Portable Battery Jump Starter

The “Ready, Set, Go!” of sprinting at the playground gives way to more rigorous rules of competitive sprinting. With so much at stake in competitive sprinting, there are myriad rules that are not always obvious to even an avid spectator at the track. Spectators may be familiar with the false start rule and the importance of running within a lane, but those rules merely scratch the surface. The rules of sprint racing cover facilities, race administration, competitors, seeding and result determination.

== Starting blocks ==

For track events up to 400m and the first leg of sprint relays (4 X 100, 4 X 400), starting blocks must be used. Officials must ensure that starting blocks do not overlap the starting line or infringe on lane boundaries. The starting blocks must strictly comply with regulations (Rule 161 of the IAAF regulations)-even when athletes elect to use their own starting blocks. High profile events must have IAAF approved false start control apparatus.

== Race start ==

In competitive sprint events, officials assign sprinters to numbered lanes based on seeding and performance at the event. Athletes must line-up exclusively and separately in the lane designated for them. All sprint events begin at the relevant starting line. The start line is a 5cm thick white line. For sprints above 100 m, the start line is necessarily staggered to ensure that each competitor runs the required distance.

When the starter gives the “On your marks” order, sprinters must position their entire body behind the start line and within their designated lane. At least one knee must touch the ground and both feet must be in contact with the starting blocks. The athletes’ must not touch the starting line or beyond it with any part of their body.

Once the starter gives the command “Set”, athletes will adopt the final set position before the starter commences the race by giving a signal such as the report of a gun or activating an approved starting device.

== Finish ==

A white line that is 5cm wide marks the finish line. Places and times are determined at the exact point that the athlete crosses the finish line. According to the IAAF, “The athletes shall be placed in the order in which any part of their body (i.e. torso, as distinguished from the head, neck, arms, legs, hands or feet) reaches the vertical plane of the nearer edge of the finish line as defined above.” If ties occur or it is difficult to determine the winner, the Photo Finish System – maintained by the Chief Photo Judge – is used.

== False starts, violations and interruptions ==

Athletes are prohibited from anticipating the start signal or causing unjustified interruptions to the start process. Many track spectators may be aware that a sprinter false starts if his reaction time (commencement of starting motion) to the starter‘s signal is within 0-0.0999 or before the starter‘s signal. However, failing to follow starter‘s instructions within a reasonable period or disturbing other competitors in any manner constitute other grounds for “False start” violations.

Where false start control apparatus is not used, the determination of the false start is at the discretion of the starter. When the apparatus is used, the starter uses evidence provided by it as conclusive proof. Athletes can indicate discomfort by raising their hand before the starter issues the “Set” command.

In the extreme and rare event that an athlete does not have a valid reason to abort a start after raising his hand, officials either caution or disqualify (if it is the second offence) the athlete for improper conduct. When athletes are not responsible for a start interruption, a green card- which carries no penalty- is shown to the entire field.

== Dealing with false starts ==

When a false start occurs, the track referee warns the athlete(s) who committed the offence by showing the yellow card. Since IAAF rules permit only one false start for single sprint events, the entire field is warned as well. If any athlete(s) subsequently false starts or is penalized for improper conduct, that athlete is disqualified.

Once the starter disqualifies an athlete, the track referee shows the red card to the athlete or the red card is placed on that athlete’s lane marker. The athlete must then leave the track entirely. With Combined Events (decathlon etc.) officials only warn athletes who false start- not the entire field. If the starter believes that an athlete’s false start caused competitors to false start, he can and should consider that when taking action. The starter reports a false start recalls the athletes by firing the starting gun twice or re-activating the approved start signal.

== Lane violations and obstruction ==

Athletes are not permitted to run outside of their designated lanes or obstruct or jostle with competitors before the race is completed. These violations normally result in disqualification, depending on contextual factors. If the athlete does not gain a material advantage and the lane violation does not impede another athlete, there may be no penalty. In the case of obstruction, disqualification is a certainty if it is deliberate. A possible outcome is that the race is re-held- even if no disqualification occurs.

== Track facilities ==

The lanes for sprint events must be numbered from left to right with the inside lane starting at 1. For elite competitions and international events, a minimum of 8 lanes is required. The track must also satisfy IAAF criteria governing length, markings and material. The width of lanes must be uniform throughout and 4 feet (1.22m) wide. For elite competition, the IAAF has additional equipment and procedures that form part of the rules.

== Conclusion ==

The rules of sprinting are even more comprehensive than any article can cover comprehensively. Several other issues may be more pertinent to meet organisers than to athletes. Reviewing the rules of sprinting demonstrates that what spectators may take for granted (like immediate response to starters’ orders) are actually enshrined rules of sprinting. Failure to adhere properly to them can have critical consequences for athletes.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 2nd, 2010 at 2:09 pm and is filed under Article. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.