Olympic Sports, LAK-MAY
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
Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games
Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Lake Placid, New York, U.S., that took place February......
LaMotta, Jake
Jake LaMotta was an American boxer and world middleweight boxing champion (1949â51) whose stamina and fierceness......
Lange, André
André Lange is a German bobsledder and coach who captured more Olympic gold medals (four) than any other driver......
Lasse Virén: Reviving a Tradition
Prior to the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, the father of Finnish runner Lasse Virén had a dream that......
Latynina, Larisa
Larisa Latynina is a Soviet gymnast who was the first woman athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals and was one......
Laver, Rod
Rod Laver is an Australian tennis player, the second male player in the history of the game (after Don Budge in......
Lawrence, Andrea Mead
Andrea Mead Lawrence was the first American Alpine skier to win two gold medals in a single Winter Olympics. Her......
Leal, Rayssa
Rayssa Leal is a professional skateboarder who won the silver medal in street skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics......
Ledecky, Katie
Katie Ledecky is an American swimmer who is one of the sportâs leading freestylers, especially dominant in longer......
Lee, Sammy
Sammy Lee was an American diver, the first Asian American man to win an Olympic gold medal and the first diver......
Lee, Suni
Suni Lee is an American gymnast who won three medals at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (delayed until 2021 because......
Lemieux, Mario
Mario Lemieux is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and owner who is considered one of the greatest players......
Lemming, Eric
Eric Lemming was a Swedish track-and-field athlete who was the first great javelin thrower of the modern era. He......
LeMond, Greg
Greg LeMond is an American former cyclist who was the first non-European rider to win the Tour de France, the most......
Lendl, Ivan
Ivan Lendl is a Czech-born American former tennis player who was one of the sportâs most successful professionals......
Lenglen, Suzanne
Suzanne Lenglen was a French tennis player and six-time Wimbledon champion in both singles and doubles competition.......
Leno, Dan
Dan Leno was a popular English entertainer who is considered the foremost representative of the British music hall......
Leonard, Benny
Benny Leonard was an American world lightweight (135-lb [61.2-kg]) boxing champion from May 28, 1917, when he knocked......
Leonard, Sugar Ray
Sugar Ray Leonard is an American former boxer whose agility and finesse helped him win 36 of 40 professional matches......
Lewis, Carl
Carl Lewis is an American track-and-field athlete, who won nine Olympic gold medals during the 1980s and â90s.......
Lewis, Lennox
Lennox Lewis is the first British boxer to hold the undisputed heavyweight world championship since Bob Fitzsimmons......
Lexcen, Ben
Ben Lexcen was an Australian yachtsman and marine architect who designed Australia II, the first non-American yacht......
Li Ning
Li Ning is a Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur, who amassed six medals at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.......
Liddell, Eric
Eric Liddell was a British runner who won a gold medal in the 400-metre run and a bronze in the 200 metres at the......
Lidstrom, Nicklas
Nicklas Lidstrom is a Swedish ice hockey player who was considered one of the gameâs best defensemen. He helped......
Lieberman, Nancy
Nancy Lieberman is an American basketball player and coach. A pioneer in womenâs basketball, Lieberman recorded......
Ligety, Ted
Ted Ligety is an American Alpine skier who was the first American man to win two Olympic gold medals in Alpine......
Lightbody, Jim
Jim Lightbody was an American athlete, a preeminent middle-distance runner of the early 20th century. At the 1904......
Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Winter Games
Lillehammer 1994 Olympic Winter Games, athletic festival held in Lillehammer, Norway, that took place February......
Lipinski, Tara
Tara Lipinski is an American figure skater who rose to international prominence in the late 1990s and, at the Nagano......
list of athletes with the most Olympic medals
When it comes to the Olympics, one athlete has made the biggest splash. American swimmer Michael Phelps is the......
list of Summer Olympic athletes
When sports fans look back and remember the Olympics of years gone by, it is not only their favorite sports that......
List of Winter Olympic Athletes
Athletes competing in the Winter Olympics have wowed audiences with their amazing feats on ice and snow since the......
Liston, Sonny
Sonny Liston was an American boxer who was world heavyweight boxing champion from September 25, 1962, when he knocked......
Liu Shiying
Liu Shiying is a Chinese track-and-field athlete who competes in the javelin throw event. She became the first......
Liu Xiang
Liu Xiang is a hurdler who in 2004 brought China its first Olympic gold medal in a menâs track-and-field event.......
