Olympic Sports, ELI-GRE
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
Elis
Elis, ancient Greek region and city-state in the northwestern corner of the Peloponnese, well known for its horse......
Elliott, Herb
Herb Elliott is an Australian middle-distance runner who was world-record holder in the 1,500-metre (metric-mile)......
Elliott, James F.
James F. Elliott was an American track and field coach who led Villanova Universityâs Wildcats to eight national......
ElvstrĂžm, Paul
Paul ElvstrĂžm was a Danish yachtsman who is considered the greatest sailor in Olympic history, dominating Finn-class......
Emil ZĂĄtopek: The Bouncing Czech
Emil ZĂĄtopek, known as the âbouncing Czech,â didnât look like the picture of Olympic grace. Although he set a new......
Emma Raducanu
Emma Raducanu is a British tennis player who made history at the 2021 U.S. Open when she became the first qualifier,......
Ender, Kornelia
Kornelia Ender is a former swimmer from East Germany who was the first woman to win four gold medals at a single......
Enke, Karin
Karin Enke is a German figure skater turned speed skater who won eight Olympic medals, including three gold. Enkeâs......
Ennis-Hill, Jessica
Jessica Ennis-Hill is an English track-and-field athlete who, at the 2012 London Olympic Games, won a gold medal......
Esposito, Phil
Phil Esposito is a Canadian-born U.S. professional ice hockey centre (1963â81) in the National Hockey League (NHL),......
Etchebaster, Pierre
Pierre Etchebaster was a French real tennis player who dominated the sport as world champion from 1928 to 1954.......
Evans, Chick
Chick Evans was an American amateur golfer known for his longevity in competition and for his Evans Scholars Foundation,......
Evans, Janet
Janet Evans is an American swimmer, considered by many to be the greatest distance freestyler of all time, who......
Evans, Lee
Lee Evans was an American runner who won two gold medals at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. His victory......
Evert, Chris
Chris Evert is an outstanding American tennis player who dominated the sport in the mid- and late 1970s and remained......
Ewell, Barney
Barney Ewell was an American athlete, one of the worldâs leading sprinters of the 1940s. Although he was believed......
Ewry, Ray C.
Ray C. Ewry was an American track athlete, the only Olympic athlete to win eight gold medals in individual events.......
Fairbairn, Stephen
Stephen Fairbairn was a British oarsman, coach, and writer who enjoyed great success at Cambridge University. After......
Fanny Blankers-Koen: The Worldâs Fastest Mom
Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands was a 30-year-old mother of two by the time the 1948 Olympic Games in London......
Farah, Mo
Mo Farah is a Somalian-born British distance runner who won gold medals in both the 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre......
Fartlek
Fartlek, (Swedish: âSpeed Playâ), approach to distance-running training involving variations of pace from walking......
Fassi, Carlo
Carlo Fassi was an Italian-born figure-skating coach who guided four individual skaters to gold medals in the Winter......
Fastnet Race
Fastnet Race, yacht race sailed from Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, around the Isles of Scilly to the Fastnet Rock......
Federer, Roger
Roger Federer is a former Swiss tennis player who dominated the sport in the early 21st century with his exceptional......
Felix, Allyson
Allyson Felix is an American sprinter who is the most decorated female Olympian in track and field. Her 11 Olympic......
fencing
fencing, organized sport involving the use of a swordâĂ©pĂ©e, foil, or sabreâfor attack and defense according to......
Fernandez, Lisa
Lisa Fernandez is an American softball player who helped lead the U.S. womenâs national softball team to three......
Ferreira da Silva, Adhemar
Adhemar Ferreira da Silva was a Brazilian athlete, winner of two Olympic gold medals and five world records in......
Fetisov, Slava
Slava Fetisov is a Russian hockey player who was regarded as one of the best defensemen in the history of the sport.......
Figg, James
James Figg was a British bare-knuckle boxer who was the sportâs first recognized champion of England. Also an expert......
Fighting Harada
Fighting Harada is a Japanese professional boxer, world flyweight and bantamweight champion. (Read Gene Tunneyâs......
Fignon, Laurent
Laurent Fignon was a French cyclist who was a two-time winner of the Tour de France (1983 and 1984). Fignon began......
figure skating
figure skating, sport in which ice skaters, singly or in pairs, perform freestyle movements of jumps, spins, lifts,......
