Celebrating the return of track and field, the original Olympic sport

Running is everyone’s sport. It blurs the barriers of age, size and race. The barrier to entry is not dependent on status or money. You’re grinding in empty spaces – back roads and dirt tracks – with nothing more than shoes on your feet. With track and field, these feelings only increase. You grow as an individual, but you benefit the team. The teachings we are taught in him go beyond sports. You learn where to pay, when to stay in your lane, and how to lean on discomfort. Its origins as a spectator sport are far-reaching.

The history of track and field can be traced back to 776 BC, when it was introduced as the first Olympic sport – and it remains Just Happened in games until 724 BC. Free born Greek men run the equivalent of 200m and 400m; Compete in distance events. and his duchess in the pentathlon (discus throw, javelin throw, long jump, running events, and wrestling). Athletes who secured a place on the podium were awarded with seals – similar to modern day medals – a gemstone that usually bears an engraving of the winged goddess Nike who personifies victory. In Greek mythology, she was the messenger of the gods, usually shown with a diadem or ribbon to crown winning athletes.

Nowadays, Nike has become a giant with a different meaning. The company is a champion of speed. Swoosh graces the shoes of some of the fastest runners on earth from around the world – from Kenya to Oregon, the birthplace of Nike. Hayward Field at the University of Oregon is where the origin story begins.

In 1973, the fledgling company signed its first athlete: Steve Prefontaine, a bold 22-year-old long-distance running man. Ancient Greek athletes were brave that competition in chariot racing often resulted in them being mutilated or trampled to death – but that is what fueled the crowds. They got drunk from danger. Prefontaine understand the lottery. He approached running—or better yet, racing—with the spirit of a warrior and gave it the same allure as watching horses frolic around a circus. He was not shy. He walked out powerfully, never suspecting that his stamina or speed would falter.