2. THE HISTORY OF ATHLETICS
Athletics is often used synonymously with any sporting
activity, but in most cases, athletics refers primarily to
track-and-field events that involve running, jumping or
throwing. Those athletic events are most closely
associated with the Olympics, but competition in these
sports is held at the youth level, high school, college,
and professional ranks all year round throughout the
world.
The first Olympics in ancient Greece go back at least as
far as the eighth or ninth century B.C.
Running and other athletic events have long been a
part of many cultures, but in the 19th century, such
activities were becoming more popular, particularly in
Europe and the United States.
3. OUTSTANDING ATHLETES
Asafa Powell
is a Jamaican sprinter. He's the former world record holder
and is still the third fastest man of all time. He has never
won an individual Gold at either the World Championships
or the Olympics.
In 2005 he set his first World Record with a time of 9.77
seconds in Athens.
In 2006 he competed again at the Commonwealth Games
this time coming home from Melbourne with the Gold
Medal. That same year he equaled his own world record
and in 2007 improved it even further in Italy where he ran
9.74 seconds.
At the Beijing Olympics he finished 5th in the final
watching Usain Bolt run away with the title.
In London 2012 he came last in the 100 meters track
because of a tragic injury during the competition
4. USAIN BOLT
Arguably the most naturally gifted athlete the world
has ever seen, Usain St Leo Bolt, confirmed his
tremendous talents when he realized his dreams by
winning a phenomenal three gold medals and
breaking three world records at the 2008 Olympic
Games in Beijing, China. Bolt became the first man
in Olympic history to win both the 100m and 200m
races in world record times and then as part of the
4x100m team that also smashed the world record
later in the meet. He created history again and
became a legend at the 2012 Olympic Games in
London by defending all three Olympic titles with
100m, 200m and 4x100m victories, the latter in a
new world record time of 36.84 secs.
