Fact of the Day
The high platform is 10 metres above the water.
Diving1. Football
Football is the world game. Some people call it soccer. The World Cup is played every four years.
2. Basketball
The hoop is 10 feet high. That is about 3 metres.
3. Cricket
A Test match can last up to five days.
4. Tennis
Zero points in tennis is called love.
5. Athletics
A marathon is 26.2 miles. That is about 42 kilometres.
6. Swimming
An Olympic pool is 50 metres long.
7. Gymnastics
The balance beam is only 10 centimetres wide.
8. Rugby union
The Rugby World Cup is held every four years. Rugby sevens, a shorter game, is the one at the Olympic Games.
9. American football
The playing field is 100 yards long between the end zones.
10. Baseball
A home run means the ball goes over the outfield fence in fair ground.
11. Volleyball
The net is higher for adults than for children.
12. Table tennis
The ball is hollow and very light. A fast rally can last only a few seconds.
13. Badminton
A shuttlecock has a cone of feathers, or a plastic skirt.
14. Golf
A hole-in-one means the ball goes in the hole in one stroke.
15. Cycling
A peloton is the main group of riders packed together.
16. Boxing
Olympic boxing is scored by judges, round by round.
17. Wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestlers may not grab below the waist. Freestyle wrestlers may.
18. Judo
Belt colours show how long a judoka has trained. Black belt is a high rank.
19. Taekwondo
Taekwondo began in Korea. Athletes wear a chest guard and a helmet.
20. Fencing
Foil, epee, and sabre each have a different target area.
21. Archery
The centre of the target is called the gold.
22. Rowing
An Olympic rowing race is 2,000 metres.
23. Canoeing
In a kayak you sit low and use a paddle with two blades. In a canoe the paddle often has one blade.
24. Sailing
Sailors lean out of the boat to keep it steady. That move is called hiking.
25. Field hockey
The ball is small and hard. Players wear shin guards.
26. Ice hockey
The puck is made of rubber and is frozen before a game so it slides well.
27. Figure skating
A spin can turn many times on one foot.
28. Skiing
Alpine skiing uses fixed-heel boots. Cross-country skiing lets the heel lift.
29. Snowboarding
Both feet are fixed to the same board.
30. Surfing
A heat is a short timed contest between a few surfers.
31. Skateboarding
Street and park are two different Olympic events.
32. Climbing
A bouldering problem is short. You do it with a mat underneath, and no rope.
33. Weightlifting
Lifters get three tries at each lift.
34. Handball
The ball is bigger than a football and is made to be gripped in one hand.
35. Water polo
Players wear caps so the referee can see the two teams.
36. Diving
The high platform is 10 metres above the water.
37. Equestrian
The horse and the rider are a team. Both must know the test.
38. Triathlon
The Olympic order is always swim, bike, then run.
39. Netball
Netball is played in many countries of the Commonwealth.
40. Kabaddi
The raider must keep saying kabaddi without taking a new breath.
41. Sumo
A yokozuna is the highest rank in sumo.
42. Australian rules football
The field is oval, not a rectangle. It is one of the biggest team pitches in sport.
43. Gaelic football
Gaelic football and hurling are the two big Irish field games.
44. Curling
The target is called the house. The centre is the button.
45. Formula 1
A Grand Prix starts with lights. When the lights go out, the race begins.
46. Rugby league
Rugby league gives each team six tackles. Rugby union does not use that count.
47. Softball
The pitch is underarm. In baseball the pitch is overarm.
48. Beach volleyball
Each team has only two players, so you cover the whole court.
49. Karate
Kata means a form. You perform it alone, like a dance of set moves.
50. Squash
The ball is small and can move very fast off the walls.