The athletics events at the Games are divided into four groups: track events (including sprints, middle- and long-distance running, hurdling and relays), field events (including javelin, discus, hammer, pole vault, long and triple jumps), road events and combined events (triathlon, heptathlon and decathlon).
There are also several track and field events held for disabled athletes.
Many Commonwealth Games records were set over distances using imperial measurements, such as the 100-yard dash, and (as a result of metric standardisation in 1966) many records belong to defunct events.
The oldest record is George Bailey's 9:52.0 minutes in the seldom used men's two mile steeplechase, which was set at the inaugural Games.
Adekunle Adesoji and Chantal Petitclerc also hold two records each in the para-sports events.