When the Summer Olympics started there were only 42 events, today there are over 300. In the 2008 Beijing games there were 302 events on the program, with over 10,500 athletes competing.
A basic list of the events included in the Summer Olympics are as follows: Aquatics, Canoeing, Hockey, Table Tennis, Archery, Cycling, Judo, Taekwondo, Athletics, Equestrian, Modern Pentathlon, Tennis, Badminton, Fencing, Rowing, Triathlon, Baseball, Football, Sailing, Volleyball, Basketball, Gymnastics, Shooting, Weightlifting, Boxing, Handball, Softball, Wrestling
There are basically 28 sports in the Olympics, and from those sports come over 300 events. At the events, there are medals awarded with Gold for first place, Silver for second, and Bronze for third. These events are competed with representatives from around the world. This is a multi-sport, multi-nation event. It occurs once every four years.
In order for athletes to compete in the Olympics they must be chosen to represent their country due to their qualifying performances in their given events. You have to take a certain place in a major international event or competition in order to be ranked and then invited to participate in the Summer Olympic games. Qualification rules for each event are set by the International Federation that governs that sport’s international competition. If it is a team sport, the team must qualify through tournaments, etc. Not just anyone can be involved in the competition of the Summer Olympic events. The idea is to get the whole world together for friendly competition, and to showcase the best athletes on the planet.
The events have changed over the years with some being added and others subtracted. The following is a list of events, the year they were added to the games, and whether or not they are still part of the games:
- Archery Still part of the games, started in 1900 and went to 1912, stopped, added again in 1920, then back since 1972.
- Athletics They are still, and have always been part of the games.
- Badminton Has been part of the games since 1992
- Baseball part of games from 1992-2008
- Basketball Has been part of the games since 1936
- Basque pelota 1900
- Boxing 1904, 1908, since 1920
- Canoeing Has been part of the games since 1936
- Cricket 1900
- Croquet 1900
- Cycling all
- Diving since 1904
- Equestrian 1900, Has been part of the games since 1912
- Fencing all
- Football 1900-1928, Has been part of the games since 1936
- Golf 1900, 1904, 2016
- Gymnastics all
- Handball 1936, Has been part of the games since 1972
- Hockey (field) 1908, 1920, Has been part of the games since 1928
- Jeu de paume 1908
- Judo 1964, Has been part of the games since 1972
- Lacrosse 1904, 1908
- Modern pentathlon Has been part of the games since 1912
- Polo 1900, 1908, 1920, 1924, 1936
- Rackets 1908
- Roque 1904
- Rowing Has been part of the games since 1900
- Rugby union 1900, 1908, 1920, 1924
- Rugby sevens 2016
- Sailing 1900, Has been part of the games since 1908
- Shooting 1896, 1900, 1908-1924, Has been part of the games since 1932
- Softball 1996-2008
- Swimming Has been part of the games forever.
- Synchronized swimming Has been part of the games since 1984
- Table tennis Has been part of the games since 1988
- Taekwondo Has been part of the games since 2000
- Tennis 1896-1924, Has been part of the games since 1988
- Triathlon Has been part of the games since 2000
- Tug of war 1900-1920
- Volleyball Has been part of the games since 1964
- Water motorsports 1908
- Water polo 1900, Has been part of the games since 1908
- Weightlifting 1896, 1904, Has been part of the games since 1920
- Wrestling 1896, Has been part of the games since 1904
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