Olympic Sports, SHI-THO
Olympic Games, athletic festival that originated in ancient Greece and was revived in the late 19th century. Before the 1970s the Games were officially limited to competitors with amateur status, but in the 1980s many events were opened to professional athletes. Currently, the Games are open to all, even the top professional athletes in basketball and football (soccer).
Olympic Sports Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Shi Tingmao
Shi Tingmao is a Chinese diver who dominated in the 3-meter springboard and synchronized 3-meter springboard events......
Shiffrin, Mikaela
Mikaela Shiffrin is an American Alpine skier who is one of the sportâs dominant athletes. She is a six-time World......
short-track speed skating
short-track speed skating, sport that tests the speed, technical skating ability, and aggressiveness of its competitors.......
Shorter, Frank
Frank Shorter is a runner who became the first American in 64 years to win the Olympic marathon, earning the gold......
shot put
shot put, sport in athletics (track and field) in which a spherical weight is thrown, or put, from the shoulder......
Simeoni, Sara
Sara Simeoni is an Italian high jumper who won an Olympic gold medal and two silver medals in the 1970s and â80s.......
Singh, Milkha
Milkha Singh was an Indian track-and-field athlete who became the first Indian man to reach the final of an Olympic......
singlestick
singlestick, a slender, round stick of wood about 34 inches (slightly less than 1 m) long, thicker at one end than......
Sinner, Jannik
Jannik Sinner is an Italian tennis player who is a leading star in the generation of players rising in the wake......
six-day race
six-day race, form of indoor bicycle racing in which riders race continuously for six days with only brief stops......
Skari, Bente
Bente Skari is a Norwegian cross-country skier who won numerous World Cup titles and who dominated international......
skate sailing
skate sailing, the sport of moving over ice on skates by carrying a small sail for propulsion by the wind. It probably......
skateboarding
skateboarding, form of recreation and sport, popular among youths, in which a person rides standing balanced on......
skating
skating, sport in which bladelike runners or sets of wheels attached to shoes are used for gliding on ice or other......
skeleton sledding
skeleton sledding, winter sport in which the skeleton sled, consisting of steel runners fastened to a platform......
ski jumping
ski jumping, competitive skiing event in which contestants ski down a steep ramp that curves upward at the end,......
ski mountaineering
ski mountaineering, winter recreation and sport that involves ascending and descending mountain slopes using a......
ski patrol
ski patrol, group of paid or volunteer workers at ski resorts whose primary function is to promote skiing safety......
skibobbing
skibobbing, a winter sport using a guidable, single-track vehicle that has features of the bicycle, the bobsled,......
skiing
skiing, recreation, sport, and mode of transportation that involves moving over snow by the use of a pair of long,......
skin diving
skin diving, swimming done underwater, usually with a face mask and flippers but without portable oxygen equipment.......
Skoblikova, Lidiya
Lidiya Skoblikova is a Russian speed skater who became the first athlete to win four gold medals in a single Winter......
slalom
slalom, ski race that follows a winding course between gates (pairs of poles, sometimes topped with flags), testing......
Slater, Kelly
Kelly Slater is widely considered the greatest surfer of all time. He earned the title of world champion an unprecedented......
sledding
sledding, winter recreation and sport involving the riding of sleds over ice or snow. For various forms of sled......
Slutskaya, Irina
Irina Slutskaya is a Russian figure skater who dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s.......
Smetanina, Raisa
Raisa Smetanina is a Russian cross-country skier who was the first woman to win 10 career medals at the Olympic......
Smith, John
John Smith is an American freestyle wrestler who won six consecutive world championships (1987â92) and won two......
Smith, Michelle
Michelle Smith is an Irish swimmer and lawyer who won four medals at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games to become the......
Smith, Sophia
Sophia Smith is an American professional football (soccer) player who is considered one of the top athletes in......
Smith, Tommie
Tommie Smith is a former sprinter who made history at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, where he won the 200-meter......
Smythe, Conn
Conn Smythe was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, manager, and owner who founded the Toronto Maple Leafs in......
Snead, Sam
Sam Snead was an American professional golfer who won 82 Professional Golfersâ Association (PGA) tournaments and......
Snell, Peter
Peter Snell was a New Zealand middle-distance runner who was a world record holder in the 800-metre race (1962â68),......
snowboarding
snowboarding, winter sport with roots in skiing, surfing, and skateboarding where the primary activity is riding......
Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Sochi, Russia, that took place February 7â23, 2014.......
Sokol
Sokol, (Czech: âHawk,â or âFalconâ), gymnastic society, originating in Prague in 1862 to develop strength, litheness,......
Spartacus
Spartacus was a leader in the Gladiatorial War (73â71 bce) against Rome. A Thracian by birth, Spartacus served......
speed skating
speed skating, the sport of racing on ice skates that originated in the Netherlands, possibly as early as the 13th......
speed skiing
speed skiing, competitive skiing event in which racers equipped with special short skis, skintight suits, and aerodynamic......
Spieth, Jordan
Jordan Spieth is an American professional golfer who, at age 21, won the 2015 Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open,......
Spinks, Leon
Leon Spinks was an American boxer who won an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and was the world heavyweight champion......
Spinks, Michael
Michael Spinks is an American former boxer who was both the light heavyweight (1981â85) and heavyweight (1985â88)......
Spitz, Mark
Mark Spitz is an American swimmer who, at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, became the first athlete to win seven gold......
sprint
sprint, in athletics (track and field), a footrace over a short distance with an all-out or nearly all-out burst......
sprint
sprint, in bicycle racing, a competition over a 1,000-metre (1,094-yard) course (500-metre for women) with time......
Spyridon Louis: The First Olympic Hero
For the Greek hosts of the first modern Olympics in 1896, the marathon signified much more than an athletic competition.......
St. Louis
St. Louis, city, adjacent to but independent of St. Louis county, east-central Missouri, U.S. It lies on the west......
St. Louis 1904 Olympic Games
St. Louis 1904 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in St. Louis, Missouri, that took place July 1âNovember 23,......
St. Moritz 1928 Olympic Winter Games
St. Moritz 1928 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, that took place February......
St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games
St. Moritz 1948 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, that took place January......
Staley, Dawn
Dawn Staley is an American basketball coach who has led the University of South Carolina womenâs team since 2008.......
StanisĆawa Walasiewicz: The Curious Story of Stella Walsh
Stella Walshâs story is perhaps one of the most unusual of any Olympic athlete. She was born Stefania Walasiewicz......
Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup, trophy awarded to the winner of the worldâs professional ice hockey championship, an annual play-off......
steeplechase
steeplechase, in athletics (track-and-field), a footrace over an obstacle course that includes such obstacles as......
Stenmark, Ingemar
Ingemar Stenmark is a Swedish Alpine skier, a slalom specialist, who was one of the most successful performers......
Stephens, Helen
Helen Stephens was an American runner who won two gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and was undefeated......
Stevenson, TeĂłfilo
TeĂłfilo Stevenson was a Cuban heavyweight boxer who became the first fighter to win three Olympic gold medals in......
Stockholm
Stockholm, capital and largest city of Sweden. Stockholm is located at the junction of Lake MĂ€lar (MĂ€laren) and......
Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games
Stockholm 1912 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Stockholm that took place May 5âJuly 27, 1912. The Stockholm......
Stockton, John
John Stockton is a former professional basketball player who is considered one of the greatest point guards ever......
Stojko, Elvis
Elvis Stojko is a Canadian figure skater whose outstanding jumping ability helped him win three world titles (1994,......
Street, Picabo
Picabo Street is an American Alpine skier who was one of the most successful downhill skiers of the 1990s. Street......
Strickland de la Hunty, Shirley
Shirley Strickland de la Hunty was an athlete from Australia who won seven Olympic medals between 1948 and 1956,......
Su Bingtian
Su Bingtian is a Chinese track-and-field athlete who in 2015 became the first Asian-born sprinter to run the 100......
Suggs, Louise
Louise Suggs was an American golfer who was a pioneer of womenâs golf; she cofounded (1950) the Ladies Professional......
Sullivan, John L.
John L. Sullivan was an American professional boxer, one of the most popular heavyweight champions and a symbol......
Summer Olympic Games
Occurring every four yearsâprovided there is no global war or pandemicâthe Summer Olympic Games bring together......
Summitt, Pat
Pat Summitt was an American collegiate womenâs basketball coach at the University of Tennessee (1974â2012) who......
sumo
sumo, style of Japanese wrestling in which weight, size, and strength are of the greatest importance, though speed......
Sun Valley
Sun Valley, city, Blaine county, south-central Idaho, U.S. Sun Valley is a famous year-round recreation area and......
surfing
surfing, sport of riding breaking waves toward the shore, especially by means of a surfboard. Surfingâs roots lie......
Svindal, Aksel Lund
Aksel Lund Svindal is a Norwegian Alpine skier who won two menâs FĂ©dĂ©ration International de Ski (FIS) World Cup......
swimming
swimming, in recreation and sports, the propulsion of the body through water by combined arm and leg motions and......
Swoopes, Sheryl
Sheryl Swoopes is a former basketball player who won three Womenâs National Basketball Association (WNBA) Most......
Sydney
Sydney, city, capital of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Located on Australiaâs southeastern coast, Sydney......
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Sydney that took place September 15âOctober 1, 2000. The Sydney......
Syers, Madge Cave
Madge Cave Syers was an English figure skater who was the first woman to compete at the highest level of international......
SzewiĆska, Irena
Irena SzewiĆska was a Polish sprinter who dominated womenâs athletics over two decades. Between 1964 and 1976 she......
Sörenstam, Annika
Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish-born American golfer who was one of the most successful golfers in the history of......
SĂŒleymanoÄlu, Naim
Naim SĂŒleymanoÄlu was a Bulgarian-born Turkish weightlifter who dominated the sport in the mid-1980s and â90s.......
tae kwon do
tae kwon do, Korean art of unarmed combat that is based on the earlier form of Korean self-defense known as tae......
tai chi chuan
tai chi chuan, distinctive Chinese form of exercise or attack and defense that is popular throughout the world......
TakĂĄcs, KĂĄroly
KĂĄroly TakĂĄcs was a Hungarian athlete who twice won Olympic gold medals in rapid-fire pistol shooting despite having......
Tani RyĆko
Tani RyĆko is a Japanese judoka, who became the first woman to win two Olympic titles (2000 and 2004) in judo.......
Tarasov, Anatoly
Anatoly Tarasov was a Russian ice hockey coach whose innovations in Soviet hockey established the country as the......
Tatum, Jayson
Jayson Tatum is a standout forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Selected......
Taurasi, Diana
Diana Taurasi is an American former professional basketball player who was one of the greatest players in the history......
Taylor, Henry
Henry Taylor was a British swimmer who won five Olympic medals and was the first man to hold world records in the......
Taylor, John Henry
John Henry Taylor was an English professional golfer, a member of the âGreat Triumvirateââwith Harry Vardon and......
Taylor, Major
Major Taylor was the 1899 world champion in cycling, a winner of many national and international honors, and the......
tennis
tennis, game in which two opposing players (singles) or pairs of players (doubles) use tautly strung rackets to......
Tewksbury, John Walter
John Walter Tewksbury was an American sprinter who won five medals at the 1900 Olympics in Paris. He earned gold......
TeĂłfilo Stevenson: The Knockout Artist
Although he once was the most-feared Olympic boxer in the world, Cuban heavyweight TeĂłfilo Stevenson entered the......
Thomas, Justin
Justin Thomas is an American golfer who, in 2017, won his first major tournament at the 99th PGA Championship at......
Thompson, Daley
Daley Thompson is a British decathlete who became only the second competitor in history to win the decathlon at......
Thomson, Earl J.
Earl J. Thomson was a hurdler and versatile track athlete who held the world record for the 110-metre hurdles (1920â28).......
Thomson, Peter
Peter Thomson was an Australian golfer who won the British Open five times and who was the first Australian to......
Thorpe, Ian
Ian Thorpe is an Australian athlete, who was the most successful swimmer in that countryâs history, accumulating......