Sailing is the sport of racing boats that are driven by the wind, and it is governed worldwide by World Sailing. Races are sailed around marked courses, and at the Olympic Games the winner is decided by a points system that rewards consistency across many races. Sailing first appeared at the Olympics in Paris in
Sailing is the sport of racing wind-driven boats around marked courses, governed worldwide by World Sailing since 1907.
Skiing is the sport of traveling and racing over snow on long, narrow runners attached to the feet. As a competitive sport it covers several disciplines governed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, known as FIS: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined and freestyle skiing. The federation was founded in 1924 at
Skiing is the sport of racing or performing on skis over snow, governed internationally by FIS, which was founded at Chamonix in 1924.
Snowboarding is a winter sport in which a rider stands sideways on a single board and slides down snow-covered slopes, courses and constructed features. It began in the United States in the 1960s and made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. Today it is governed internationally by the same federation
Snowboarding is a winter sport in which riders slide down snow on a single board, and it joined the Olympics at Nagano in 1998.
Softball is a bat-and-ball team sport that developed from baseball and is played on a diamond with a larger ball. Games usually last seven innings, and the team with more runs wins. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the highest international governing body, and women’s fast pitch softball has been an Olympic sport since
Softball is a bat-and-ball team sport developed from baseball, played on a diamond with a larger ball.
Speed skating is a winter sport in which athletes race on ice skates over fixed distances. It has two main forms: long track, where skaters race in pairs against the clock on a 400-meter oval, and short track, where several skaters race each other on a much smaller oval. The International Skating Union (ISU) governs
Speed skating is a winter sport in which athletes race on ice over set distances, in two forms: long track and short track.
Sport climbing is a competitive form of climbing on artificial walls in which athletes are judged in three disciplines: boulder, lead and speed. It made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 and has appeared at the Games since. The sport is governed internationally by the International Federation of Sport Climbing, known as the IFSC. History
A competitive form of climbing on artificial walls, contested in boulder, lead and speed disciplines and part of the Olympic program.
Squash is a racquet sport in which two players, or four in doubles, take turns hitting a small hollow rubber ball against the front wall of an enclosed court. It was devised at Harrow School in England around 1830 and is now played in more than 185 countries. The International Olympic Committee approved squash in
A racquet sport in which players hit a small rubber ball against the walls of an enclosed court, set to debut at the 2028 Olympics.
Sumo is a Japanese form of wrestling in which two wrestlers, called rikishi, try to force each other out of a clay ring or make the other touch the ground with anything but the soles of the feet. It is about 1,500 years old by the Japan Sumo Association’s account, and it keeps close ties
A Japanese form of wrestling in which a rikishi wins by forcing his opponent out of a clay ring or onto the ground.
Surfing is a water sport in which a rider stands on a board and rides a breaking ocean wave toward the shore. In competition, judges score each ride, and a surfer’s result in a heat is the sum of their two best waves. Hawaii is described as the birthplace of surfing, and the sport made
Surfing is a water sport in which riders catch ocean waves on a board, scored by judges, and it joined the Olympics at Tokyo 2020.
Swimming is a sport in which athletes race through water using set strokes over fixed distances in a pool or open water. It is governed worldwide by World Aquatics, which had 210 national federations in January 2026, and it has been part of every modern Olympic Games. History of swimming Swimming is an ancient practice,
Swimming is a water sport in which athletes race in set strokes over fixed distances, governed worldwide by World Aquatics.