Athletics is one of only two truly global sports with 211 national associations affiliated to the IAAF the sport's world governing body. It is also a foundation sport for many other sports that incorporate running, jumping, or throwing.

The sport of athletics is made up of 11 standard track events, 8 standard field events, multi events (decathlon and heptathlon), cross country running, both walking and running road races, and mountain running.  The sport caters for males and females of every body type and all ages. Nationally athletics is governed by Athletics New Zealand (ANZ) and locally by Athletics Otago (AO).  Master's and Children's athletics have their own governing bodies, nationally affiliated to ANZ, and locally affiliated to AO.

In New Zealand, championships are organised at national and regional levels with ANZ selecting teams for international representation.

CoachForce plays a key role in the development of athletics.  The Athletics Development Officer is responsible for:

• Training teachers to teach athletics by running in-service training in schools and by running courses for student teachers at the University of Otago College of Education.
  
• The recruitment and training of officials
• Organising courses for clubs to train parents in the "Run - Jump - Throw programme so that they can become children's first coaches.  This is followed by organising Level 1 and Level 2 coaching courses
• Assisting clubs and the Otago Centre to organise and promote events