Editing Track and field (section)

==Starts use in race==

===Track rules===
The rules of track events in athletics as observed in most international athletics competitions are set by the Competition Rules of the [[International Association of Athletics Federations]] (IAAF). The most recent complete set of rules is the 2009 rules that relate only to competitions in 2009.<ref name=RuleBook1>[http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/Competitions/TechnicalArea/04/95/59/20090303014358_httppostedfile_CompetitionRules2009_printed_8986.pdf Incorporating changes approved by the IAAF Council throughout 2008– p5, 2009 Rule book]. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521002249/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/Document/Competitions/TechnicalArea/04/95/59/20090303014358_httppostedfile_CompetitionRules2009_printed_8986.pdf |date=21 May 2009 }}</ref> Key rules of track events are those regarding starting, running and finishing. Current World Athletics (WA) Rules are available on WA's website.<ref>https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/technical-information</ref> Current USATF (USA) Competition Rules booklet is available on the USATF website.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.usatf.org/governance/rule-books | title=USA Track & Field &#124; Rule Books }}</ref> Prior USATF Competition Rules booklets are also available (2002, 2006 to 2020).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://mastershistory.org/standards-specifications/ | title=Standards & Specifications & Rule Book }}</ref>

====Starting====
[[File:20070701-nk2007-100m.jpg|thumb|Men assuming the starting position for a sprint race]]
The start of a race is marked by a white line 5&nbsp;cm wide. In all races that are not run in lanes the start line must be curved, so that all the athletes start the same distance from the finish.<ref>IAAF Rule 162.1, from Chapter 5, 'Technical rules', Section III on 'Track events'.</ref>
Starting blocks may be used for all races up to and including 400 m (including the first leg of the [[4 × 100 m relay|4 × 100 m]] and [[4 × 400 m]]) and may not be used for any other race. No part of the starting block may overlap the start line or extend into another lane.<ref>IAAF Rule 161</ref>

All races must be started by the report of the [[starter's gun]] or approved starting apparatus fired upwards after they have ascertained that athletes are steady and in the correct starting position.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.2">IAAF Rule 161.2</ref> An athlete may not touch either the start line or the ground in front of it with their hands or feet when on their marks.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.3">IAAF Rule 161.3</ref>

For sprint races up to 400&nbsp;m, the starter gives two commands: "on your marks" to instruct athletes to approach the start line, followed by "set" to advise the athletes that the start of the race is imminent. The commands of the starter are typically given in the native language in national competitions, or in English or French in international competitions. Once all athletes are set in their starting position, the gun or an approved starting apparatus must be fired or activated. If the starter is not satisfied that all are ready to proceed, the athletes may be called out of the blocks and the process started over.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.3"/>

There are different types of starts for races of different distances. Middle- and long-distance races mainly use the waterfall start. This is when all athletes begin on a curved line that moves farther out at the outer edge of the track. Competitors are allowed to move towards the inside lane right away, as long as it is safe to do so. For some middle-distance races, such as 800&nbsp;m, each athlete starts in their own lane. Once the gun fires, they must run in the lane they began in until they reach a set of cones on the track that signal that they can cut in and move towards the inside lane. For sprint races, athletes begin in start blocks and must stay in their own lane for the entire race.<ref name=RuleBook1/>

An athlete, after assuming a final set position, may not commence his starting motion until after receiving the report of the gun, or approved starting apparatus. If, in the judgment of the starter or recallers, he does so any earlier, it is considered a [[false start]]. It is deemed a false start if, in the judgment of the starter an athlete fails to comply with the commands "on your marks" or "set" as appropriate after a reasonable time; or an athlete after the command "on your marks" disturbs other athletes in the race through sound or otherwise. If the runner is in the "set" position and moves, then the runner is also disqualified.<ref>IAAF Rule 161.6</ref> {{As of|2010}}, any athlete making a false start is disqualified.<ref>IAAF Rule 161.7</ref>

In International elite competition, electronically tethered starting blocks sense the reaction time of the athletes. If the athlete reacts in less than 0.1 second, an alert sounds for a recall starter and the offending athlete is guilty of a false start.<ref name="IAAF Rule 161.2"/> Since 2009, the offending athletes are immediately disqualified.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/6018077/World-Athletics-IAAF-sanctions-immediate-disqualification-for-false-starts-come-January.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |title=IAAF sanctions immediate disqualification for false starts come January |date=12 August 2009 |access-date=2 May 2010 |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118111656/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/athletics/6018077/World-Athletics-IAAF-sanctions-immediate-disqualification-for-false-starts-come-January.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Running the race====
[[File:Oscar Pistorius, the first round of the 400m at the London 2012 Olympic Games.jpeg|thumb|[[Oscar Pistorius]] running in the first round of the 400&nbsp;m at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]]]]
For sprinting events, except the 4 × 400&nbsp;m relay and the indoor 400&nbsp;metres, each athlete must run the race within their allocated lane from start to finish. If an athlete leaves their lane or steps on the line demarking each lane the athlete will be disqualified. Lane rules also apply for initial periods of other track races, for example, the beginning of the 800&nbsp;m. Similar rules apply for longer distance races when a large field of athletes is present and separate starting points are designated, with the field merging into one group shortly after the starting phase.<ref name="IAAF Rule 163.2">IAAF Rule 163.2</ref><ref name="IAAF Rule 163.3">IAAF Rule 163.3</ref>

