Olympic Sports, ICE-LAK
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
iceboating
iceboating, a winter sport of sailing and racing on ice in modified boats. An iceboat is basically a sailboat that......
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, annual dogsled race run in March between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska, U.S. The race......
Inkster, Juli
Juli Inkster is an American golfer who was one of the leading players on the Ladies Professional Golf Association......
Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Winter Games
Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Innsbruck, Austria, that took place January 29âFebruary......
Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter Games
Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Innsbruck, Austria, that took place February 4â15,......
International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee, organization formed in Paris in 1894 to conduct, promote, and regulate the modern......
Ionescu, Sabrina
Sabrina Ionescu is an American professional basketball player who is a standout guard, known for her all-around......
Is It Really Dangerous to Swim After Eating?
Common wisdom holds that it is unsafe to swim after eating unless one waits for some prescribed period of timeâusually......
Is Russia Participating in the Olympics?
Given their continued involvement as aggressors in the Russia-Ukraine War, neither Russia nor Belarus will be represented......
Is There an Age Limit for the Olympics?
The Olympics have no official overarching age limit for competitors. However, the international sports federations......
Isinbayeva, Yelena
Yelena Isinbayeva is a Russian pole-vaulter who achieved numerous world records and became the first woman to clear......
Iso-Hollo, Volmari
Volmari Iso-Hollo was a Finnish runner, who won two successive gold medals in the Olympic Games (1932, 1936) for......
Ivanov, Vyacheslav
Vyacheslav Ivanov was a Soviet rower who became the first three-time Olympic gold medalist in the single scull......
Jackson, John
John Jackson was an English bare-knuckle boxer who was influential in securing acceptance of prizefighting as a......
Jackson, Marjorie
Marjorie Jackson is an Australian athlete who won two Olympic gold medals and tied or set 13 world records. During......
Jackson, Peter
Peter Jackson was an outstanding professional boxer. A victim of racial discrimination (Jackson was black), he......
Jacobellis, Lindsey
Lindsey Jacobellis is an American snowboarder who is one of the worldâs top competitors in the alpine event known......
Jacobs, Helen Hull
Helen Hull Jacobs was an American tennis player and writer who, in the 1920s and â30s, became known for her persistence......
Jaffee, Irving
Irving Jaffee was an American speed skater who won two Olympic gold medals (1932). His first Winter Games title......
Jagr, Jaromir
Jaromir Jagr is a Czech professional ice hockey player who was one of the most prolific point scorers in National......
Jahn, Friedrich Ludwig
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was the German âfather of gymnasticsâ who founded the turnverein (gymnastics club) movement......
James, LeBron
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player who is widely considered one of the greatest all-around......
Janka, Carlo
Carlo Janka is a Swiss Alpine skier whose clean, efficient style and poised determination helped establish him......
Jansen, Dan
Dan Jansen is an American speed skater whose dominance in the sprint races of his sport was overshadowed by his......
javelin throw
javelin throw, athletics (track-and-field) sport of throwing a spear for distance, included in the ancient Greek......
Jeffries, James Jackson
James Jackson Jeffries was an American boxer who was the world heavyweight champion from June 9, 1899, when he......
Jenkins, David
David Jenkins is an American figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley,......
Jenkins, Hayes Alan
Hayes Alan Jenkins is an American figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina dâAmpezzo,......
Jenner, Caitlyn
Caitlyn Jenner is an American decathlete who won a gold medal at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal with a then......
Jernberg, Sixten
Sixten Jernberg was a Swedish skier who was one of the most successful cross-country skiers of his era, amassing......
Jesse Owens: The Superior Sprinter
The performance of Jesse Owens at the Berlin Games is well known and rightfully acclaimed. He not only dominated......
Jofre, Eder
Eder Jofre was a Brazilian professional boxer, world bantamweight and featherweight champion. (Read Gene Tunneyâs......
Johannesen, Knut
Knut Johannesen is a Norwegian speed skater who was one of the outstanding competitors in the sport in the late......
Johansson, Ingemar
Ingemar Johansson was a Swedish-born world heavyweight boxing champion. (Read Gene Tunneyâs 1929 Britannica essay......
