Running in the Modern Olympic Games

Running remains to this day a very important sport in the modern Olympic Games. Since the Games’ revival, athletics and running have consistently been the most publicised sport in the Olympic programme. Whether on it’s own - as in the ‘Track’ and ‘Road’ events - or included with ‘Field’ events such as javelin throw as part of the Heptathlon and Decathlon competitions, most of the events in the Olympic athletics programme involve running.

Running competitions have varied considerably throughout the history of the Modern Olympic Games. Women’s track events were included in the official programme in 1928, but events for both genders have been standardized for some time, the last changes being included in the 2000 Sydney Games. Running events officially included in the programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008 are:

• 10000m Men
• 100m Men
• 110m hurdles Men
• 1500m Men
• 200m Men
• 3000m steeplechase Men
• 400m Men
• 400m hurdles Men
• 4x100m relay Men
• 4x400m relay Men
• 5000m Men
• 800m Men
• Decathlon Men
• Marathon Men
• 10000m Women
• 100m Women
• 100m hurdles Women
• 1500m Women
• 200m Women
• 3000m steeplechase Women
• 400m Women
• 400m hurdles Women
• 4x100m relay Women
• 4x400m relay Women
• 5000m Women
• 800m Women
• Heptathlon Women
• Marathon Women