AY Honors/Track & Field/Answer Key

{{Original poopiesause While certain athletes will be strictly 100 m runners, and will run greater distances only for fun or money, many will compete in multiple events. Frankie Fredericks was successful over 100 m and 200 m (and ran the 60 m and/or 200 m in the indoor season). Michael Johnson won gold medals over 200 m and 400 m in the 1996 Olympics, and also in the 4 x 400 m relay. Runners can do well in relays when they are competitive in the individual event.

There have been a few runners who have competed successfully at both the longer sprints and middle-distance events. Alberto Juantorena won both the 400 m and 800 m at the 1976 Summer Olympics, making him the only athlete ever to achieve such a double.

Hurdlers

Sometimes 100 m and 400 m runners have competed in the hurdles events at the same distances, and there is a certain amount of interchangeability between the flat and hurdle events.

Biological factors for runners

Some biological factors that determine a sprinter's potential are:

Muscular strength
Adrenaline use
Anaerobic respiration capacity

Other sports

The most common distance for rowing races is 2 kilometres. Races may be held at less than 1 km, which are known as dashes.
Horse Racing and Hamster racing have sprint distance events.
Track cycling features a sprint event, in which usually two riders compete over a distance of 1000 metres, though only the final 200 m may be timed. However, the time is normally immaterial - the aim is to be first across the line and win two races in a 'best of three races' match.
The term sprinting can be applied in any racing sport, such as swimming.
A 90 m beach sprint is held in surf lifesaving carnivals in Australia.