Firpo, Luis
Luis Firpo was an Argentine professional boxer. (Read Gene Tunneyâs 1929 Britannica essay on boxing.) Firpo moved......
Fisher, Morris
Morris Fisher was an American rifle shooter who won five Olympic gold medals during the 1920s. At the 1920 Olympics......
Fitzgibbons, Sally
Sally Fitzgibbons is an Australian surfer who combined power and finesse to win 12 individual surfing events on......
Fitzsimmons, Robert
Robert Fitzsimmons was a British-born boxer, the first fighter to hold the world boxing championship in three weight......
Flair, Charlotte
Charlotte Flair is an American professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), known for her athleticism......
Flanagan, John J.
John J. Flanagan was an Irish-American athlete, the first Olympic hammer throw champion, who won three Olympic......
Fleischer, Nat
Nat Fleischer was an American sports journalist who was an outstanding authority on boxing. (Read Gene Tunneyâs......
Fleming, Peggy
Peggy Fleming is an American former figure skater who dominated world-level womenâs competition from 1964 through......
floor exercise
floor exercise, gymnastics event in which movements are performed on the floor in an area 12 meters (40 feet) square.......
Florence Griffith Joyner: Flash and Dash
Florence Griffith Joyner, flamboyant and fast, was known for a fashion flair that almost outshone her athletic......
Foreman, George
George Foreman was an American boxer who twice was the world heavyweight champion (1973â74, 1994â95). When Foreman......
Fosbury, Dick
Dick Fosbury was a high jumper from the United States who revolutionized the sport by replacing the traditional......
Fossett, Steve
Steve Fossett was an American businessman and adventurer who set a number of world records, most notably in aviation......
Foudy, Julie
Julie Foudy is a retired football (soccer) midfielder who won two FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association)......
Fox, Jessica
Jessica Fox is a French-born Australian athlete who specializes in canoe slalom, a sport in which paddlers maneuver......
Franklin, Missy
Missy Franklin is a former American swimmer who won five medals, including four golds, at the 2012 Olympic Games......
Fraser, Dawn
Dawn Fraser is an Australian swimmer, the first woman swimmer to win gold medals in three consecutive Olympic Games......
Fraser-Pryce, Shelly-Ann
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is a Jamaican athlete who is considered one of the worldâs best sprinters. She won gold......
Frazier, Joe
Joe Frazier was an American world heavyweight boxing champion from February 16, 1970, when he knocked out Jimmy......
Fredriksson, Gert
Gert Fredriksson was a Swedish kayaker, who dominated the sport between 1948 and 1960, winning seven world championships......
Freeman, Cathy
Cathy Freeman is an Australian sprinter who excelled in the 400-metre dash and who in 2000 became the first Australian......
freestyle
freestyle, perhaps the most popular swimming stroke, used in both competitive and recreational swimming. It is......
freestyle skiing
freestyle skiing, winter sport that combines skiing and acrobatics. It also has been heavily influenced by snowboarding......
freestyle wrestling
freestyle wrestling, one of three styles of wrestling used in international amateur competition (the others are......
French Open
French Open, international tennis tournament, the second of the major events that make up the annual Grand Slam......
Froome, Chris
Chris Froome is a Kenyan-born British cyclist who was a four-time winner of the Tour de France (2013, 2015, 2016,......
Fu Mingxia
Fu Mingxia is a Chinese diver, who was a standout on the Chinese diving teams that dominated the sport in the 1990s.......
Fuchs, Ruth
Ruth Fuchs is an East German athlete, winner of two Olympic gold medals. She dominated the javelin throw during......
Fury, Tyson
Tyson Fury is an English-born professional boxer of Irish extraction who became the world heavyweight champion......
Furyk, Jim
Jim Furyk is an American professional golfer who is noted for his unorthodox swing but remarkable consistency spanning......
Gabeira, Maya
Maya Gabeira is a Brazilian surfer who was one of the best-known figures in her sport in the early 21st century.......
Gabelich, Gary
Gary Gabelich was an American automobile-racing driver who set a world one-mile land-speed record of 622.407 miles......
Gable, Dan
Dan Gable is a former American freestyle wrestler and coach who is often considered to be the greatest amateur......
