What Sports Are at the Summer Olympics?

The Summer Olympics are upon us and that can only mean one thing: sports! Here’s a list of all the sports that will be featured in this year’s games.

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Introduction

The Olympic Games are a major international event featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate. The Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the Olympiad, are an international multi-sport event held every four years, with the Summer and Winter Games alternating. The Summer Olympics are currently held every four years, with the next edition taking place in Tokyo, Japan in 2020.

A Brief History of the Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympics are a major international multi-sport event held every four years. The games are currently governed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). During the Summer Olympics, athletes from all over the world compete in a variety of different sports.

The history of the Summer Olympics can be traced back to the ancient Greek Olympic Games, which were first held in 776 BC. The games were held every four years in honor of Zeus, the king of the gods. The ancient Greek Olympics were initially only open to male athletes who were citizens of Greece. However, over time, the games began to be open to athletes from all over the world.

The first modern Summer Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896. At that time, there were only nine different sports on the program. These included athletics (track and field), cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, swimming, tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling. Since then, the program has expanded to include a wide variety of different sports.

As of 2020, there are 33 different sports on the program for the Summer Olympics. These include archery, badminton, baseball/softball (which will return after being absent for over a decade), basketball, boxing, canoeing/kayaking, diving, equestrianism, fencing, football (soccer), golf (which will also return after an absence), gymnastics, handball hockey , judo , karate , rowing , rugby sevens (which will make its debut at this year’s games), sailing , shooting , skateboarding (another sport making its debut at this year’s games), squash , surfing (yet another sport making its debut at this year’s games), swimming table tennis , taekwondo , tennis track and field , triathlon volleyball , water polo , and weightlifting . In addition to these 33 sports

The Summer Olympics Today

Held every four years, the Summer Olympics is an international multi-sport event that features competitions in a wide range of sports. This year’s Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan from July 24 to August 9. So, what sports are at the Summer Olympics?

The sports included in the Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympics are a major international multi-sport event held every four years, with the most recent taking place in 2016. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) determines which sports will be included in the Summer Olympics program. As of 2012, there are a total of 34 sports which are included:

Aquatics: This includes swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronized swimming.

Archery: Athletes compete in either the individual or team event, shooting arrows at a target 70 meters away.

Athletics: Track and field events have been part of the Olympics since 776 BC. Today, athletes compete in a wide range of events such as the 100 meter dash, pole vaulting, and hammer throw.

Badminton: First appearing as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, badminton became an official medal sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Players compete in either singles or doubles matches, trying to hit a shuttlecock over a net into their opponent’s court.

Basketball: First played at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as an outdoor sport, basketball has been a part of every Summer Olympics since 1972. Men’s and women’s teams consist of 12 players each, trying to score by shooting a ball through a hoop 10 feet off the ground.

Boxing: Both men and women boxers compete in this sport which has been part of the Olympics since 1904 (with the exception of 1912). There are three ways to win a bout: by knockout, technical knockout (when the referee stops the fight), or decision (when judges score the bout). There are 10 weight classes for men and 5 for women.

Canoeing: Canoeing first appeared as an Olympic sport at the Berlin Games in 1936. Today there are two types of canoeing competitions at the Summer Olympics: sprint and slalom racing. In sprint canoeing (also known as flatwater racing), athletes paddle around buoys on calm water in canoes or kayaks designed for speed. Slalom canoeing is similar to downhill skiing; competitors must paddle around gates on a river full of twists and turns. Canoeists can compete individually or in teams of up to four people (two per canoe). Like kayakers, they must portage (carry their boats over) any portages along the course.

Cycling: Although cycling has been part of earlier editions of the Summer Olympics, it did not become widespread until 1896 when it became one of the first sports included in the inaugural modern Olympic Games in Athens. Today there are four main cycling events at the Olympics: road racing, track racing, BMX racing, and mountain bike racing. Unlike other sports included in both the Summer and Winter Games (such as skating), there is no fixed number of disciplines or events for each type – instead this is decided by negotiations between IOC representatives and international cycling federations every four years before each edition of either games

How the sports are selected for the Summer Olympics

The sports that are contested at the Summer Olympic Games are selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The IOC decides which sports will be on the program for each Olympics. The IOC also decides which new sports, if any, will be added to the program.

There are several criteria that the IOC uses to select sports for the Olympics. First, the sport must be widely practiced around the world. Second, the sport must fit with the Olympic ideals of promoting peace and international understanding. Third, adding a new sport should not cause too much disruption to the existing program. Finally, adding a new sport should help increase ticket sales and television ratings.

With these criteria in mind, the IOC has added or dropped several sports from the Summer Olympics over the years. Some of the most notable additions include BMX biking (added in 2008), golf (added in 2016), and skateboarding (added in 2020). Some of the sports that have been dropped from past Summer Olympics include baseball (last contested in 2008), softball (last contested in 2008), and water polo (last contested in 1992).

Why some sports are not included in the Summer Olympics

Not all sports are included in the Summer Olympics. In fact, there are a number of reasons why some sports are not part of the games. Here are some of the most common reasons:

-The sport is not played sufficiently in enough countries to warrant inclusion. This is often the case with team sports such as American football or cricket which tend to be localized to specific countries.

-The sport might be too dangerous to include. This was the case with rugby union before it was eventually reinstated for the 2016 Summer Olympics.

-There might not be enough interest in the sport. This could be due to a number of factors such as low popularity or a lack of elite athletes competing in the sport.

Conclusion

The Olympics are a time when the world comes together to celebrate human achievement and excellence. Athletes from all over the globe come together to compete in a wide variety of sports, ranging from track and field to gymnastics to swimming.

The Summer Olympics are especially popular, as they feature a wide range of outdoor sports that are perfect for watching in the warm weather. Some of the most popular sports at the Summer Olympics include track and field, swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, and boxing.

There are also a number of unique sports that are only contested at the Summer Olympics, such as BMX racing, trampoline, and water polo. These sports add an extra level of excitement to the Games and help keep them fresh and interesting.

No matter what your favorite sport is, there is sure to be something for you at the Summer Olympics. So be sure to tune in and catch all the action!