OSC REFERENCE COLLECTION

ATHLETICS
History of
Athletics at the
Olympic Games
19.10.2017
ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

AT H L E T I C S

London 1948 Seoul 1988 Sydney 2000 Rio 2016

5000m (M) Discus throw (W) 400m (W) 4x100m (M)

INTRODUCTION
Athletics was on the programme of the Games of the I Olympiad in Athens in 1896, and has
remained on the programme since then. Twelve men’s events were on the programme of
these first Games. Women were authorised to compete in athletics events for the first time in
1928 in Amsterdam, with five events. The women’s programme currently includes 23 events.

KEY STAGES

Entry 1894: At the Paris Congress in June, the desire for athletic sports to be
included on the programme of the Olympic Games was expressed.

1912: At the 15th IOC Session, which was held in July in Stockholm, it was
decided to divide the sports on the programme into three categories:
indispensable, desirable and admissible. Athletics was included in the first
category.

Reduction of the 1924: At the 23rd IOC Session, held in Paris in June and July, a discussion
programme on reducing the programme was held: the 10,000m walk, 3,000m team
event, cross-country and pentathlon were removed.

Women’s 1926: At the 25th IOC Session, held in Lisbon in May, it was decided to allow
inclusion women to compete in a limited number of athletics events.

1934: At the 33rd IOC Session, held in May in Athens, the participation of
women in certain sports was questioned. A vote was held, and women’s
participation in athletics was accepted by 11 votes to 9.

Women’s 1981: At the meeting of the IOC Executive Board held in Los Angeles in
marathon February, it was decided to include women’s marathon on the programme of
the Games of the XXIII Olympiad in Los Angeles in 1984.

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

Mixed relay 2017: A decision was taken during the IOC Executive Board meeting held in
Lausanne in June to include a 4x400m mixed relay event at Tokyo in 2020.

EVOLUTION IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS

1896: 12 events (men's)
1900: 23 events (men's)
1904: 24 events (men's)
1908: 26 events (men's)
1912: 30 events (men's)
1920: 29 events (men's)
1924: 27 events (men's)
1928: 27 events (22 men's, 5 women's)
1932-1936: 29 events (23 men's, 6 women's)
1948-1956: 33 events (24 men's, 9 women's)
1960: 34 events (24 men's, 10 women's)
1964-1968: 36 events (24 men's, 12 women's)
1972: 38 events (24 men's, 14 women's)
1976: 37 events (23 men's, 14 women's)
1980: 38 events (24 men's, 14 women's)
1984: 41 events (24 men's, 17 women's)
1988: 42 events (24 men's, 18 women's)
1992: 43 events (24 men's, 19 women's)
1996: 44 events (24 men's, 20 women's)
2000-2004: 46 events (24 men's, 22 women's)
2008-2016: 47 events (24 men's, 23 women's)
2020: 48 events (24 men’s, 23 women’s, 1 mixed)

Find out more about athletics

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

EVENTS PER GAMES EDITION

ATHLETICS MEN 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 TOTAL
60m 2
100m 29
200m 28
400m 29
800m 29
1500m 29
5000m 25
5 miles 1
5000m team 1
4 miles team 1
3 miles team 1
3000m team 3
10000m 25
Marathon (1) 29
3000m walk 1
3500m walk 1
10 miles walk 1
10km walk 5
20km walk 17
50km walk 20
Cross-country individual 3

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

Cross-country team 3
110m hurdles 29
200 m hurdles 2
400m hurdles 27
3000m steeplechase (2) 27
4000m steeplechase 1
4x100m relay 25
4x400m relay (3) 26
Shot put 29
Shot put 56lb 2
Shot put, both hands 1
Discus throw 29
Discus throw, ancient 1
style
Discus throw, both 1
hands
Javelin throw 26
Javelin throw, freestyle 1
Javelin throw, both 1
hands
Hammer throw 28
High jump 29
High jump standing 4
Long jump 29
Long jump standing 4
Triple jump 29
Triple jump standing 2
Pole vault 29

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

Decathlon 26
Pentathlon 3
Number of events 12 23 24 26 30 29 27 22 23 23 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 23 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 28
(1) The distance of the marathon has varied throughout history: 40km in 1896, 40.26km in 1900, 40km in 1904, 42.195km in 1908, 40.2km in 1912, 42.75km in 1920 and 42.195km thereafter
(2) The distance in the steeplechase event has varied throughout history: 2,500m in 1900, 2,590m in 1904 and 3,200m in 1908
(3) The distances of each leg of the relay in 1908 were as follows: 200m, 200m, 400m and 800m

ATHLETICS WOMEN 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 TOTAL
100m 22
200m 19
400m 15
800m 17
1500m 13
3000m 3
3000m steeple 4
5000m 7
10000m 9
Marathon 10
10km walk 2
20km walk 6
80m hurdles 9
100m hurdles 13
400m hurdles 10
4x100m relay 22
4x400m relay 13
Discus throw 22
Javelin throw 21
Shot put 19

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

Hammer throw 6
High jump 22
Long jump 19
Triple jump 7
Pole vault 6
Pentathlon 5
Heptathlon 10
Number of events 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 6 9 9 9 10 12 12 14 14 14 17 18 19 20 23 22 23 23 23 23 22

ATHLETICS MIXED 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 TOTAL
4x400m relay 1
Number of events 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

TOTAL 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 TOTAL
Number of events 12 23 24 26 30 29 27 27 29 29 33 33 33 34 36 36 38 37 38 41 42 43 44 46 46 47 47 47 48 29
Column “Total” on the right = number of times on the programme

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ATHLETICS History of Athletics at the Olympic Games

CREDITS

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IMAGES
‒ Cover: © 2016 / International Olympic Committee (IOC) / HUET, John.
‒ Page 2 (from left to right): © 1948 / IOC. © 1988 / IOC / JANIN, Daniel. © 2000 / Allsport /
SHAW Ezra. © 2016 / IOC / EVANS, Jason.

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