Galaxy, Khaosai
Khaosai Galaxy is a Thai professional boxer, world junior bantamweight (115 pounds) champion from 1984 to 1991.......
Galitzen, Michael Riley
Michael Riley Galitzen was an American diver who won four Olympic medals. Galitzen captured a springboard silver......
GalĂndez, VĂctor
VĂctor GalĂndez was an Argentine boxer who held the title of light-heavyweight champion of the World Boxing Association......
Gans, Joe
Joe Gans , known as the Old Master, was an American professional boxer who was perhaps the greatest fighter in......
Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Olympic Winter Games
Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, that......
Gatti, Arturo
Arturo Gatti was an Italian-born Canadian boxer who held two world titles during his 16-year professional career......
Gaudin, Lucien
Lucien Gaudin was a French fencer. One of the great classical fencers of the 20th century, Gaudin was once described......
Gauff, Coco
Coco Gauff is a professional tennis player who, at age 19 in 2023, became only the third American teenager to win......
Gaugler, William
William Gaugler was an American fencing master. He was one of the most prominent and respected students of the......
Geesink, Anton
Anton Geesink was a Dutch athlete who was the first non-Japanese competitor to win a world championship in judo.......
Gene Tunney on boxing
Boxing champion Gene Tunney, who won the heavyweight title with his defeat of Jack Dempsey in 1926, was a highly......
Gerevich, AladĂĄr
AladĂĄr Gerevich was a Hungarian fencer who played a leading role in the Hungarian teamâs 36-year dominance of the......
Gibson, Althea
Althea Gibson was an American tennis player who dominated womenâs competition in the late 1950s. She was the first......
Girardelli, Marc
Marc Girardelli is an Austrian-born Luxembourgian skier who won five overall World Cup titles in the 1980s and......
gladiator
gladiator, professional combatant in ancient Rome. The gladiators originally performed at Etruscan funerals, no......
Glenn, Amber
Amber Glenn is an American figure skater who won the U.S. national championships in 2024, 2025, and 2026, making......
Godfree, Kitty
Kitty Godfree was an English athlete and a dominant figure in womenâs tennis in the 1920s. She won two singles......
Goitschel, Christine
Christine Goitschel is a French Alpine skier who won the gold medal in the slalom at the 1964 Winter Olympics in......
Goitschel, Marielle
Marielle Goitschel is a French Alpine ski racer who won Olympic gold medals in both the slalom and giant slalom......
Gold Cup
Gold Cup, premier annual motorboat-racing prize in the United States, instituted by the American Power Boat Association......
Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves, amateur boxing competition initiated by Arch Ward, sports editor of the Chicago Tribune. First sponsored......
golf
golf, a cross-country game in which a player strikes a small ball with various clubs from a series of starting......
Golubnichy, Vladimir
Vladimir Golubnichy was a Soviet race walker who won four Olympic medals and dominated the 20-km (12.43-mile) walk......
Gong Lijiao
Gong Lijiao is a Chinese shot-putter who competed in multiple Summer Olympic Games in the early 21st century. During......
Gonzales, Pancho
Pancho Gonzales was an American tennis player who won the U.S. professional championship in menâs singles eight......
Gonzales, Rodolfo
Rodolfo Gonzales was a Mexican American boxer, writer, and civil rights activist who was a leading figure in the......
Gordeeva, Ekaterina; and Grinkov, Sergei
Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov were a Russian-born figure-skating pair who gained worldwide acclaim with......
Gotch, Frank
Frank Gotch was an American professional freestyle, or catch-as-catch-can, wrestler, considered one of the greatest......
Gould, Shane
Shane Gould is a former Australian swimmer who won five Olympic medals and set world records in all five freestyle......
Gout Gout
Gout Gout Australian sprinter who holds the national record for the fastest time in the 200-meter sprint. His early......
Graf, Steffi
Steffi Graf is a German tennis player who dominated womenâs tennis in the late 1980s and â90s, winning 22 Grand......
Grafström, Gillis
Gillis Grafström was a Swedish figure skater who won three Olympic gold medals and one silver medal. Considered......
Graziano, Rocky
Rocky Graziano was an American boxer and world middleweight champion (1947â48). (Read Gene Tunneyâs 1929 Britannica......
Greb, Harry
Harry Greb was an American professional boxer who was one of the cleverest and most colourful performers in the......