Athletics at Tokyo Olympics: Preview, Guide, Schedule, Indian Players

After the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, now in 2021, we are almost here. We are just less than 20 days close to the biggest festival of sports, and a lot of athletics events are scheduled to take place during the Tokyo Olympics. Athletics is the most popular single sport in the Games, with track, field, and road events.

Preview

Athletics events at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 will feature a total of 19 athletes from India.

The Olympic Stadium's athletics track is a 400m oval. The finish line for all track events is the same. Men and women compete in sprints, middle-distance and long-distance events, hurdles and steeplechase races, and relays on the track. The majority of events begin with heats, with the fastest athletes or teams moving to the semi-finals and eventually the final.

Track & field athletics will be held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo in 2020. Field event fields of play are located within and around the track, including high jump and pole vault landing zones, long jump and triple jump pits, discus throw, hammer throw, and shot put circles, and javelin throw runways.

Short-distance races are typically dominated by competitors from North America and the Caribbean, whereas middle and long-distance events are generally dominated by African athletes.

The retirement of Usain Bolt has opened up a spot on the men's sprint leaderboard, while the same generation of competitors includes female champions such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (Jamaica), who won the 100m gold in London in 2012, and six-time gold medalist Allyson Felix (USA).

The United States has always dominated the long jump. Jeff Henderson (USA) won the men's long jump events at Rio 2016 by one centimetre with a leap of 8.38m. Thiago Braz da Silva (BRA) may contest in the men's pole vault competition against new world record holder Armand Duplantis of Sweden, 2017 and 2019 world champion Sam Kendricks of the United States, and 2012 Olympic champion and former world record-holder Renaud Lavillenie of France.

Historically, European countries have dominated race walking. Asian athletes, on the other hand, have risen to prominence in recent Games. China won gold and bronze medals in the men's 20km event in London in 2012, as well as gold and silver medals in Rio 2016, where Japanese race walker Hirooki Arai finished third in the men's 50km. China also won gold and bronze medals in the women's 20km race in Rio 2016.

With the inclusion of a mixed relay event, the overall number of events will be 48, one more than in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Guide

Athletics at the Tokyo Olympics will feature 48 events in total, including the Track, field, road, men's decathlon and women's heptathlon.

Track events

Men

1. 100 m

2. 200 m

3. 400 m

4. 800 m

5. 1500 m

6. 5000 m

7. 10,000 m

8. 110 m hurdles

9. 400 m hurdles

10. 3000 m steeplechase

11. 4×100 m relay

12. 4×400 m relay

Women

1. 100 m

2. 200 m

3. 400 m

4. 800 m

5. 1500 m

6. 5000 m

7. 10,000 m

8. 100 m hurdles

9. 400 m hurdles

10. 3000 m steeplechase

11. 4×100 m relay

12. 4×400 m relay

Mixed

4×400 m relay

Field events

Men

1. High jump

2. Pole vault

3. Long jump

4. Triple jump

5. Shot put

6. Discus throw

7. Hammer throw

8. Javelin throw

Women

1. High jump

2. Pole vault

3. Long jump

4. Triple jump

5. Shot put

6. Discus throw

7. Hammer throw

8. Javelin throw

Road Events

Men

1. Marathon

2. 20 km walk

3. 50 km walk

Women

1. Marathon

2. 20 km walk

Combined events

Men

Decathlon

Women

Heptathlon

Schedule

Athletics will be held during the last ten days of the 2020 Summer Olympics, from July 30 to August 8, 2021.

Date and Time: Fri 30 July IST 5:30 - 09:00 AM

• Men's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1
  
• Men's High Jump Qualifying Round
• Men's Discus Throw Qualifying Round
• Women's 800m Round 1
• Men's 400m Hurdles Round 1
• Women's 100m Round 1

Date and Time: Fri 30 July IST 15:30 - 17:30

• Women's 5000m Round 1
  
• Women's Triple Jump Qualifying Round
• Women's Shot Put Qualifying Round
• Mixed 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
• Men's 10,000m Final

Date and Time: Sat 31 July IST 05:30 - 09:00 AM

• Women's 400m Hurdles Round 1
• Women's Discus Throw Qualifying Round
• Men's Pole Vault Qualifying Round
• Men's 800m Round 1
• Women's 100m Hurdles Qualifying Round
• Men's 100m Preliminary Round

Date and Time: Sat 31 July IST 15:30 - 21:55 PM

• Men's 10,000m Victory Ceremony
  
• Men's Long Jump Qualifying Round
• Women's 100m Semifinals
• Men's 100m Round 1
• Men's Discus Throw Final
• Women's 800m Semifinals
• Mixed 4 x 400m Relay Final
• Women's 100m Final

