Sprints are mainly races of short distance and are among the oldest running competitions. The initial 13 editions of Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event - the stadion race, which was plainly a race from one end of the stadium to the other. The events related to sprinting are focussed around athletes reaching and sustaining their quickest possible running speed. Presently there are three varieties of sprinting events that are held at the Olympics and outdoor World Championships: the 100 m, 200 m and 400 m. These events actually have their sources in races of imperial measurements which were later changed to metric the 100 m evolved from the 100 yard dash, the 200 m distances came from the furlong (or 1/8 of a mile), and the 400 m was the successor to the 440 yard dash or quarter-mile race.

At the highest level, sprinters start the race from a crouching position in the starting blocks before leaning forward and then slowly moving into an upright position as the race progresses and momentum is gained. Athletes remain in the same lane on the running track throughout all sprinting events with the only exception of 400 m indoors. For 100 m race events the main focus remains on acceleration and gaining momentum. For sprints beyond 100 m, high level of endurance is required. Human physiology generally dictates that a runner`s near top speed cannot be maintained for more than thirty seconds because lactic acid builds up once leg muscle begins to be deprived of oxygen.

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