Track and Field

athlete mid air jumping into a sand pit

Athletics events include races from 50 meters to 1600 meters (1 mile), high jump, long jump, mini javelin, tennis ball throw, softball throw, relays and wheelchair events.

In addition, Special Olympics offers events for lower ability level athletes to train and compete in basic athletics skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to longer competitive events.

As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to events, ability level, age and gender.

Athletics Facts

  • Athletics was an event at the first Special Olympics International Games held in Chicago, Illinois, USA in 1968.

  • At the 1995 World Summer Games, the marathon was contested for the first time, producing a winning time of 2 hours, 59 minutes and 18 seconds.

  • At the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland, 1,111 athletes from 148 Programs competed in the sport of athletics; all seven Special Olympics regions were represented.

  • Today Special Olympics Athletics is the most popular Special Olympics sport, with 889,538 athletes (as of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report) participating.

Track Events

  • 50 Meter Run

  • 100 Meter Run

  • 200 Meter Run

  • 400 Meter Run

  • 800 Meter Run

  • 4 x 100 Meter Relay

  • 4 x 400 Meter Relay

  • 400 Meter Walk

  • 800 Meter Walk

Field Events

  • Tennis ball throw

  • Softball throw

  • Mini Javelin

  • Standing Long Jump

  • Running Long Jump

Registration opens in February and the season runs until late April.

Subscribe to the Athletics (Track & Field) Calendar: Athletics Google Calendar