This article contains an overview of the sport of athletics, including track and field

Track and field

Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

, cross country

Cross country running

Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

 and road running

Road running

Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...

, in the year 2004

2004 in sports

2004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :**January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14...

.

The major competition of the year was the 2004 Summer Olympics

Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...

. At the event, Yelena Isinbayeva

Yelena Isinbayeva

Yelena Gadzhievna Isinbayeva is a Russian pole vaulter. She is twice an Olympic gold medalist , five-times a World Champion, and the current world record holder in the event...

 cleared a world record 4.91 m in the pole vault

Pole vault

Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...

. Liu Xiang

Liu Xiang

Liu Xiang is a Chinese 110 meter hurdler. Liu is an Olympic Gold medalist and World Champion. His 2004 Olympic gold medal was the first in a men's track and field event for China....

 won the men's 110 metres hurdles

110 metres hurdles

The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...

 with a world record-equalling time of 12.91 seconds, defying traditional beliefs about the physical calibre of Chinese (and Asian) sprint athletes. Hicham El Guerrouj

Hicham El Guerrouj

Hicham El Guerrouj "King of the Mile" is a Moroccan former middle distance runner...

 capped off his prominent international career with two gold medals in the 1500 m and 5000 m. The Olympic competition in Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 was marred by an incident involving Greek Olympic medallists Konstantinos Kenteris

Konstantinos Kenteris

Konstandinos Kenderis, also spelled as Konstadinos Kederis is a former Greek athlete...

 and Ekaterini Thanou, who were alleged to have staged a motorcycle crash in order to avoid doping tests. Both athletes missed the competition and were later banned for missing three doping tests.

World

• Olympic Games
  Athletics at the 2004 Summer Olympics
  At the 2004 Summer Olympics, the athletics events were held at the Athens Olympic Stadium from August 18 to August 29, except for the marathons , the race walks , and the shot put...
  
  
• Summer Paralympics
  Athletics at the 2004 Summer Paralympics
  Athletics at the 2004 Summer Paralympics included 17 events for men and 15 events for women, in 5 disciplines. Athletes competed in one of four disability categories:*Blind or visually impaired athletes - Sport classes 11 to 13....
  
  
• World Indoor Championships
  2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships
  The 10th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations were held in the Budapest Arena, Hungary between March 5 and March 7, 2004...
  
  

• World Athletics Final
  2004 IAAF World Athletics Final
  The 2nd IAAF World Athletics Final was held at the Stade Louis II, in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 18, and September 19, 2004.The hammer throw event for men and women had to take place in Szombathely, Hungary a week previous as the Monaco stadium was not large enough to hold the event.One of...
  
  
• World Cross Country Championships
  2004 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
  The 32nd IAAF World Cross Country Championships were held 19-20 March 2004 in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :- Individual :- Team :...
  
  
• World Half Marathon Championships
  2004 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
  The 13th IAAF World Half Marathon Championships was held on October 3, 2004 in New Delhi, India. A total of 152 athletes, 91 men and 61 women, from 55 countries took part.-Individual:-Team:-Individual:-Team:-External links:*...
  
  
• World Race Walking Cup
  2004 IAAF World Race Walking Cup
  The 2004 IAAF World Race Walking Cup was held on 1 and 2 May 2004 in the streets of Naumburg, Germany.-Medallists:-Men's 20 km:-Men's 50 km:-Women's 20 km:-References:* - IAAF.org* - IAAF.org...
  
  
• IAAF Golden League
  2004 IAAF Golden League
  The 2004 IAAF Golden League was a series of track and field meetings organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations.Originally taking place in Oslo, Rome, Monaco, Zürich, Brussels and Berlin, the Bislett Games was temporarily moved from Oslo to Fana due to the redevelopment of...
  
  

Regional

• African Championships
  2004 African Championships in Athletics
  The 14th African Championships in Athletics were held in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in July, 2004. Since African Championships is a biennial event, this edition was contested only a month before 2004 Summer Olympics. Thus some top athletes shunned the event...
  
  
• Asian Indoor Championships
  2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
  The 2004 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships was an international indoor athletics event took place in Tehran, Iran, between 6 and 8 February.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-Participating nations:...
  
  
• Asian Cross Country Championships
• Pan Arab Games
  Athletics at the 2004 Pan Arab Games
  At the 2004 Pan Arab Games, the athletics events were held at the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers, Algeria from 4 to 8 October 2004. A total of 45 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 22 by female athletes. The host country topped the medal table having won a 16 gold medals and 34 medals...
  
  
• South Asian Games
  Athletics at the 2004 South Asian Games
  At the 2004 South Asian Games, the athletics events were held at the Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, Pakistan from 2 April to 6 April 2004. A total of 32 events were contested, of which 19 by male and 13 by female athletes...
  