Date and Time: Sun 1 Aug. IST 05:40 - 08:30 PM

• Women's Hammer Throw Qualifying Round
• Women's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1
• Women's Long Jump Qualifying Round
• Men's Discus Throw Victory Ceremony
• Women's Shot Put Final
• Men's 400m Round 1
• Mixed 4 x 400m Relay Victory Ceremony

Date and Time: Sun 1 Aug. IST 15:30 - 18:25

• Women's 100m Victory Ceremony
  
• Men's High Jump Final
• Men's 100m Semifinals
• Women's 100m Hurdles Semifinals
• Women's Shot Put Victory Ceremony
• Women's Triple Jump Final
• Men's 800m Semifinals
• Men's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
• Men's High Jump Victory Ceremony
• Men's 100m Final

Date and Time: Mon 2 Aug. IST 05:30 - 08:25

• Men's Hammer Throw Qualifying Round
  
• Women's 1500m Round 1
• Women's Triple Jump Victory Ceremony
• Men's Long Jump Final
• Women's 200m Round 1
• Women's 100m Hurdles Final
• Date and Time: Mon 2 Aug. IST 15:30 - 18:25
• Men's 100m Victory Ceremony
  
• Men's Long Jump Victory Ceremony
• Women's Pole Vault Qualifying Round
• Women's 200m Semifinals
• Women's 100m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
• Women's Discus Throw Final
• Men's 400m Semifinals
• Women's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
• Men's 3000m Steeplechase Final
• Women's 5000m Final

Date and Time: Tue 3 Aug. IST 05:30 - 08:55

• Men's Triple Jump Qualifying Round
  
• Men's 1500m Round 1
• Women's Javelin Throw Qualifying Round
• Women's 400m Round 1
• Women's Discus Throw Victory Ceremony
• Men's 3000m Steeplechase Victory Ceremony
• Women's Long Jump Final
• Men's 200m Round 1
• Men's 400m Hurdles Final
• Women's 5000m Victory Ceremony

Date and Time: Tue 3 Aug. IST 15:30 - 18:25

• Women's Long Jump Victory Ceremony
  
• Men's 110m Hurdles Round 1
• Men's Shot Put Qualifying Round
• Men's Pole Vault Final
• Men's 400m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
• Men's 5000m Round 1
• Women's Hammer Throw Final
• Men's 200m Semifinals
• Women's 800m Final
• Women's 200m Final

Date and Time: Wed 4 Aug. 05:30 - 08:55

• Men's Decathlon 100m
  
• Men's Javelin Throw Qualifying Round
• Women's Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
• Men's Decathlon Long Jump
• Men's Pole Vault Victory Ceremony
• Women's Heptathlon High Jump
• Women's Hammer Throw Victory Ceremony
• Women's 800m Victory Ceremony
• Men's 110m Hurdles Semifinals
• Women's 400m Hurdles Final
• Men's Decathlon Shot Put
• Women's 400m Hurdles Victory Ceremony

Date and Time: Wed 4 Aug. 15:00 - 18:30

• Men's Decathlon High Jump
  
• Women's 1500m Semifinals
• Women's Heptathlon Shot Put
• Women's 400m Semifinals
• Women's 200m Victory Ceremony
• Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final
• Men's Hammer Throw Final
• Women's Heptathlon 200m
• Women's 3000m Steeplechase Victory Ceremony
• Men's 800m Final
• Men's Decathlon 400m
• Men's 200m Final

Date and Time: Thu 5 Aug.IST 15:30 - 18:25

• Men's Decathlon 110m Hurdles
  
• Women's High Jump Qualifying Round
• Men's Hammer Throw Victory Ceremony
• Women's Heptathlon Long Jump
• Men's Decathlon Discus Throw
• Women's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1
• Men's 800m Victory Ceremony
• Men's 200m Victory Ceremony
• Men's Triple Jump Final
• Men's Shot Put Final
• Men's 4 x 100m Relay Round 1
• Men's 110m Hurdles Final
• Men's Decathlon Pole Vault
• Women's Heptathlon Javelin Throw

Date and Time: Thu 5 Aug. IST 01:00 - 02:35

• Men's 20km Race Walk Final
• Men's 20km Race Walk Venue Ceremony

Date and Time: Thu 5 Aug. IST 15:30 - 18:15

• Men's Shot Put Victory Ceremony
• Men's Triple Jump Victory Ceremony
• Men's Decathlon Javelin Throw
• Women's Pole Vault Final
• Women's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
• Men's 1500m Semifinals
• Men's 110m Hurdles Victory Ceremony
• Men's 400m Final
• Women's Heptathlon 800m
• Men's Decathlon 1500m

