What does track and field mean? Track and field is the name for the group of sports that involve running on a track (short- and long-distance running races, from 100 to 10,000 meters), jumping (high jump, long jump, triple jump), throwing (shot put, javelin, discus, hammer throw), or some combination (hurdles, steeplechase, pole vault). In track and field, the running events are performed on a track, the throwing events are performed on a field, and the jumping events are performed on a specialized setup (such as a track and a sand pit, as in the long jump and the triple jump). When it is used as an adjective, the term is often hyphenated, as in track-and-field events. Many track-and-field athletes compete in more than one track-and-field event. A sprinter may compete in 100- and 200-meter races, as well as a relay race, for example. A long-distance runner may compete in multiple long-distance races (such as the 1,500- and 5,000-meter races). Some track-and-field athletes compete in events that combine multiple running, jumping, and throwing events, such as the decathlon (10 events). The track-and-field events at the summer Olympic Games (the Summer Games) are often considered the pinnacle of competition in the sport. Not all sports that take place (or partially take place) on a track or field (such as archery or cycling) are considered part of track and field. Cross-country running is often considered distinct from track and field because it involves racing on open terrain (as opposed to a track). In the UK and other places, track-and-field events are sometimes known collectively as athletics. Example: I played football when I was younger, but in college I started competing in track and field.
First recorded in 1930–35
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That year, Wilma Rudolph became the first American woman to win three gold medals in track and field in a single Olympics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
But the sport is back in the shadows like it always seems to be outside of Olympic years, said Boldon, now NBC Sports’ track and field analyst.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026
Almost everyone who matters in American track and field will be there, Boldon said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 13, 2026
Braelyn Combe had an afternoon she will never forget Saturday at the Southern Section track and field finals at Moorpark High.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2026
In PE, Coach Swieteck put Joseph in charge of his own squad of kids who wanted to go out for track and field in the spring.
From "Orbiting Jupiter" by Gary D. Schmidt
Many adult tickets in usually cheaper seats are £95 - higher than the other 14 cities in the global televised track-and-field series, BBC analysis suggests.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
B.P.J. was allowed to participate in sports as the case went on, leading her to join the girls’ cross-country and track-and-field teams.
From Slate ● Jun. 30, 2026
The news of her death hit hard around track-and-field circles.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 17, 2023
In California, Lorelei Barrett and Athena Ryan qualified for the state preliminary track-and-field championships in May with top-three finishes in the 1600m.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
If she trusted you, Jule would tell you she went to Stanford for a year on a track-and-field scholarship.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