  

• Balkan Games
• European Cross Country Championships
  2004 European Cross Country Championships
  The 11th European Cross Country Championships were held at Heringsdorf in Germany on 12 December 2004. Serhiy Lebid took his fifth title in the men's competition and Hayley Yelling won the women's race.-Men individual 9.64km:Total 89 competitors-Men teams:...
  
  
• European Cup
• European Mountain Running Championships
• Ibero-American Championships

Season's bests

60 metres 60 metres 60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...		6.46			7.06
100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...		9.85			10.77
200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...		19.79			22.05
400 metres 400 metres The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...		44.00			49.07
800 metres 800 metres The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...		1:43.06			1:56.23
1500 metres 1500 metres The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...		3:27.40			3:57.90
3000 metres 3000 metres The 3000 metres is a popular amateur middle distance track event where 7.5 laps are completed around a 400 metre track. This event is generally classified as middle distance, but it could be classed as a long distance event in many high schools, since they do not promote races such as the 5000 and...		7:27.72			8:31.32
5000 metres 5000 metres The 5000 metres is a popular running distance also known as 5 km or 5K in American English. It is one of the track events in the Olympic Games and the World Championships in Athletics. "5000 metres" refers to racing on a track and "5K" usually refers to a roadrace or cross country event...		12:37.35	WR		14:24.68
10,000 metres		26:20.31	WR		30:17.15
60 metres hurdles 60 metres hurdles 60 metres hurdles is a distance in hurdling which is generally run in indoor competitions. It is equivalent with the first 60 metres including the first 5 hurdles of a standard outdoor hurdle race. The current women's and men's world records are 7.68 seconds and 7.30 seconds ,...		7.36			7.75
100 100 metres hurdles The 100 m hurdles are an Olympic track and field athletics discipline run by women . For the race ten hurdles of a height of 83.8 cm are placed evenly spaced along a straight course of 100 meters. They are positioned so that they will fall over if bumped into by the runner... /110 metres hurdles 110 metres hurdles The 110 metres hurdles is a hurdling track and field event for men. It is incuded in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympic Games. The female counterpart is the 100 metre hurdles. As part of a racing event, ten hurdles of 1.067 metres in height are evenly spaced along a straight...		12.91	WR=		12.37
400 metres hurdles 400 metres hurdles The 400 metres hurdles is an Olympic athletics event in track and field. On a standard outdoor track 400 metres is the length of the inside lane once around the stadium. Runners stay in their lane the entire way after starting out of the blocks and must clear ten hurdles that are evenly...		47.63			52.77
3000 metres steeplechase		7:53.63	WR		9:01.59	WR
10 kilometres		27:35			30:41
15 kilometres		41:38			47:02
20 kilometres Road running Road running is the sport of running on a measured course over an established road . These events would be classified as long distance according to athletics terminology, with distances typically ranging from 5 kilometers to 42.2 kilometers in the marathon. They may involve large numbers of runners...		57:54			1:04:19
Half marathon Half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...		1:00:11			1:07:47
25 kilometres		1:12:45			1:22:32
30 kilometres		1:29:08			1:39:07
Marathon Marathon The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...		2:06:14			2:19:41
20 kilometres race walk 20 kilometres race walk The 20 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event that is competed by both men and women. The racewalking event is competed as a road race...		1:17:23			1:26:46
50 kilometres race walk 50 kilometres race walk The 50 kilometre race walk is an Olympic athletics event. The racewalking event is competed as a road race. Athletes must always keep in contact with the ground and the supporting leg must remain straight until the raised leg passes it.-World records:...		3:35:29		—
Pole vault Pole vault Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...		6.01 m			4.92 m	WR
High jump High jump The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....		2.37 m			2.06 m
Long jump Long jump The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...		8.60 m			7.33 m
Triple jump Triple jump The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...		17.93 m	(indoor)		15.36 m	WR (indoor)
Shot put Shot put The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....		22.54 m			20.79 m
Discus throw Discus throw The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...		70.97 m			69.14 m
Javelin throw Javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...		87.73 m			71.53 m
Hammer throw Hammer throw The modern or Olympic hammer throw is an athletic throwing event where the object is to throw a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle. The name "hammer throw" is derived from older competitions where an actual sledge hammer was thrown...		84.46 m			75.18 m
Pentathlon Pentathlon A pentathlon is a contest featuring five different events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente and -athlon . The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games...	—				4759 pts
Heptathlon Heptathlon A heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...		6438 pts	AR		6952 pts
Decathlon Decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...		8893 pts		—
4×100 metres relay	Shawn Crawford Shawn Crawford Shawn Crawford is an American sprint athlete. He competes in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. He won gold at the 2004 Summer Olympics and silver at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 200 meters.... Justin Gatlin Justin Gatlin Justin Gatlin is an American sprinter. He is an Olympic gold medalist, with a 100 m personal best of 9.85 seconds. He served a four-year ban from track and field for testing positive for a banned substance; Gatlin had appealed the ban in 2009, but it was later denied.- Biography :Gatlin attended... Coby Miller Coby Miller Coby Miller is an American track and field athlete, who specialises in the sprint events. In his career he recorded a sub-10 second personal best in the 100 meters and a sub-20 second best in the 200 meters. In the latter distance, he won the 1999 Summer Universiade and reached the 2000 Sydney... Maurice Greene Maurice Greene (athlete) Maurice Greene is a retired American track and field sprinter who specialized in the 100 meters and 200 meters. He is a former 100 m world record holder with a time of 9.79 seconds. During the height of his career he won four Olympic medals and was a five-time World Champion...	37.92		Tanya Lawrence Sherone Simpson Sherone Simpson Sherone Simpson is a track and field sprint athlete, competing internationally for Jamaica. She is a gold medalist in the 4 x 100 meter relay from the 2004 Olympics and silver medalist in 2005 World Championships and now is the silver medalist in the individual event at the 2008 Summer Olympics... Aleen Bailey Aleen Bailey Aleen Bailey is a track and field sprint specialist, competing internationally for Jamaica. She competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the gold medal as a member of the 4 x 100 m relay team... Veronica Campbell-Brown	41.73
4×400 metres relay	Otis Harris Otis Harris Otis Harris is an American track & field athlete. He won the silver medal in the 400 meters at the 2004 Summer Olympics.... Derrick Brew Derrick Brew Derrick Brew is a 2004 Olympic Gold medalist in the Men's 4x400 meter relay for the United States. Earlier in the games he took third in the US sweep of the 400m. He went to Klein Forest High School... Jeremy Wariner Jeremy Wariner Jeremy Mathew Wariner is an American track athlete specializing in the 400 meters. He has won four Olympic medals and six World Championships medals... Darold Williamson Darold Williamson Darold Williamson is an American track athlete.He ran the anchor leg on the gold medal winning 4x400 meter relay team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He is 2005 graduate of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he won the Big 12 Conference championship in the 400 meter run three years in...	2:55.91		Olesya Forsheva Olesya Forsheva Olesya Aleksandrovna Forsheva is a Russian athlete.She was born in Nizhny Tagil and is married to Dmitriy Forshev.Specializing in the 400 metres, she won a silver medal at the 2004 IAAF World Indoor Championships... Natalya Nazarova Natalya Nazarova Natalya Viktorovna Nazarova is a sprint athlete.She was born in Moscow.Following a personal best time of 49.65 seconds run a fortnight earlier, Natalya had lost form by the start of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, and only just made the final finishing 8th... Olesya Zykina Olesya Zykina Olesya Nikolaevna Zykina is a Russian athlete who mainly competes in the 400 metres. In addition to winning medals in individual contests, she has been a very successful relay runner, winning the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics.-Achievements:... Natalya Antyukh Natalya Antyukh Natalya Nikolayevna Antyukh is a Russian athlete who primarily competed in the 400 metres and 400 metre hurdles.In addition to winning medals in individual contests, she has been a very successful relay runner, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics....	3:20.16

