Summer Olympic 2008 Sports Information
Read about each sport's guide notes, 2008 Beijing Olympics sports date and event venue, History of each olympics games.
Watch Videos about each olympic sports games from youtube, dailymotion and reuters.com
Olympic 2008 Sports List :
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Discontinued Summer Sports
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2008 Olympic Archery
Archery debuted at the Summer Olympics in 1900.1 Individual and team medal sets are awarded to the top male and female athletes.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, archery events will be held from August 9 to August 15, 2008, at the Olympic Green Archery Field.
History: Archery made its first appearance at the Summer Games in 1900. It continued as an Olympic sport in 1904, 1908 and 1920, then was discontinued. Archery returned as a full medal sport in 1972 and included men's and women's individual events. The men's and women's team events were added in 1988.5
Video: 2008 Beijing Olympic Games - Archery Promotional Trailer (Time: 0:57)
2008 Olympic Athletics
Also known as track and field, athletics events at the Summer Olympics have been contested since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Approximately 2000 athletes compete for medals in 47 events. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, athletics events will be held at the Beijing National Stadium, Tiananmen Square and the Olympic Green from August 15 to August 24, 2008.
History : Athletics events have appeared at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympics in 1896. After operating for over three decades as a men's sport, women's athletics events were introduced in 1928.
Video : Olympic Track & Field 1996 (Time: 4:51)
2008 Olympic Badminton
Badminton has been a full medal sport at the Summer Olympics since 1992.1 Athletes compete in men's and women's singles and doubles matches, as well as a mixed doubles event.At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, the badminton events will be held from August 9 to August 17, 2008, at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium.
History :
After appearing as an exhibition sport at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games, badminton was accepted as a full medal sport at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain. In 1996, the mixed doubles event was added to the program, joining the men's and women's singles and doubles matches.
Video : High Speed Sport - Badminton (Time: 1:00)
2008 Olympic Baseball
Summer Olympics since 1992. Eight teams, each made up of 24 athletes, compete for a single medal. On July 11, 2005, the International Olympic Committee voted to discontinue baseball as an Olympic sport. The game will not be played at the 2012 Olympics in London.
History :
Baseball was featured at the 1912, 1936, 1956, 1964, 1984 and 1988 Olympics as a demonstration sport. At the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, it was added as a full medal sport. Although the International Olympic Committee voted to discontinue the sport after the 2008 Summer Olympics, baseball will remain on the list of Olympic sports and may be reinstated at a later date. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, baseball games will be played from August 13 to August 23, 2008, at the Wukesong Baseball Field.
Video : Baseball "Oro Olimpico" (Time: 0:34)
2008 Olympic Basketball
When it was introduced to the Summer Olympics, basketball was predominately a United States sport. Since then, it has developed worldwide popularity. There are two Olympic tournaments, one each for women and men. Each tournament consists of 12 teams who participate in a preliminary competition to determine who will compete at the Olympics. Two Olympic tournament positions are automatically filled with the current World Champion and the team from the host country.
History : Basketball was first introduced to the Olympics by the United States as a demonstration sport in the 1904, 1924 and 1928 games. It became a medal sport in 1936. The inventor of basketball, James Naismith, was in attendance and was given the honor of tossing up the opening jump ball and presenting the medals at the awards ceremony.5In 1976, 40 years after basketball became a medal sport, women's basketball made its first appearance at the Olympics.
Video : Team USA - the Final Countdown Best Team in History (Time: 10:00)
2008 Olympic Boxing
Boxing was first held at the Summer Olympics in 1904.1 Male athletes are divided into weight classes and compete for 11 medal sets. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, boxing events will be held from August 9 to August 24, 2008, at the Workers Indoor Arena.
History : Boxing first appeared at the Summer Olympic Games in 1904. It has appeared at every Summer Games since, with the exception of the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. Although women did appear in a boxing exhibition at the 1904 Olympics, women's boxing has never been held as a full medal sport. Many American female boxers are pushing for the inclusion of women's boxing events at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Video: Olympic Boxing (Time: 3:31)
2008 Olympic Canoeing
Canoeing and kayaking medals have been awarded at the Summer Olympics since 1936.1 Male athletes compete in six canoeing events and six kayaking events, while female athletes compete in four kayaking events. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, canoeing and kayaking events will be held at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park from August 11 to August 23, 2008.
History : Canoeing and kayaking were introduced to the Summer Games in 1924 as exhibition events.1 Men's flatwater events, where all athletes compete at the same time, were added as full medal events in 1936. Women's flatwater events were introduced in 1948. Slalom events, where each individual or team completes a course, one at a time, for the fastest time, were first held in 1972, then returned in 1992.
