Athletics is described as an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition, participation in sports events as an extracurricular activity;
Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. The word is derived from the Greek word "athlos" meaning "contest". It is a collection of sport events, which can roughly be divided into running, throwing, and jumping. Athletics was the original sport at the first Olympics back in 776 BC where the only event held was the stadium-length foot race or "Stade". The earliest recorded win was at these games in the stade race.
Ref: 122100/2006-09-19