Introduction to Athletics
Primary 4 · Physical Education
Introduction to Athletics
Lesson 1 of 3
20 min
Let's begin
On sports day, Habimana's class lines up for the 50 m race. Mutesi is not the tallest girl in the class, but she wins easily.
"How did you run so fast?" Habimana asks. "I stayed on my toes, pumped my arms and ran right through the finish," says Mutesi. Let us learn her secrets.
Athletics is a group of sports made of running, jumping, throwing and walking. It is part of the Olympic Games. The events come in two groups:
A sprint is a short race where you run as fast as you can for the whole distance. You do not need to save energy for later. In the Olympics, the sprints include the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m. At school you practise from 10 m up to 100 m. A 100 m race is about the length of a football pitch.
Moving before "Go!" is a false start. At school we use a standing start. Top sprinters use a crouch start, pushing off from starting blocks.
Stay safe: run on flat ground with no holes or stones, and walk back on the outside of the track, never across other lanes.
Tip
Toes, arms, eyes! Run on your toes, pump your arms from cheek to pocket, keep your eyes on the finish, and run through the line.
Think about each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
What are the three starting commands?
Answer: "On your marks", "Set", "Go!"
Should you slow down just before the finish line?
Answer: No. Keep running at full speed through the line, or someone may pass you at the very end.
Name the two groups of athletics events.
Answer: Track events (running races) and field events (jumping and throwing).
Keza runs 50 m in 10 seconds. Mugisha runs 50 m in 9 seconds. Who is faster?
Answer: Mugisha. He took fewer seconds to run the same distance.
How should your arms swing when you sprint?
Answer: Forward and back, from cheek to pocket, with bent elbows. Not across your body.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The story, the track diagram, the starting and running tips, the practice drills and the practice questions were written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Put the starting commands in order.
Tap the cards in the right order.
