Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics — Athletics events at the 2020 Summer Olympics
The 2020 Summer Olympics athletics program, held in 2021 due to COVID-19, featured 48 events across Tokyo and Sapporo, including a new mixed relay event.
Key Facts
- Total events held
- 48
- Events vs. 2016
- One more than 2016
- Track & field dates
- 30 July – 8 August 2021
- Venue (track & field)
- Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
- Road/racewalk venue
- Sapporo, Japan
- New event added
- Mixed relay event
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from their original 2020 dates to the summer of 2021. To manage athlete safety amid ongoing health concerns, road running and racewalking events were also relocated from Tokyo to the cooler city of Sapporo.
Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics were contested over ten days, from 30 July to 8 August 2021. The program was divided into three sets: track and field events at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, and road running and racewalking events held in Sapporo. A total of 48 events were contested.
The addition of a mixed relay event brought the total athletics program to 48 events, one more than at the 2016 Rio Olympics. The split-city format for athletics set a precedent for distributing Olympic events across multiple host cities based on logistical and environmental considerations.