Liu, Alysa
Figure skating is sometimes seen as a delicate, ethereal sport, noted for its beautiful costumes, balletic elements,......
Liukin, Nastia
Nastia Liukin is an American gymnast who won five medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, more than any other......
LIV Golf League
The LIV Golf League is a professional menâs golf league that was founded in 2021 to challenge the dominance of......
Lochte, Ryan
Ryan Lochte is an American swimmer who was one of the sportâs most successful Olympians. His 12 medals, 6 of which......
Locke, Bobby
Bobby Locke was a South African golfer who won the Open Championship (British Open) four times. A meticulous putter......
London
London, city, capital of the United Kingdom. It is among the oldest of the worldâs great citiesâits history spanning......
- Introduction
- Historic, Cultural, Financial
- Urban, Thames, History
- Climate, Rainfall, Fog
- Urban Planning, History, Culture
- Population, Density, History
- Multicultural, History, Economy
- Industry, Finance, Trade
- Finance, Economy, Global Hub
- Transportation, Underground, Buses
- Taxis, Cab Ranks, Black Cabs
- Postal Districts
- Museums, Art, History
- Theatres, Culture, Entertainment
- Capital, Roman, Medieval
- Tudor, Population, Trade
- History, Culture, Economy
- Reconstruction, WWII, History
London 1908 Olympic Games
London 1908 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in London that took place April 27âOctober 31, 1908. The London......
London 1948 Olympic Games
London 1948 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in London that took place July 29âAugust 14, 1948. The London......
London 1960s overview
Londonâs music scene was transformed during the early 1960s by an explosion of self-described rhythm-and-blues......
London 1970s overview
As Britainâs finances spiraled downward and the nation found itself suppliant to the International Monetary Fund,......
London 2012 Olympic Games
London 2012 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in London that took place July 27âAugust 12, 2012. The London......
London clubs
If it is possible to be both a midwife and a father figure, Alexis Korner played both roles for British rhythm......
London Marathon
London Marathon, annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through the streets of London that takes place in April. The......
London Prize Ring rules
London Prize Ring rules, set of rules governing bareknuckle boxing, which were adopted in 1838 and revised in 1853.......
long jump
long jump, sport in athletics (track-and-field) consisting of a horizontal jump for distance. It was formerly performed......
long-distance running
long-distance running, in athletics (track and field), footraces ranging from 3,000 metres through 10,000, 20,000,......
Lonsdale Belt
Lonsdale Belt, British boxing award originated in 1909 by Lord Lonsdale, president of the National Sporting Club.......
Los Angeles
Los Angeles , city, seat of Los Angeles county, southern California, U.S. It is the second most populous city and......
- Introduction
- Urban, Coast, Mountains
- Urban Sprawl, Diversity, Climate
- Entertainment, Aerospace, Tourism
- Traffic, Rail, Air
- Entertainment, Movies, TV
- Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Services
- Entertainment, Diversity, Climate
- Architecture, Spanish Revival, Moderne
- City of Angels, Hollywood, Pacific Coast
- Inventing, Boomtown, Diversity
- 1920s, 1930s, Boomtown
- Urban Sprawl, Entertainment Hub, Pacific Coast
Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games
Los Angeles 1932 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Los Angeles that took place July 30âAugust 14, 1932.......
Los Angeles 1950s overview
Capitol Records was launched in Los Angeles in 1942 in association with the British company EMI and soon became......
Los Angeles 1960s overview
During the 1950s there had been no distinctive âSound of California,â but in the decade that followed there were......
Los Angeles 1970s overview
Los Angeles had been an important music-business city since the 1930s. The cityâs movie industry, the favourable......
Los Angeles 1980s overview
In the immediate post-World War II period, Los Angeles had a strong, distinctive black music industry. Yet, as......
Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games
Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, athletic festival held in Los Angeles that took place July 28âAugust 12, 1984.......
Los Angeles 1990s overview
After the buoyancy and optimism of the 1980s, Black music in Los Angeles in the early â90s turned desolate. As......
Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games
Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games, international athletic competition scheduled to be held in Los Angeles July......
Louganis, Greg
Greg Louganis is an American diver who is generally considered the greatest diver in history. Born to unmarried......
Louis, Joe
Joe Louis was an American boxer who was world heavyweight champion from June 22, 1937, when he knocked out James......
Louis, Spyridon
Spyridon Louis was a Greek runner who won the gold medal in the first modern Olympic marathon in Athens in 1896,......
