The RFEA uses the ‘short track’ concept to replace the covered track

The Royal Spanish Athletics Federation has reported since January 1, 2024, and follows the line set by World Athletics at the international level, It adopted the ‘short track’ concept to replace what was previously known as the inner track.

This name change goes beyond the name of the competitions themselves and, therefore, From now on, courts are not differentiated based on whether they are indoor or outdoor, but rather according to their sizewhich would normally be 400 meters and 200 meters or ‘short track’.

This change coincides with the globalization of athletics sought by World Athletics and increases the possibilities of organizing ‘short track’ championships in territories where there are no indoor tracks, such as Africa, South America and Oceania, since building – or temporarily setting up – a 200 meter outdoor track presents fewer complications than doing so in a closed facility.

Starting with this same exercise, all Spanish Indoor Championships are now called Spanish ‘short track’ Championships, opening the possibility that in the future these competitions could be held on a 200 meter outdoor track. This change, however, does not affect the common dates of the internal period.

The new ‘short track’ system brings changes to records and rankings. From this moment, the duality of external and internal lists disappears, leaving a rank. In this, the straight events and contests were unified, combining the old indoor and outdoor classification of 50 meters, 55, 60, 60 meters hurdles (although the speed marks were not distinguished from the 100 m races 110 m hurdles ), height, pole, length, triple and weight.

This way there will be only one Spanish record in the straight and competition events, not two.. The indoor records of these disciplines remain the best historical records within the Spanish, but to achieve a new Spanish record, the record to be surpassed is the best of the outdoor-indoor combination, according to the RFEA.

With this decision they will live together in the ranks of 50 meters, 55, 60, 60 meters hurdles, long and triple. marks made in indoor installations (without wind) and marks achieved outside, as long as the wind does not exceed 2.0 m/s.

Regarding ring events, ranking and records distinguish two different disciplines with the same distance independently. In any case, marks made on the ‘short track’ may enter the 400 m track distance rankings but not vice versa.

The combined events that used to be part of the indoor program will be called the ‘short track pentathlon’ and ‘short track heptathlon’ as long as the 800 and 1000 are conducted on a 200 meter track.

Scores achieved on covered or uncovered tracks of more than 200 meters but less than 400 will count for ranking and record purposes as if they were made on 400 meter tracks.