Attempt to get placed in field event (4,3)
I believe the answer is:
shot put
'field event' is the definition.
(shot put is a kind of field event)
'attempt to get placed' is the wordplay.
'attempt' becomes 'shot' (shot is a kind of attempt).
'to get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'placed' becomes 'put' (I've seen this in other clues).
'shot'+'put'='SHOT-PUT'
'in' is the link.
(Other definitions for shot put that I've seen before include "Throwing event" , "Athletic field event" , "Field event in athletics" , "Competition in which a heavy metal ball is hurled" , "Olympic event" .)