The sport of track and field has its roots in human prehistory. Track and field - style events are among the oldest of all sporting competitions, as running, jumping and throwing are natural and universal forms of human physical expression. The first recorded examples of organized track and field events at a sports festival are the Ancient Olympic Games. At the first Games in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece, only one event was contested: the stadion footrace. The scope of the Games expanded in later years to include further running competitions, but the introduction of the Ancient Olympic pentathlon marked a step towards track and field as it is recognized today -- it comprised a five - event competition of the long jump, javelin throw, discus throw, stadion footrace, and wrestling.
when did track and field became an olympic sport
At the first Games in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece