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.
Table tennis is a racket sport in which two players, or two pairs, hit a light ball back and forth across a low net on a hard table, scoring when the opponent fails to make a legal return. It is governed by the International Table Tennis Federation, which had 227 member associations in January 2026,
Table tennis is a racket sport in which players hit a 40 mm ball across a net on a table, scoring to 11 points.
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and combat sport known for its kicking techniques, in which competitors score points by striking the trunk and head of an opponent under timed rounds. It is governed by World Taekwondo, which had 215 member nations in January 2026, and it has been an official Olympic sport since 2000.
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and combat sport known for kicking, scored with electronic body protectors.
Tennis is a racket sport in which two players, or two pairs, hit a ball over a net and try to win points, games and sets. Modern lawn tennis was defined in England in the 1870s, and the game is governed worldwide by the International Tennis Federation (ITF). Its four Grand Slam tournaments are the
A racket sport in which two players or pairs hit a ball over a net, governed internationally by the International Tennis Federation.
Triathlon is an endurance sport in which athletes swim, cycle and run in one continuous race. The Olympic distance is a 1.5-kilometer swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer run. World Triathlon governs the sport, which made its Olympic debut at the Sydney Games in 2000. History of triathlon The first recorded triathlon was
Triathlon is an endurance sport in which athletes swim, cycle and run in one continuous race, with the fastest total time winning.
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players, separated by a high net, try to ground the ball on the opponent’s side of the court. It was invented in 1895 by William G. Morgan, a YMCA physical director in Holyoke, Massachusetts, as a less strenuous alternative to basketball. It is governed
A net sport in which two teams of six score by grounding the ball on the opponent's court, invented in 1895.
Water polo is a team sport played in a swimming pool in which two teams of seven, six field players and a goalkeeper, try to throw a ball into the opponent’s goal. A match has four quarters of eight minutes of actual play. World Aquatics governs the sport, which has been in the Olympic Games
Water polo is a team sport in which two teams of seven try to throw a ball into the opponent's goal in a swimming pool.
Weightlifting, also called Olympic weightlifting, is a strength sport in which athletes lift a loaded barbell from the floor to overhead in two lifts, the snatch and the clean and jerk. A lifter’s result is the sum of the heaviest successful lift in each, and the highest total in a bodyweight class wins. The International
Weightlifting is a strength sport in which athletes lift a barbell overhead in two lifts, the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Wrestling is a combat sport in which two competitors try to take each other to the mat and pin the opponent’s shoulders, or to win on points, using holds and throws. It is the most ancient known competitive sport, and its Olympic forms today are freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, governed by United World Wrestling. History
Wrestling is a combat sport in which competitors take each other to the mat and win by pinning shoulders or scoring points.