<P> Races with hurdles as obstacles were first popularised in the 19th century in England . The first known event, held in 1830, was a variation of the 100 - yard dash that included heavy wooden barriers as obstacles . A competition between the Oxford and Cambridge Athletic Clubs in 1864 refined this, holding a 120 - yard race (110 m) with ten hurdles of 3 - foot and 6 inches (1.06 m) in height (each placed 10 yards (9 m) apart), with the first and final hurdles 15 yards from the start and finish, respectively . French organisers adapted the race into metric (adding 28 cm) and the basics of this race, the men's 110 metres hurdles, has remained largely unchanged . The origin of the 400 metres hurdles also lies in Oxford, where (around 1860) a competition was held over 440 yards and twelve 1.06 m high wooden barriers were placed along the course . The modern regulations stem from the 1900 Summer Olympics: the distance was fixed to 400 m while ten 3 - foot (91.44 cm) hurdles were placed 35 m apart on the track, with the first and final hurdles being 45 m and 40 m away from the start and finish, respectively . Women's hurdles are slightly lower at 84 cm (2 ft 9 in) for the 100 m event and 76 cm (2 ft 6 in) for the 400 m event . </P> <P> By far the most common events are the 100 metres hurdles for women, 110 m hurdles for men and 400 m hurdles for both sexes . The men's 110 m has been featured at every modern Summer Olympics while the men's 400 m was introduced in the second edition of the Games . Women's initially competed in the 80 metres hurdles event, which entered the Olympic programme in 1932 . This was extended to the 100 m hurdles at the 1972 Olympics, but it was not until 1984 that a women's 400 m hurdles event took place at the Olympics (having been introduced at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics the previous year). </P> <P> Outside of the hurdles events, the steeplechase race is the other track and field event with obstacles . Just as the hurdling events, the steeplechase finds its origin in student competition in Oxford, England . However, this event was born as a human variation on the original steeplechase competition found in horse racing . A steeplechase event was held on a track for the 1879 English championships and the 1900 Summer Olympics featured men's 2500 m and 4000 m steeplechase races . The event was held over various distances until the 1920 Summer Olympics marked the rise of the 3000 metres steeplechase as the standard event . The IAAF set the standards of the event in 1954, and the event is held on a 400 m circuit that includes a water jump on each lap . Despite the long history of men's steeplechase in track and field, the women's steeplechase only gained World Championship status in 2005, with its first Olympic appearance coming in 2008 . </P> <P> The long jump is one of the oldest track and field events, having its roots as one of the events within the ancient Greek pentathlon contest . The athletes would take a short run up and jump into an area of dug up earth, with the winner being the one who jumped farthest . Small weights (Halteres) were held in each hand during the jump then swung back and dropped near the end to gain extra momentum and distance . The modern long jump, standardised in England and the United States around 1860, bears resemblance to the ancient event although no weights are used . Athletes sprint along a length of track that leads to a jumping board and a sandpit . The athletes must jump before a marked line and their achieved distance is measured from the nearest point of sand disturbed by the athlete's body . </P>

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