track and field

¹ American  

noun

1. a sport performed indoors or outdoors and made up of several events, as running, pole-vaulting, shot-putting, and broad-jumping.

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track-and-field ² American  

[trak-uhn-feeld] / ˈtræk ənˈfild /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or participating in the sports of running, pole-vaulting, broad-jumping, etc..

   a track-and-field athlete.

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of track-and-field

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

He’s smartly joining Carson’s highly successful track and field team this spring to continue trying to gain speed.

From Los Angeles Times

The Coliseum hosted events on both the previous occasions that the Olympics were held in LA, and it is set to co-host the opening ceremony along with track and field events in 2028.

From BBC

"As a Christian you have to be disciplined," he says, a trait he feels transfers over to track and field.

From BBC

Even Oregon’s track and field team, which shared an indoor facility with Cristobal’s squad, was told to be out of the building a full hour ahead of football practice.

From The Wall Street Journal

Herrera said athletes must get in their workouts beyond running around the school track to be able to compete well in cross-country or distance races in track and field.

From Los Angeles Times