Track and Field

Ancient Olympic Games

776 BCE

The ancient Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece feature running events, marking the early origins of track and field.

Modern Olympics

1896

The first modern Olympic Games are held in Athens, Greece, featuring track and field events.

Jesse Owens Wins Gold in front of Nazi Germany

1936

Jesse Owens, an African-American athlete, wins four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, challenging Adolf Hitler's notion of Aryan racial superiority.

1st mile under 4 minutes

1954

Roger Bannister becomes the first person to run a mile in under 4 minutes, setting a new world record at the time and pushing the boundaries of human performance.

First African to win gold

1960

Ethiopian athlete Abebe Bikila wins the Olympic marathon in Rome, becoming the first black African to win a gold medal in the Games.

Salute for Civil Rights

1968

Tommie Smith and John Carlos, American sprinters, raise their fists in a Black Power salute during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, symbolizing the struggle for civil rights.

Carl Lewis repeats history

1984

Carl Lewis wins four gold medals at the World Championships in Helsinki, matching Jesse Owens' feat from 1936.

Flo-Jo doubles in records

1988

Florence Griffith Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, sets world records in the 100m and 200m sprints at the U.S. Olympic Trials, which still stand today.

Usain Bolt doubles in gold and records

2012

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt successfully defends his titles in the 100m and 200m at the London Olympics, becoming the first athlete to win six Olympic gold medals in sprinting.

Wayde van Niekerk breaks 400m record in lane 8

2016

Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa breaks Michael Johnson's 400m world record at the Rio Olympics, setting a new mark of 43.03 seconds.

Karsten Warholm does the unthinkable

2022

Karsten Warholm of Norway breaks the men's 400m hurdles world record at the Bislett Games in Oslo, becoming the first athlete to run the event under 46 seconds