 Meanwhile , the United States began holding an annual national competition — the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships — first held in 1876 by the New York Athletic Club . The establishment of general sports governing bodies for the United States ( the Amateur Athletic Union in 1888 ) and France ( the Union des <unk> <unk> de sports <unk> in 1889 ) put the sport on a formal footing and meant that international competitions became possible . 