Johnny Weissmuller: Before Tarzan
In the 1920s Johnny Weissmuller was celebrated as one of the United Statesâ greatest athletes and an Olympic champion.......
Johnson, Dwayne
...
Johnson, Jack
Jack Johnson was an American boxer who was the first African American to become heavyweight champion. He is considered......
Johnson, Magic
Magic Johnson is an American former basketball player who led the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA to five championships......
Johnson, Michael
Michael Johnson is a former sprinter who was perhaps the most eminent figure in track and field in the 1990s. For......
Johnson, Rafer
Rafer Johnson was an American athlete and actor, who won a gold medal in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games......
Jones, Bobby
Bobby Jones was an American amateur golfer who, in 1930, became the first man to achieve the golf Grand Slam by......
Jones, Marion
Marion Jones is an American athlete, who, at the 2000 Olympic Games, became the first woman to win five track-and-field......
Jones, Roy, Jr.
Roy Jones, Jr. is an American boxer who became only the second light heavyweight champion to win a heavyweight......
Jones, Shilese
Shilese Jones is an American gymnast who has won six world championship medals. Her signature event is the uneven......
Jordan, Michael
Michael Jordan is an American former collegiate and professional basketball player widely considered to be one......
Josephson sisters
Josephson sisters, American synchronized duet swimmers who won 16 consecutive championships in 1991 and 1992. Karen......
joust
joust, western European mock battle between two horsemen charging each other with levelled lances, each attempting......
Joyner-Kersee, Jackie
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a former athlete from the United States who was the first participant to score more than......
Juantorena, Alberto
Alberto Juantorena is a Cuban runner who won gold medals in both the 400- and 800-metre races at the 1976 Olympics......
judo
judo, system of unarmed combat, now primarily a sport. The rules of the sport of judo are complex. The objective......
jujitsu
jujitsu, form of martial art and method of fighting that makes use of few or no weapons and employs holds, throws,......
Kahanamoku, Duke
Duke Kahanamoku was a Hawaiian surfer and swimmer who won three Olympic gold medals for the United States and who......
karate
karate, unarmed martial-arts discipline employing kicking, striking, and defensive blocking with arms and legs.......
Karelin, Aleksandr
Aleksandr Karelin is a Russian politician and a former Greco-Roman wrestler revered for his extraordinary strength......
Karppinen, Pertti
Pertti Karppinen is a Finnish sculler who won gold medals in three consecutive Olympic single sculls events (1976,......
KatĆ Sawao
KatĆ Sawao is a Japanese gymnast, who won eight Olympic gold medals as a member of the Japanese team that dominated......
Kazankina, Tatyana
Tatyana Kazankina is a Soviet athlete who won three Olympic gold medals and set seven world records in womenâs......
Keino, Kip
Kip Keino is a Kenyan distance runner, who won four Olympic medals. Keinoâs father, a long-distance runner, encouraged......
Kelly, John B.
John B. Kelly was an American oarsman who won 126 consecutive races in single sculls in 1919 and 1920, a record......
kendo
kendo, traditional Japanese style of fencing with a two-handed wooden sword, derived from the fighting methods......
Ketchel, Stanley
Stanley Ketchel was an American professional boxer, considered by some boxing historians to be the greatest fighter......
Kid Gavilan
Kid Gavilan was a Cuban professional boxer and world welterweight champion who was known for his âbolo punch,â......
Killanin, Michael Morris, 3rd Baron
Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin was an Irish author and businessman who in 1972 succeeded Avery Brundage as......
Killy, Jean-Claude
Jean-Claude Killy is a French skier, a dominant figure in menâs international Alpine skiing competitions from 1965......
Kim Yuna
Kim Yuna is a South Korean figure skater who won a gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. (Read......
Kim, Chloe
Chloe Kim is an American snowboarder who won a gold medal in the half-pipe event at the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic......
King, Billie Jean
Billie Jean King is an American tennis player whose influence and playing style elevated the status of womenâs......
King, Don
Don King is an American boxing promoter known for his flamboyant manner and outrageous hair styled to stand straight......
