Types of Summer Athletic Games

Athletic games are specific types of sports that include running, jumping and throwing. Most people would associate summer athletic sports with those we see in common track and field events at the Olympics. These games put the competitor's body through extreme tests of strength, stamina and skill.

There are several popular types of summer athletic games, including:

• Running- There are dozens of popular running events that are common to summer games. The differences in events are mainly in the distance that the runners must travel. The fastest runner who does not commit a foul is the winner. Running competitions can be as long as a 26.2 miles and as short as 60 meters. Running competitions can be done in teams and can use accessories such as batons or hurdles.


• Jumping- There are several different events that include jumping. In some events, length of jump is most important, while in others the height of the jump is key. The long jump and triple jump are common events where the length of the jump is most important. The pole vault, a competition where athletes jump over a bar with the aid of a pole, values the height of each jump.


• Throwing- Throwing competitions put the strength of the competitor on display. The most common throwing competitions are the shot put, discus and javelin. In each of these competitions, the athlete must hurl the object as far as they can within a specific area. Each throwing device presents its own challenges to the thrower.