Olympic Sports
Learn about the diverse sports contested at the Olympics, from track and field to lesser-known disciplines. Explore the rules, techniques, and what makes each Olympic sport unique and compelling.
Aquatics Disciplines at the Olympics
The four aquatic disciplines at the Olympics offer 46 events, from swimming races to diving and water polo, with a history spanning bizarre early competitions to modern standardised events.
Disciplines and Weight Divisions in Olympic Weightlifting
Olympic weightlifting splits competitors into eight weight classes for men and seven for women, each performing the snatch and clean and jerk.
Disciplines of Olympic Cycling
Olympic cycling includes track, road, mountain bike and BMX racing, with the velodrome hosting sprint, pursuit and other fast-paced events.
Disciplines of Olympic Fencing
Olympic fencing has ancient roots in combat training and became a sport when padded weapons reduced injury risk in the 17th century.
Disciplines of Olympic Gymnastics
Olympic gymnastics includes three disciplines, artistic, rhythmic and trampoline, each with unique events and requirements.
Format of Olympic Badminton
Olympic badminton features five events with matches played to 21 points, where the fastest racket sport demands lightning reflexes and serious stamina.
Format of Olympic Baseball and Softball
Cuba dominated Olympic baseball after it became a medal sport in 1992, winning three golds before the USA's surprising failure to qualify in 2004.
Format of Olympic Volleyball and Handball
How Olympic volleyball and handball matches work, from beach volleyball's two-person teams to traditional indoor court rules.
Former Olympic Sports
Baseball and softball will be dropped from the Olympics for the first time in 76 years, joining polo, rugby, and other sports that have been cut from the Games.
Guide to Olympic Tennis and Table Tennis
Table tennis has 40 million competitive players worldwide and became an Olympic sport in 1988 with four medal events.
Olympic Equestrian Events
Horses and riders compete as equals in Olympic equestrian events that test agility, speed and grace across three disciplines.
Olympic Track and Field Events
Track and field has been the heart of the Olympics since 776BC, with events evolving from a single race to the diverse programme we see today.
Rowing and Canoeing Events at the Olympics
Rowing has been an Olympic sport since 1896, with events for men and women competing in sculls, pairs, fours and eights.
Rules & Format of Olympic Hockey
Find out how Olympic hockey tournaments work, from pool play through medal matches, with a look at the sport's greatest champions.
Rules & Weight Divisions in Olympic Wrestling
Olympic wrestling has two main styles with different rules, and competitors are divided into weight categories ranging from under 48kg to over 120kg.
Rules and Format of Olympic Basketball
The USA has dominated Olympic basketball since 1936, though the Soviets pulled off a controversial upset in 1972 and Argentina beat them in 2004.
Rules and Format of Olympic Football
Olympic football has been a Games tradition since 1900, with Eastern Europeans dominating after professionals were finally allowed to compete in 1984.
Rules and Skills in Olympic Shooting and Archery
Olympic archers hit a bullseye the size of a dinner plate from 70 metres away, here's how the sport actually works.
Rules and Weight Divisions in Olympic Boxing
Olympic boxing has 11 weight divisions today, but the sport nearly didn't make it to the modern Games because people thought it was too dangerous.
Rules and Weight Divisions: Olympic Judo and Taekwondo
How Olympic judo works: the weight classes, rules, match length and medal system explained.
Rules of Olympic Modern Pentathlon and Triathlon
Modern pentathlon and triathlon are two very different Olympic sports with their own rules, distances and competition formats.
Sailing Classes at the Olympics
Olympic sailing has changed dramatically since 1900, moving from large crews to smaller boats and adding women-only events alongside mixed competition.