Men

Award	Winner
IAAF World Athlete of the Year IAAF World Athlete of the Year The IAAF Athlete of the Year award is a prize that can be won by athletes participating in events within the sport of athletics organised by the International Athletic Foundation of the International Association of Athletics Federations , including track and field, cross country running, road...
Track & Field Athlete of the Year Track & Field Athlete of the Year The Track & Field Athlete of the Year award is given to track and field athletes by Track & Field News magazine. A panel of international track and field experts organized by the magazine selects the winners. The award has been given to men since 1959 and women since 1974.-Winners:-External links:*...
European Athlete of the Year Award European Athlete of the Year Award The European Athlete of the Year Trophy is an annual prize awarded to sportspeople participating in athletics, including track and field, road running and cross country running competitions...
Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award The Best Male Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the male track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year...

Women

Award	Winner
IAAF World Athlete of the Year IAAF World Athlete of the Year The IAAF Athlete of the Year award is a prize that can be won by athletes participating in events within the sport of athletics organised by the International Athletic Foundation of the International Association of Athletics Federations , including track and field, cross country running, road...
Track & Field Athlete of the Year Track & Field Athlete of the Year The Track & Field Athlete of the Year award is given to track and field athletes by Track & Field News magazine. A panel of international track and field experts organized by the magazine selects the winners. The award has been given to men since 1959 and women since 1974.-Winners:-External links:*...
European Athlete of the Year Award European Athlete of the Year Award The European Athlete of the Year Trophy is an annual prize awarded to sportspeople participating in athletics, including track and field, road running and cross country running competitions...
Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award The Best Female Track Athlete ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2006 to the female track and field athlete, irrespective of nationality, adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year...

