete has to perform within two minutes of calling his name.

 In case three competitors are there, a window gap of four minutes is allowed and in
case one is remaining, a max of six minutes of window gap can be allocated to perform.

In case there is a tie between two persons for a same height, then the athlete having less
number of attempts is declared as winner.

Rules regarding Competitions

 No artificial weights or aid are allowed to be used in the competition.

 Using shoes that can give unfair advantage to an athlete is strictly prohibited.

 Unless there is a wound, no tapping is allowed on any part of the fingers. However,
tapping at the wrist is allowed.

 Without the permission, no athlete is allowed to use the pole of any other competitor.

 Planting box must be checked properly to make sure that it is free from any foreign
substance.

Rules regarding Foul

A foul in Pole Vault is caused due to any of the following reasons −

 Displacing the crossbar from its original position with the help of pole or athlete’s body.

 Failing to cross the crossbar after being lifted up from the ground.

 Without clearing the bar, touching any part of ground or landing part with either body
or pole.

 Incorrect upright position during the clearance of crossbar.

 Displace the crossbar by connecting an upright after the clearance.

LESSON 7: THROWS
SHOT PUT, sport in athletics (track and field) in which a spherical weight is thrown, or put, from
the shoulder for distance. It derives from the ancient sport of putting the stone.

the shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" (pushing rather than throwing) a
heavy spherical ball—the shot—as far as possible. The shot put competition for men has been a
part of the modern Olympics since their revival in 1896, and women's competition began in
1948.

The first to use a shot (cannon ball) instead of a stone competitively were British
military sports groups. Although the weight varied in early events from 3.63 to 10.9 kg (8 to 24
pounds), a standard, regulation-weight 7.26-kg (16-pound) shot was adopted for men in the
first modern Olympic Games (1896) and in international competition. The event was added to
the women’s Olympic program in 1948. The weight of the shot used for women’s competition is
4 kg (8.8 pounds); lighter weights are also used in school, collegiate, and veteran competitions.

The shot put is an athletics (track and field) throwing event involving "putting" (throwing in a
pushing motion) a heavy metal ball (called the shot) as far as possible.

The shot generally is made of solid iron or brass, although any metal

not softer than brass may be used. It is put from a circle 2.135
metres (7 feet) in diameter into a 40° sector as measured from the
center of the circle. The circle has a stop board 10 cm (4 inches)
high at its front; if the competitor steps on or out of the circle, the
throw is invalidated. The shot is put with one hand and must be
held near the chin to start. It may not drop below or behind
shoulder level at any time.

Shot Put rule:

When an athlete's name is announced, he or she will be having only 60 seconds to commence
the throwing motion. For safety purpose, the players can tape their fingers but they certainly
cannot wear gloves. The resting position of the shot is near the neck and it should remain over
there throughout the motion.

DISCUS THROWING is considered by many the classic event of athletics, the Greek Poet Homer
having made references to discus throwing in the 8th century BC. Modern male athletes throw
a 2-kg (4.4-pound) plate like implement from a 2.5-metre (8.2-foot) circle. The discus is launched
after the thrower, starting at the back of the circle, has completed one and a half turns. The
women’s discus weighs 1 kg (2.2 pounds).

Legendary among discus throwers are the feats of Al Oerter (U.S.), the first to throw over 200
feet (61 metres). He won an Olympic gold medal at the 1956 Games as a 20-year-old and at
each of the following three Games as well. He also set four world records. A standout among
women throwers was Faina Melnik (U.S.S.R.), who set 11 world records.

GAME RULE

Rules Regarding Discus

Here are some of the important rules regarding discus −

 The discus can be made of any material such as wood but it must have a circular edge
with a metallic rim.

 Inner construction can be both solid and hollow.

 The cross section of the edge should be made in circular manner and it should have a
radius of 6mm.

 All sides of the discus should be identical. They must be free from any type of sharp
edges or irregularities.

 Finishing of the discus should be smooth.