Any athlete who jostles or obstructs another athlete, in a way that impedes his progress, should be disqualified from that event. However, if an athlete is pushed or forced by another person to run outside his lane, and if no material advantage is gained, the athlete should not be disqualified.<ref name="IAAF Rule 163.2"/><ref name="IAAF Rule 163.3"/>

====The finish====
The finish of a race is marked by a white line 5&nbsp;cm wide.<ref>IAAF Rule 164.1</ref> The finishing position of athletes is determined by the order in which any part of their torso (as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line.<ref>IAAF Rule 164.3</ref> [[Fully automatic timing]] systems (photo timing) are becoming more and more common at increasingly lower levels of track meets, improving the accuracy, while eliminating the need for eagle-eyed officials on the finish line. Fully automatic timing (FAT) is required for high level meets and any time a sprint record is set (though distance records can be accepted if timed by three independent stopwatches).<ref name=RuleBook1/>

With the accuracy of the timing systems, ties are rare. Ties between different athletes are resolved as follows: In determining whether there has been a tie in any round for a qualifying position for the next round based on time, a judge (called the chief photo finish judge) must consider the actual time recorded by the athletes to one thousandth of a second. If the judge decides that there has been a tie, the tying athletes must be placed in the next round or, if that is not practicable, lots must be drawn to determine who must be placed in the next round. In the case of a tie for first place in any final, the referee decides whether it is practicable to arrange for the athletes so tying to compete again. If he decides it is not, the result stands. Ties in other placings remain.<ref name=RuleBook1/>

===Field rules===
In general, most field events allow a competitor to take their attempt individually, under theoretically the same conditions as the other competitors in the competition. Each attempt is measured to determine who achieved the greatest distance.<ref name=RuleBook1/>

==== Vertical Jumps ====
Vertical jumps (high jump and pole vault) set a bar at a particular height. The competitor must clear the bar without knocking it off the standards that are holding the bar (flat). Three failures in a row ends the competitor's participation in the event. The competitor has the option to PASS their attempt, which can be used to strategic advantage (of course that advantage is lost if the competitor misses). A pass could be used to save energy and avoid taking a jump that would not improve their position in the standings. After all competitors have either cleared, passed or failed their attempts at a height, the bar goes up. The amount the bar goes up is predetermined before the competition, though when one competitor remains, that competitor may choose their own heights for the remaining attempts. A record is kept of each attempt by each competitor. After all competitors have taken their attempts, the one jumping the highest is the winner, and so on down the other competitors in the event. Ties are broken by first, the number of attempts taken at the highest height (fewest wins), and then if still tied, by the total number of misses in the competition as a whole. The bar does not go back to a lower height except to break a tie for first place or a qualifying position. If those critical positions are still tied after applying the tiebreakers, all tied competitors take a fourth jump at the last height. If they still miss, the bar goes down one increment where they again jump. This process continues until the tie is broken.<ref name=RuleBook1/>

==== Horizontal Jumps ====
Horizontal jumps (long jump and triple jump) and all throws must be initiated behind a line. In the case of horizontal jumps, that line is a straight line perpendicular to the runway. In the case of throws, that line is an arc or a circle. Crossing the line while initiating the attempt invalidates the attempt—it becomes a foul. All landings must occur in a sector. For the jumps, that is a sand filled pit, for throws it is a defined sector. A throw landing on the line on the edge of sector is a foul (the inside edge of the line is the outside edge of the sector). Assuming a proper attempt, officials measure the distance from the closest landing point back to the line. The measuring tape is carefully straightened to the shortest distance between the point and the line. To accomplish this, the tape must be perfectly perpendicular to the take off line in jumps, or is pulled through the center point of the arc for throws. The officials at the landing end of the tape have the zero, while the officials at the point of initiation measure and record the length. Whenever a record (or potential record) occurs, that measurement is taken (again) with a steel tape, and observed by at least three officials (plus usually the meet referee). Steel tapes are easily bent and damaged, so are not used to measure everyday competitions. For major competitions, each competitor gets three tries. The top competitors (usually 8 or 9 depending on that competition's rules or the number of lanes on the track) gets three more tries. At that level of competition, the order of competitors for those final three attempts are set—so the competitor in first place at the end of the third round is last, while the last competitor to qualify goes first. Some meets rearrange the competition order again for the final round, so the final attempt is taken by the leader at that point. At other competitions, meet management may choose to limit all competitors to four or three attempts. Whatever the format, all competitors get an equal number of attempts.<ref name=RuleBook1/>