homework encyclopedia

FIND OUT MORE. Ancient Greece 376–377 • Competitions 354– 355 • Sports 352– 353

Arts and Entertainment^357

Cast-iron

discs are

added to

central bar in

increasing

weights

ATHLETICS

Athletics is the popular term for track and field events. These were

the core of the Ancient Olympics and included running, throwing,

and jumping, which combined into multi-event competitions – the

pentathlon (five events) and the decathlon (ten events). Today,

athletics also includes pole-vaulting, hurdling, and relay racing.

IS IT EXPENSIVE TO HOST THE OLYMPICS?

The summer and winter Games each cost around

US $3.2 billion (£2 billion) to host. Cities must house

hundreds of thousands of visitors and provide security

and transport for them. The host city must also

build world-class stadiums and facilities. All this

bankrupted the 1976 host, Montreal. Costs are met by

the income from television sponsorship and tourism.

HAVE NEW EVENTS BEEN ADDED SINCE 1896?

The Olympics have changed a lot since 1896, when

there were no women’s events at all. The winter

Games only began in 1924.. ATHLETICS remains

the focus of the summer Games, but many events

have come and gone, such as the tug-of-war. Recent

additions include volleyball, canoeing, and cycling.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT ATHLETE?

Great athletes, like all great sports competitors, require

fitness, dedication, natural ability, and luck. What lifts

some athletes above others is a relentless will to win,

psychological strength, and the capacity to produce

their best performance under any circumstances.

RELAY RACING 3

The American team pass the

baton (stick) at the 2000 Games

in the 4 x 100-m relay race.

WEIGHT LIFTING 3

Hossein Rezazadeh

of Iran lifts 260 kg

(573 lb), more than

his own body

weight. He won the

gold medal in the

super heavyweight

final in 2000.

HOW DO ATHLETES KEEP SETTING NEW RECORDS?

With sponsorship, athletes have more resources and

time to devote to sport. High-tech running tracks,

clothing, and shoes have improved performance. So

have new techniques such as the flop in high jumping.

However, performance-enhancing drugs damage the

Olympic ideals and the competitors’ health.

1 OLYMPIC EVENTS, SYDNEY, 2000

1 The Chinese gymnast Xuan Liu reaches for the asymmetric bars.

2  Liuhui Kong concentrates hard to take the gold medal for China in the

men’s table tennis singles final. 3 Holland’s Pieter van den Hoogenband

(right) and Australia’s Ian Thorpe race to the finish in the 200-m

freestyle swimming final. Van den Hoogenband took the gold medal.

Body suit is

designed to

support muscles

and spine

Supports help

to protect

the knees

from strain

1

2

3