Lovelock, Jack
Jack Lovelock was a New Zealand athlete famous for an unexpected victory in the 1,500-metre (metric-mile) race......
Lowe, Doug
Doug Lowe was an English middle-distance runner who won gold medals in the 800-metre races at the 1924 Olympic......
LPGAâs Evian Championship
The Ladies Professional Golf Associationâs (LPGA) Evian Championship begins on September 10 at the Evian Resort......
Lucas, Jerry
Jerry Lucas is an American basketball player who was one of the best rebounders in the sportâs history and who......
Luding-Rothenburger, Christa
Christa Luding-Rothenburger is a former speed skater and cyclist from East Germany who made history as the only......
luge
luge, form of small-sled racing. Luge sledding is distinctive from bobsledding and skeleton sledding in that the......
Lunn, Sir Arnold
Sir Arnold Lunn was a British slalom skier and international authority on skiing who in 1922 introduced slalom......
Lyles, Noah
Noah Lyles is an American sprinter who became known as the âfastest man in the worldâ after winning a trio of gold......
Lysacek, Evan
Evan Lysacek is an American former figure skater who won the menâs figure skating gold medal at the 2010 Winter......
LĂłpez, MijaĂn
MijaĂn LĂłpez is a Cuban Greco-Roman wrestler who was considered one of the sportâs greatest athletes. He was the......
MacArthur, Dame Ellen
Dame Ellen MacArthur is an English yachtswoman who in 2005 set a world record for the fastest solo nonstop voyage......
Mace, James
James Mace was a professional boxer and English heavyweight champion who is considered by some authorities to have......
Madison, Helene
Helene Madison was an American swimmer, the outstanding performer in womenâs freestyle competition between 1930......
Mahre, Phil
Phil Mahre is an American Alpine skier who was voted the greatest male U.S. skier of all time by the United States......
Maier, Hermann
Hermann Maier is an Austrian skier who won two gold medals at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, and......
Malinin, Ilia
What is undeniable about American figure skater Ilia Malinin is that he has achieved athletic feats in his sport......
Mallin, Harry
Harry Mallin was a British boxer, the first man to successfully defend an Olympic boxing title. Mallin was one......
Mallory, Molla
Molla Mallory was a Norwegian-born U.S. tennis player who was the only woman to win the U.S. singles championship......
Malone, Karl
Karl Malone is a former basketball player who owns the National Basketball Association (NBA) career record for......
Mangiarotti, Edoardo
Edoardo Mangiarotti was an Italian fencer who was one of the most successful performers in the history of the sport.......
marathon
marathon, long-distance footrace first held at the revival of the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. It commemorates......
Marble, Alice
Alice Marble was an American tennis player, known for her powerful serves and volleys, who dominated the womenâs......
Marciano, Rocky
Rocky Marciano was the world heavyweight boxing champion from September 23, 1952, when he knocked out champion......
Mark Spitz: The Magnificent Seven
For U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz, the numbers at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany, speak for themselves.......
Marquess of Queensberry rules
Marquess of Queensberry rules, code of rules that most directly influenced modern boxing. Written by John Graham......
martial art
martial art, any of various fighting sports or skills, mainly of East Asian origin, such as kung fu (Pinyin gongfu),......
Mary Lou Retton: L.A. Dynamo
Mary Lou Retton, who became one of the most famous American athletes to compete at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los......
Mastenbroek, Hendrika
Hendrika Mastenbroek was a Dutch swimmer, who at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin became the first female athlete to......
Masters Tournament
Masters Tournament, invitational golf tournament held annually since 1934 from Thursday through Sunday during the......
Mathias, Bob
Bob Mathias was an American athlete, the youngest to win a gold medal in the decathlon in Olympic competition.......
Matson, Randy
Randy Matson is an American shot-putter who, in 1965, became the first man to put the shot more than 21 m, with......
Matthes, Roland
Roland Matthes was an East German swimmer who was considered one of the greatest backstrokers of all time. Undefeated......
Mauermayer, Gisela
Gisela Mauermayer was a German athlete who won a gold medal for the discus throw at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin,......
Mauresmo, Amélie
AmĂ©lie Mauresmo is a French professional tennis player who won two Grand Slam titlesâthe Australian Open and Wimbledonâin......
May, Bill
Bill May is an artistic swimmer who specializes in mixed duet performances. He has won numerous national and international......