Kip Keino: A Father of Kenya
Kipchoge (Kip) Keinoâs superhuman efforts and determination at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City were far more......
Kipchoge, Eliud
Eliud Kipchoge is a Kenyan distance runner who is widely considered the worldâs greatest marathoner. Between 2014......
Kiraly, Karch
Karch Kiraly is an American athlete who was the first volleyball player to win three Olympic gold medals and was......
Kjus, Lasse
Lasse Kjus is a Norwegian Alpine skier who overcame a series of medical problems to become one of the worldâs most......
Klammer, Franz
Franz Klammer is an Austrian Alpine skier who specialized in the downhill event, winning 25 World Cup downhill......
Klassen, Cindy
Cindy Klassen is a Canadian speed skater who captured five medals at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, the......
Klitschko, Vitali
Vitali Klitschko is a Ukrainian boxer and politician whose colossal sizeâ6 feet 7 inches (2 metres) tall and over......
Klitschko, Wladimir
Wladimir Klitschko is a Ukrainian boxer whose success in the heavyweight divisionâin part because of his prodigious......
Klochkova, Yana
Yana Klochkova is a former Ukrainian swimmer who in 2004 became the first woman to win consecutive pairs of Olympic......
KlĂŒft, Carolina
Carolina KlĂŒft is a Swedish track-and-field athlete who won a gold medal in the heptathlon at the Athens 2004 Olympic......
Knight, Bob
Bob Knight was an American collegiate basketball coach whose 902 career National Collegiate Athletic Association......
Koch, Marita
Marita Koch is an East German athlete who collected a remarkable 16 individual and team world records in outdoor......
Kolehmainen, Hannes
Hannes Kolehmainen was a Finnish athlete who was the first of the great modern Finnish long-distance runners. Noted......
Kono, Tommy
Tommy Kono was an American weightlifter who won Olympic and world championship medals in three different weight......
Korbut, Olga
Olga Korbut is a Soviet gymnast who won three gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. At age 11, Korbut......
Kornelia Ender: Victory amid Accusations
Kornelia Ender, a member of the controversial East German swimming program, emerged from the 1976 Olympic Games......
Koss, Johann Olav
Johann Olav Koss is a Norwegian speed skater who was the dominant long-distance skater of the 1990s. At the 1994......
KosteliÄ, Janica
Janica KosteliÄ is a Croatian skier who, at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, became the first female......
Kraenzlein, Alvin
Alvin Kraenzlein was an American athlete, the first competitor to win four gold medals at a single Olympics. He......
Kramer, Jack
Jack Kramer was an American champion tennis player who became a successful promoter of professional tennis. Kramer......
Kramer, Sven
Sven Kramer is a Dutch speed skater who excelled in long-distance events, most notably the 5,000 and 10,000 metres,......
Kulakova, Galina
Galina Kulakova is a Russian skier of Udmurt descent who captured all three gold medals in womenâs Nordic skiing......
kung fu
kung fu, a martial art, both a form of exercise with a spiritual dimension stemming from concentration and self-discipline......
Kuts, Vladimir
Vladimir Kuts was a Soviet distance runner who held the world record in the 5,000-metre race (1954â55, 1957â65),......
Kwan, Michelle
Michelle Kwan is an American former figure skater who was one of the most decorated athletes in the sport. Combining......
Kyrgios, Nick
Nick Kyrgios is an Australian tennis player who earned widespread acclaim as a talented and entertaining player.......
kyĆ«dĆ
kyĆ«dĆ, (âthe technique of the bowâ), traditional Japanese form of archery. When firearms supplanted the bow and......
Köhler, Thomas
Thomas Köhler is a German luger who at the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, won the first Olympic luge......
Lacoste, René
René Lacoste was a French tennis player who was a leading competitor in the late 1920s. As one of the powerful......
Ladies Professional Golf Association
Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), organization that provides professional tournament golf for women......
Lagutin, Boris Nikolayevich
Boris Nikolayevich Lagutin is a Soviet boxer who won medals in three consecutive Olympic Games, including gold......
Lake Placid 1932 Olympic Winter Games
Lake Placid 1932 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Lake Placid, New York, that took place February......