Parent was correct. In British English, "athletics" means almost precisely what Americans mean when they say "track and field," though athletics may also includ

Parent was correct. In British English, "athletics" means almost precisely what Americans mean when they say "track and field," though athletics may also include long-distance (cross-country) races not typically held in a stadium. Derision looks particularly tetchy on someone who can't be bothered to do what they lament others will not do themselves.