Track is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitors: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding the grassy area. The throwing and jumping events generally take place with in the central enclosed area.

Track is one of the sports which make up the umbrella sport of athletics. It is under the banner of athletics that two most prestigious international track competitions are held: the athletics competition at the Olympic Games and the IAAF World Champions in Athletics. The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for track.

Track events are generally individual sports with athletes challenging each other to decide a single victor. The racing events are won by the athlete with the fastest time, while the jumping and throwing events are won by the athlete who has achieved the greatest distance or height in the contest. The running events are categorized as sprints, middle, and long distance events, relays and hurdling. Regular jumping events include long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault, while the most common throwing events are shot put, javelin, discus and hammer. There are also combined events such as heptathlon and decathlon, in which athletes compete in the number of above events.

Records are kept of the best performances in specific events, at world and national levels, right down to the personal level. However, if athletes are deemed to have violated the rules and regulations of the event, they are disqualified from the competition and their marks are erased. The athletes wear small clothes that make running easier; men wear shorts and sleeveless shirts while women wear swim like suits.

The major global track and field competitions are both held under the scope of athletes. Track and field contests make up the majority of events on Olympic athletics program which occurs every four years. Track and field event have held a prominent position at the Summer Olympics since its inception in 1896, and the events are typically held in the main stadium of the Olympics. Events such as the 100 meters receive some of the high levels of media coverage of any Olympic sporting event.

The other two major competitions for track and field are organized by the IAAF. The IAAF had selected the Olympic competition as its world championship event in 1913, but a separate world champions for athletics alone was first held in 1983. The championships comprised track competitions plus the marathon and race walking competitions. Initially, this worked on a quadrennial basis but, after 1991, it changed to a biennial format.

Athletes performances are timed or measured at virtually a; track competitions. Doing so can not only serve as a way of determining the winner in the event but it can also be used for historical comparison. There are hundreds of track world records and every four years these records are beaten by new athletes.