Rules Regarding Cage

Here are some important rules regarding cage −

 The construction and the strength of the cage should be such that it can arrest a disc of
around 2Kg coming at a speed of 25m/sec.

 There should be no threat of rebounding of the disc from the cage.

 The cage should have at least one side open. Therefore it is often recommended to
construct it in a “U” shape.

 At the lowest pint the height of the netting point should be 4m.

 Synthetic and natural fiber is the idle material for the construction of the net. However,
high tensile strength steel wire can also be used.

Rules Regarding Throw

Here are some important rules regarding throw −

 The discus can only be thrown by an athlete when he or she will stand inside a circle
which has a diameter of 2.5m.

 During the course of throw, the athletes are prohibited from touching the top of the
rim. However, they can touch the inner part of the rim.

 An athlete cannot touch the ground beyond the circle.

 If the athlete leaves the circle before the landing of the disc on the ground, then it will
be considered as a foul throw.

 In the Olympic matches, each athlete is given 8 chances to showcase their talents.

 There is particular boundary of landing of the disc. If the disc lands outside that zone,
then that throw is considered invalid.

HAMMER THROW

The implement used in the hammer throw is not a conventional hammer but a metal ball at
least 110 mm (4.3 inches) in diameter attached to a wire, the whole implement being a
minimum of 1,175 mm (46.3 inches) in length and weighing a minimum of 7.2 kg (16 pounds).
The handle at the end of the wire opposite from the ball is gripped by the thrower and released
after three or four body turns have developed maximum centrifugal force. The throwing circle
is slightly smaller than that of the discus. Women’s hammer throw was introduced into
international competition in the 1990s. The hammer used by women is slightly shorter and
weighs a minimum of 4 kg (8.8 pounds).

American athletes of Irish birth or descent totally dominated the event from the 1890s to the
1930s and included John Flanagan, who unofficially set 17 world records and won three
Olympic gold medals (1900, 1904, and 1908). After the passing of the Irish dynasty, the power
shifted to the eastern Europeans. Among them was Yury Sedykh (U.S.S.R.), who won at the
1976 and 1980 Olympics and raised the record from 80.32 metres (24.5 feet) to 86.74 metres
(26.4 feet).

HAMMER TRHOW RULES

Athlete has to abide by the following rules while performing in a Hammer Throw competition −
 Before the starting of preliminary swinging, an athlete is allowed to put the head of
hammer either inside or outside the circle.
 It is not a foul if before the starting of preliminary swing, the thrower puts his hammer
on ground but if after preliminary swing, the head of the hammer touches ground or
the hammer is dropped by the athlete, then it will be counted as a foul.
  While being in the air, if the hammer breaks then it will not be counted as foul,
provided the athlete has played under correct rules and regulations.

Rules About Hammer

A hammer consists of the following three parts: Metal head, Wire, and Grip.

 The head of the hammer should be

made up of solid material like iron and
it should be spherical in shape. The
diameter should be 110 mm for men and
95 mm for women.

 Filling is allowed and should be done in such a manner

that it will be immovable and the centre of gravity will
not be more than 6 mm from the centre of the sphere.

 Wire that is going to be used over here will be single and

unbroken type having a minimum diameter of 3mm. It should not stretch more while
being in air. The wire can be lobbed to the either ends of the hammer.

 Construction of the grip can be either single or double loop type but it should be rigid
and should not have any hinging joints at both the sides.

 The grip should be attached to the wire in such a manner that it cannot be turned within
the loop of the wire.

 Measurement of the hammer should be done from the inside of the grip.

 To ensure the safety of the spectators, the performance should be carried out inside an
empty cage.

JAVELIN THROW
Javelin throwing involves a spear like implement that is hurled with an over-the-shoulder motion
at the end of an approach run. It is a direct descendant of spear-throwing contests, introduced
in the Olympics of 708 BC. The men’s javelin weighs about 800 grams (1.8 pounds) and must be
at least 260 cm (8.5 feet) long. The women throw a javelin that must weigh at least 600 grams
(1.3 pounds) and be at least 220 cm (7.2 feet) long. It is the only throwing event not using a
circle. The javelin is not r enquired to stick but must land point-first for a valid throw.

