Athletics

Athletics is among the most ancient of sports, contested at every Commonwealth and Olympic Games and tracing its origins back further than the first Ancient Olympics in 776BC.

The Commonwealth Games Athletics program includes the following disciplines:

• Track and Field
• Walks
• Marathon

Track and Field

Track and Field events can generally be divided into three categories – running, jumping and throwing. Running events include sprints (100m, 200m, 400m), middle distance (800m, 1500m) and long distance (3000m Steeplechase, 5000m, 10,000m) as well as hurdles events and relays. Jumping events include Long Jump, High Jump, Triple Jump and Pole Vault, while throwing events include Discus, Shot Put, Javelin and Hammer Throw. The Men’s Decathlon and Women’s Heptathlon include a combination of events.

The Track and Field competition will be held over seven days at the renowned Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). An international standard eight-lane synthetic track has been installed in the MCG, with a front straight containing the recommended minimum nine lanes and meeting the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) standards. Areas for all jump and field events have also been established.

Heats, semi-finals and finals will narrow the field for the 48 gold medals, including six for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD)

Walks

Race walking is a special long-distance race event in Athletics in which the participants must walk. Walkers are expected to maintain good form and are penalised for bending the knee as it passes under the body or having no foot-to-ground contact.

The Commonwealth Games Walk events will be contested on a circuit close to central Melbourne, around the Docklands Precinct (Walks Route Map) across two days of competition with three gold medals on offer.

Marathon

The Marathon is a long-distance running event, taking place over a course of 42.195km in length.

There are two gold medals to be won for the Men's and Women's Marathon on a fast but challenging course designed so that the athletes start and finish in the main stadium - the MCG.
 
The Men’s and Women’s Marathon events run on the same course (Marathon Route Map), with the women setting out on the picturesque run around Melbourne 45 minutes before the men.

For further Athletics information please visit the following sites:

• International Association of Athletics Federations
• Athletics Australia
• Athletics Victoria

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