Athletics at The 1908 Summer Olympics - Events

Events

The 1908 Games were the first to feature race walking, with two different events held. Two different forms of javelin throwing also appeared, introducing the new throwing apparatus to the programme. The 60 metre short sprint was dropped from the programme, as was the middle hurdle distance. Steeplechasing was done at 3200 metres instead of the 2500 metres that had been included at the previous two editions; the team race also had its distance shortened. A short track relay event was added. The multi-discipline triathlon and decathlon events that had been experimented with at the 1904 Games were both absent, as was the 56 pound weight throw. An unusual event featuring the discus, which had become a staple of Olympic athletics, was held in which throwers had to follow a very specific throwing style. Overall there was one more event on the 1908 programme, than there had been in 1904.

New:

• 3200 metre steeplechase
• Medley relay
• 3 mile team race
• 5 miles
• 3500 metre walk
• 10 mile walk
• Javelin throw
• Greek discus
• Freestyle javelin

Removed:

• 60 metres (1900–04)
• 200 metre hurdles (1900–04)
• 2500 metre steeplechase (1900–04)
• 4 mile team race (1904)
• Triathlon (1904)
• Decathlon (1904)
• Standing triple jump (1900–04)
• 56 pound weight throw (1904)