Date and Time: Fri 6 Aug. IST 02:00 - 06:30

• Men's 50km Race Walk Final
  
• Men's 50km Race Walk Venue Ceremony

Date and Time: Fri 6 Aug. IST 13:00 - 02:45

• Women's 20km Race Walk Final
• Women's 20km Race Walk Venue Ceremony

Date and Time: Fri 6 Aug. IST 16:20 - 19:25

• Men's 20km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
• Women's Pole Vault Victory Ceremony
• Women's Heptathlon Victory Ceremony
• Men's Decathlon Victory Ceremony
• Men's 4 x 400m Relay Round 1
• Women's Javelin Throw Final
• Men's 5000m Final
• Men's 400m Victory Ceremony
• Women's 400m Final
• Women's 1500m Final
• Men's 5000m Victory Ceremony
• Women's 400m Victory Ceremony
• Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final
• Women's 1500m Victory Ceremony
• Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final

Date and Time: Sat 7 Aug. IST 03:30 - 06:45

• Women's Marathon Final
• Women's Marathon Venue Ceremony

Date and Time: Sat 7 Aug. IST 15:30 - 18:50

• Men's 50km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
• Women's 20km Race Walk Victory Ceremony
• Women's 4 x 100m Relay Victory Ceremony
• Men's 4 x 100m Relay Victory Ceremony
• Women's High Jump Final
• Women's 10,000m Final
• Men's Javelin Throw Final
• Women's Javelin Throw Victory Ceremony
• Men's 1500m Final
• Women's 10,000m Victory Ceremony
• Men's 1500m Victory Ceremony
• Women's 4 x 400m Relay Final
• Men's Javelin Throw Victory Ceremony
• Men's 4 x 400m Relay Final
• Women's High Jump Victory Ceremony
• Women's 4 x 400m Relay Victory Ceremony
• Men's 4 x 400m Relay Victory Ceremony

Date and Time: Sun 8 Aug. IST 03:30 - 06:15

• Men's Marathon Final
  
• Men's Marathon Venue Ceremony

Indian Players

Athletes that are competing from India in Athletics:

Men's 20km race walking

1. KT Irfan

2. Sandeep Kumar

3. Rahul Rohilla

Men's 50km race walking

Gurpreet Singh

Women's 20km race walking

1. Bhawna Jat

2. Priyanka Goswami

Men's 3000m steeplechase

Avinash Sable

Men's long jump

Murali Sreeshankar

Men's 400m hurdles

MP Jabir

Men's javelin throw

1. Neeraj Chopra

2. Shivpal Singh

Women's javelin throw

Annu Rani

Men's shot put

Tajinderpal Singh Toor

Women's 100m and 200m

Dutee Chand

Women's discus throw

1. Kamalpreet Kaur

2. Seema Punia

Men's 4x400m relay

1. Muhammed Anas Yahiya

2. Noah Nirmal Tom

3. Amoj Jacob

4. Arokia Rajiv

5. Naganathan Pandi

Mixed 4x400m Relay

1. Sarthak Bhambri

2. Alex Antony

3. Revathi Veeramani

4. Subha Venkatesan

5. Dhanlakshmi Sekhar

With several athletes competing in the Olympic Athletics Events, all eyes will be on some of them to bring home a medal this Olympics. Including Neeraj Chopra, Murali Sreeshankar and Kamalpreet Kaur.

Neeraj Chopra has shown great potential throughout his career. In addition to winning gold at the Asian Games 2018, he also won gold at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, the Sotteville Athletics Meet in France, and the Savo Games in Finland.

With the recent breaking of his own record in 2021, he appears to be in top form to compete in the Olympics. Johannes Vetter, the season leader and 2017 world champion from Germany, is the gold medal favourite in the Tokyo Olympics, and he'll be a big challenge ahead of Chopra in the event.

With breaking his own national record this season, Sreeshankar's effort of 8.26m ranks eleventh in the globe this season. Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece now leads the list with the best jump of 8.60m this season, while American JuVaughn Harrison is second with a jump of 8.44. With 8.39m, American Jeff Henderson and Cuban Maykel Masso share third place in the world for the 2021 season. He's in the best form currently and looking forward to winning a medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

Kaur, who qualified for the Tokyo Olympics this year, accomplished the unimaginable by throwing the disc to a distance of 66.59m, making her the first woman in India to do it. Her achievement is undoubtedly encouraging and it has raised hope for Indian fans to get a medal in the event.