Wind assistance

In track and field, wind assistance is the benefit that an athlete receives during a race or event as registered by a wind gauge. Wind is one of many forms of weather which can affect sport.

Due to a tailwind helping to enhance the speed of the athlete in events like certain sprint races (100 and 200 metres), 100/110 metres hurdles, the triple jump and the long jump, there is a limit to how much assisting wind the athlete may perform under if the performance is to establish a record. If a tail wind exceeds 2 metres per second (3.9 kn) the result cannot be registered as a record on any level. However, the results within that competition still are valid because all athletes in a race would get equal assistance, and in field events it is just the luck of the circumstance at the moment of the attempt. The wind assistance maximums are only in regard to the validation of a record.