400 m Hurdles

Hurdling

Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		47.63
2.		47.68
3.		47.86
4.		48.00
5.		48.02

3000 m Steeplechase

Steeplechase (athletics)

The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		7:53.63
2.		7:59.65
3.		8:02.66
4.		8:02.98
5.		8:05.52

Marathon

RANK	1.		2:06:16	Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
2.		2:06:18	London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
3.		2:06:22	Amsterdam Marathon Amsterdam Marathon The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.-History:...
4.		2:06:44	Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
5.		2:06:48	London Marathon
6.		2:06:49	Berlin Marathon
7.		2:07:05	Berlin Marathon
8.		2:07:06	Seoul International Marathon Seoul International Marathon The Seoul International Marathon, also known as the Dong-A Ilbo Seoul Marathon, is an annual marathon race that takes place in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of two annual races over the 42.195 km classic distance in the city, alongside the JoongAng Seoul Marathon which is held in November. It...
9.		2:07:12	London Marathon
10.		2:07:42	Otsu Marathon

Pole Vault

Pole vault

Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	HEIGHT
1.		6.01 m
2.		6.00 m
3.		5.86 m
4.		5.85 m

100 metres

100 metres

The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		10.77
2.		10.91
3.		10.92
4.		10.95
5.		10.96

200 metres

200 metres

A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		22.05
2.		22.18
3.		22.30
4.		22.33
5.		22.34

Half Marathon

Half marathon

A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		1:07:55

100 m Hurdles

Hurdling

Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		12.37
2.		12.45
3.		12.46
4.		12.50
5.		12.51

400 m Hurdles

Hurdling

Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		52.77
2.		52.95
3.		53.31
4.		53.32
5.		53.36

3000 m Steeplechase

Steeplechase (athletics)

The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	TIME
1.		9:01.59
2.		9:28.02
3.		9:29.30
4.		9:29.32
5.		9:29.81

High Jump

High jump

The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	HEIGHT
1.		2.06 m
2.		2.04 m
3.		2.03 m
4.		2.02 m
5.		2.01 m

Pole Vault

Pole vault

Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	HEIGHT
1.		4.92 m
2.		4.88 m
3.		4.83 m
4.		4.78 m
5.		4.72 m

Heptathlon

Heptathlon

A heptathlon is a track and field athletics combined events contest made up of seven events. The name derives from the Greek hepta and athlon . A competitor in a heptathlon is referred to as a heptathlete.-Women's Heptathlon:...

RANK	2004 WORLD BEST PERFORMERS	POINTS
1.		6952
2.		6594
3.		6435
4.		6424
5.		6387

Marathon

RANK	1.		2:19:41	Berlin Marathon Berlin Marathon The Berlin Marathon is a major running and sporting event held annually in Berlin, Germany. The official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is set up as a city-wide road race where professional athletes and amateur runners jointly participate...
2.		2:22:35	London Marathon London Marathon The London Marathon is one of the biggest running events in the world, and one of the five top world marathons that make up the World Marathon Majors competition, which has a $1 million prize purse. It has been held each spring in London since 1981. The race is currently sponsored by Virgin Money,...
3.		2:23:10	New York Marathon
4.		2:23:13	New York Marathon
5.		2:23:26	Berlin Marathon
6.		2:23:28	Xiamen Marathon
7.		2:23:45	Chicago Marathon Chicago Marathon The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
8.		2:23:57	Nagoya Marathon Nagoya Marathon The is an annual marathon race for female runners over the classic distance of 42 km and 195 metres, held in Nagoya, Japan in early March every year. It holds IAAF Silver Label road race status....
9.		2:24:11	Beijing Marathon Beijing Marathon The Beijing International Marathon is an annual marathon race of 42.195 km held in October in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The race was first held in 1981 and has been held every year since. The race begins at Tiananmen Square and finishes at the National Olympic Sports Centre stadium...
10.		2:24:27	Boston Marathon Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...

Deaths

• April 23 – Manuel Alcalde
  Manuel Alcalde
  Manuel Alcalde Fornieles was a male race walker from Spain. He represented his native country twice at the Olympic Games: 1984 and 1988. He was born and died in Guadix, Granada.-Achievements:-References:*...
  
   (47), Spanish race walker (b. 1956)
• December 4 – June Maston
  June Maston
  June Elaine Maston was an Australian sprinter and athletics coach from New South Wales...
  
   (76), Australian sprinter and athletics coach (b. 1928)
• December 25 – Ian Syster
  Ian Syster
  Ian Syster was a South African long-distance runner who specialized in the marathon.He was born in Prince Albert. He finished fourteenth at the 2001 World Championships and seventh at the 2003 World Championships. He also competed at the 2004 Olympic Games, but did not finish the race...
  
  (28), South African long-distance runner (b. 1976)