Throwers from Finland have historically been a

force in the event. Matti Järvinen, a Finn,
established 10 world records and improved the
record by 6.22 metres, finally reaching 77.23
metres (253 feet 4.5 inches) in 1936. As records
continued to be broken, there was less and less
space within the stadium to throw the javelin
safely. Terje Pedersen (Norway) broke the 300-
foot (91.44-metre) barrier in 1964, and by
1984 Uwe Hohn (East Germany) had thrown a
prodigious 104.80 metres (343.8 feet), a throw so great that it influenced a change in the design
of the javelin to keep it within the safe confines of the field. Beginning in 1985, throwers used a
javelin that, at the same weight, was designed to reduce the length of the throw by 9 to 12
metres (30 to 40 feet). The design of the women’s javelin was changed after successive world
records pushed close to 80 metres (262.5 feet) in the late 1980s.

RULE OF THE GAME

Knowledge of throwing techniques well help you emerge as a winner in a competition. You
must also be aware with various rules of a match else you will earn a penalty even after your
best throw. So here are some of the important rules.
  Holding the javelin must be done at the grip part and should always be maintained
above the shoulder level.

 For valid throw, the javelin must lie before the specified zone and its tip should hit the
ground.

 There is a special marking line on the runway within which the athlete needs to throw.

 The athlete should not leave the ground until the javelin lands on the ground.

 After the throwing action has been made, the thrower should not turn back towards the
pointing direction, until it lands.

 The number of throws allowed per athlete is same as that of the discus throw.

 Once the competition has started, the athletes cannot use the perimeter for practise
purpose.

 Using any device that may assist the thrower in throwing is strictly prohibited. For
example, tapping of fingers are not allowed unless there is a wound.

 The throw will be considered as a foul in the following cases −

o Improper throw of the javelin in the attempt.

o Demarking of the line with any body part.

o Player going out of the marking line while throwing

o The tip of the javelin lies outside the edges of the landing sector.

 The time is increased to 1 minute if there are 2-3 number of competitors. In case only
one competitor is left, time is increased to 2 minutes.

DECATHLON AND HEPTATHLON

Both men and women participate in multi-event competitions, the

men in the 10-event decathlon and the women in the 7-
event heptathlon, which superseded the earlier pentathlon. The
competitions, which require a two-day schedule, are held
basically at international meets and national championships. In
the United States they also are scheduled in many college
conference championships.
Rafer Johnson

Rafer Johnson participating in the shot put event of the decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games
in Rome.

Each athlete is given points for performance in each event, with more points awarded for better
marks. The athlete with the most total points wins.

Men compete in five events each day, doing consecutively the 100 metres, long jump, shot
put,  high jump, and 400 metres on the first day and the 110-metre hurdles, discus throw,  pole
vault, javelin throw, and 1,500-metre run in that order on the second day. Women do, in order,
the 100-metre hurdles, high jump, shot put, and 200 metres on the first day, followed by the
long jump, javelin throw, and 800 metres on the second day.

Jim Thorpe, the great all-around American athlete, won the first decathlon, taking the
1912 Olympic Games contest, and for many years it was mostly an American event. Bob
Mathias (U.S.) won his first decathlon at age 17 in 1948 and repeated it four years later. Another
two-time winner was Daley Thompson of England, victorious in 1980 and 1984. Notable in the
heptathlon was Jackie Joyner-Kersee, a record setter and winner at the 1987 World
Championships and 1988 Olympics.

GENERAL RULES FOR HEPTATHLON AND DECATHLON

Here are a few of the differences between normal track & field rules and decathlon practices:

1. The Decathlon for men must always be held on two consecutive days and contested in the
following order:

First Day Second Day

100 Meter Dash 110m Hurdles
Long Jump Discus Throw
Shot Put Pole Vault
High Jump Javelin Throw
 400 Meter Dash 1500 Meter Run

The Decathlon for women must always be held on two consecutive days and contested in the
following order:

First Day Second Day

100 Meter Dash 110m Hurdles
Discus Throw Long Jump
Pole Vault Shot Put
Javelin Throw High Jump
400 Meter Dash 1500 Meter Run
The IAAF determined the order of events for women at the turn on the century and it has been,
to say the least, controversial.

