track and field

Usain Bolt from Jamaica celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Usain Bolt's Final 100-Meter Race: 'There He Goes'

4:16pm August 05, 2017

by Tom Goldman

Track and field's greatest sprinter is expected to run his last individual race Saturday in London. Jamaican Usain Bolt says he will retire after dominating his sport for a decade.

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Guide Wesley Williams (left) lines up blind long jumper and sprinter Lex Gillette on the track before making a long jump during practice at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in San Diego. Gillette started losing his sight when he was 8 years old.

For Blind Long Jumper At Paralympics, Success Depends On Teamwork

9:31am September 08, 2016

by Tom Goldman

Lex Gillette, blind since childhood, competes with help from guide Wesley Williams. "Jumping into the air, it's like someone opens up this cage door and I'm able to go out and be free," Gillette says.

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Justin Gatlin celebrates victory in the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field. Gatlin has been suspended twice for failing doping tests, once in 2001 and again in 2006.

Sports

At The U.S. Olympic Trials, Mixed Opinions About Russian Doping Scandal

6:33pm July 07, 2016

by Tom Goldman

The Russian scandal is a hot topic at the U.S. track and field Olympic Trials. Some feel individual Russian athletes should be allowed to compete if they're clean, others support a blanket ban.

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Izaic Yorks, a senior at the University of Washington, recently ran a mile in 3:53 — the fastest mile of any American collegiate athlete. Here, he competes on Feb. 27 in Seattle.

Why Fastest U.S. College Mile Runner Won't Be Vying To Be NCAA Champ

6:25pm March 11, 2016

by NPR Staff

The University of Washington's Izaic Yorks ran a mile in 3:53, setting a new mark for an American collegian. But loyalty to his team means he won't be running the mile at this weekend's championship.

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Usain Bolt of Jamaica is hit by a cameraman on a Segway while celebrating his win in the 200-meter final during the 15th IAAF World Championships at National Stadium in Beijing.

Usain Bolt Jokes That American Justin Gaitlin Paid Cameraman To Take Him Down

5:02pm August 28, 2015

by Eyder Peralta

Bolt was accidentally knocked down by a cameraman on a Segway. Bolt took the accident in stride, saying he suffered a few cuts but nothing serious.

Usain Bolt Is Knocked Over By Segway-Riding Cameraman After Winning Gold

1:55pm August 27, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The incident happened at the World Athletics Championships, where a highly anticipated match-up had pitted the Jamaican against America's Justin Gatlin.

Competitors race at the IAAF World Athletics Championship held in Osaka in 2007. Athletes' samples that were kept from the event have now been retested, resulting in suspensions, the IAAF says.

Track And Field Organization Tests Old Doping Samples, Suspends 28 Athletes

3:05pm August 11, 2015

by Bill Chappell

The samples from the championships held in Helsinki and Osaka had been stored under a revised anti-doping policy that provides for retesting.

Kira Grunberg, seen here competing last summer, was severely injured in a training accident this week. Doctors say she is now a paraplegic.

After Devastating Injury, Austrian Pole Vaulter Is Breathing On Her Own

1:33pm August 01, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Doctors say the fall has left Kira Grunberg, 21, a paraplegic — a development that shocked the sports world in Europe and brought offers of emotional and financial support.

University of Connecticut defensive back Byron Jones takes off for the broad jump at the NFL combine Monday. Jones recorded an NFL record of 12 feet 3 inches.

12 Feet: A Soaring New Broad Jump Record Is Set At NFL Combine

2:10pm February 23, 2015

by Bill Chappell

If you're ever standing near Byron Jones when he jumps, you might want to stay well back. On Monday, the cornerback flew more than 12 feet from a standing start.

Kenyan runner Hyvon Ngetich didn't win the Austin Marathon — but she's being celebrated for the way she finished it.

Reduced To Her Knees, Marathoner Finishes Race In A Crawl

3:32pm February 17, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Kenyan runner Hyvon Ngetich didn't win the Austin Marathon, despite leading for most of the race. Now she's being celebrated for the way she crossed the finish line.