Track and Field, Women in

[Page 1464]Like they have in many other sports, women have made a strong showing in the area of track and field-definitely over the past century, and even more so since 2000. Though women have carved a significant place for themselves and their talents on the track, in the jumping pits, and while throwing a shot or discus, some female track-and-field athletes struggle with self-perception, use techniques similar to male athletes to alter their bodies, and sometimes face difficult and hurtful accusations about their gender because they behave or look like men.

Scholars and researchers find the discussion about women, gender, and track especially interesting since men and women are both associated with the sport (in comparison to sports like basketball or ice skating, which are most ...