The rulebooks will also list the order for other multi-event
competition including men's pentathlon, women's heptathlon
and indoor multi events.

2. An interval of at least 30 minutes should be allowed

between the time one event ends and the next event begins.
At the discretion of the games committee this interval can be
altered.

3. Each competitor will be allowed only three attempts in the long

jump, shot put, discus throw and javelin throw.

4. It is recommended that fully automatic

timing be used. If the meet is manually
timed, three time keepers shall time each
competitor independently. If the times
differ the median time shall be adopted. If
for any reason only two register times, and they differ, the slower of
the two shall be adopted as official.
5. At the present time the IAAF has adopted a new false start rule, charging any also start to the
entire field and disqualifying an athlete after the next false start. It was not a welcome addition
to the rulebook. In the US organizing groups have resisted this rule and continue to disqualify
runners after tw o false starts. Athletes and coaches should be informed as to which false start
rule applies for it can make a difference.

6. In the high jump and pole vault the games

committee (not the athletes!) will set the
starting height and the bar will be raised by
3cm (for high jump) and 10cm (for pole vault).
The specific sets of heights (for example, high
jump bar going through 2.00m, or 2.01m, or
2.02m; or pole vault bar going thru 4.00 m or
4.01m or 4.02m, etc.) can be announced well in

advance of the event and the starting heights

adjusted downward to accommodate all athletes.
It is not recommended that the athletes
determine the starting height, a common and
faulty practice only in the US. Not only does this
practice give the weakest athletes a competitive
advantage but it makes the decathlon the world's
only sport where the weakest athletes set the
rules!

7. All measurements are metric. It is recommended that all measurements be made with a steel
tape. The shot put, discus and javelin throws are measured to the least centimeter. Until
recently the discus and javelin had to be measured to the least even centimeter. This is no
longer the case.

8. The determination of sections and lane

assignments for running events can be drawn
by lot but it is now standard practice to use
recent past performances to seed races. It is
recommended that only past performances
from the qualifying window be used. In some
cases, this may be the current indoor season. In
others it may be more than a year (e.g. IAAF world champs or Olympic Games). We now live in
an information world and such data is readily available. Seeding is also advisable in field events,
especially in the high jump and pole vault. No fewer than three competitors shall start in any
section. In the final event, the 1500 meters, the leaders after nine events should run in the
same section. The referee shall have the power to rearrange groups. Because modern timing
equipment can handle large fields, it has become standard practice to include many athletes
(up to 24) in 1500m sections.

9. Hurdles are placed in adjacent lanes, except

in collegiate meets where hurdles, if there is a
sufficient reason, can be placed in alternate
lanes.

10. If a competitor fouls another competitor in

any event he shall lose the points gained for
that event but shall be allowed to compete in
succeeding events unless the referee deems
that the loss of points is not a sufficient penalty.

11. Athletes must make an attempt at each

event. This rule is designed to guarantee that
the athlete intends to do a 'decathlon' and not
just set records or get a workout in single
events. Athletes failing to start any event are
considered to have abandoned the competition,
receive no final score and are not included in
the final placing.

12. The event scores, cumulative scores and places shall be announced to the competitors at
the completion of each event.

13. The winner of the competition is the athlete who has scored the highest number of points
on the IAAF scoring tables. If there is a tie score, the athlete scoring the higher number of
points in the most events shall be
awarded the high place. If a tie still
remains, then the competitor who has
earned the highest number of points in
any single event will be given the higher
place. If the tie still exists on goes to the
second highest number of points, and so
on. This rule applies to all decathlon competitions including the NCAA which now (since 2011)
breaks ties using the above rubric.