Video: Beijing Olympics Canoe Slalom Course (Time: 1:54)
2008 Olympic Cycling
Cycling debuted at the first Summer Olympics in 1896.1 Medals are awarded to athletes in 18 events. BMX makes its first Olympic appearance in 2008, joining the road, track and mountain biking events.
History: Since the birth of the modern Olympics in 1896, cycling has appeared at every Summer Olympic games. After operating as a men's sport for nearly a century, women's cycling events were added in 1984
Video: Epic Cycling Moments (Time: 7:38)
2008 Olympic Diving
Diving has been a medal sport at the Summer Olympics since 1904.1 There are four men's and four women's diving events. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, diving events will be held from August 10 to August 23, 2008, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.
History : Individual men's diving events were introduced to the Summer Olympics in 1904. Individual women's events were added in 1912. In 2000, two men's and two women's synchronized diving events were added.
Video: Dive Alive (Time: 3:19)
2008 Olympic Equestrian
Equestrian events have been held at the Summer Olympics since 1900. Athletes compete in three categories of events: dressage, eventing and jumping. Each category features a mixed individual and a mixed team competition.
History: The individual jumping event was added to the Summer Olympics in 1900. Four additional equestrian events were introduced in 1912, including individual dressage, individual and team eventing and team jumping. The sixth event, team dressage, was added in 1928.
Video : Beijing Olympics Equestrian Events (Time: 2:58)
2008 Olympic Fencing
Fencing is one of four sports that has been contested at every Summer Olympic Games since the founding of the modern Olympics in 1896. Three types of swords are used: foils, épées and sabres. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, the fencing events will be held from August 9 to August 17, 2008, at the National Convention Center on the Olympic Green.2 Five men's medal sets and five women's medal sets will be awarded.
History : Men's fencing was one of nine sports featured at the first Summer Olympic Games in 1896. Women's foil events were added to the program in 1924. Women's épée followed in 1996 and women's sabre was introduced in 2004.
Video: Olympic Fencing (Time: 2:49)
2008 Olympic Field Hockey
Field hockey was first contested at the Summer Olympics in 1908. Medal sets are awarded to the top men's and women's teams. The field hockey events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held at the Olympic Green Hockey Field from August 10 to August 23, 2008. The men's and women's events will each feature 192 athletes (12 teams with 16 players each). For both men's and women's games, the 12 teams are divided into two groups for the preliminary round. The top two teams in each group after the preliminary round will move on to the semi-final round. The top two teams after the semi-final round will compete for the gold and silver medals; the teams that lost the semi-finals will compete for the bronze.
History : Field hockey was introduced to the Summer Olympics in 1908. It has been held at each Summer Olympics since, with the exception of the 1912 and 1924 games. Women's field hockey was introduced at the 1980 Summer Games.
Video: Sydney 2000 Olympics- hockey (Time: 0:19)
2008 Olympic Football (Soccer)
Football, or soccer as it is known in the U.S., has been a sport at the Summer Olympics since 1908.1 Medal sets are awarded to the top men's and women's teams.
The football events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in and around Beijing, China.4 The football venues include Shanghai Stadium, Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, Shenyang Olympic Sport Center Stadium, Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium, Workers Stadium, Olympic Sports Center and the Beijing National Stadium.4 Games will be held from August 6 to August 23, 2008
History : Football was an exhibition sport at the 1900 and 1904 Summer Olympics.1 In 1908, men's football became a full medal sport.1 Women's football was introduced in 1996.
Video: Iraq in 2004 Athens Olympics (Time: 3:54)
2008 Olympic Gymnastics
Gymnastics events have been held at every Summer Olympics since the founding of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Men and women compete for medal sets in 14 artistic and two trampoline events.23 Women also compete in individual and team rhythmic events.
Gymnastics events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held from August 9 to August 24, 2008. Rhythmic events will be held at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium. Artistic and trampoline events will be held at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium.
History : While men's gymnastics events have been held since 1896, women's gymnastics events were not introduced until 1928. Rhythmic gymnastics events were added to the program at the 1984 Summer Games. The newest events, trampoline, became full medal competitions in 2000.
Video: Kerri Strug 1996 Olympics Vault (Time: 5:11)
2008 Olympic Handball
Handball first appeared as a Summer Olympic sport in 1936.1 Medal sets are awarded to the top men's and women's teams. Handball events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held at the Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium and the Beijing National Indoor Stadium from August 9 to August 24, 2008.
History : Men's outdoor handball was introduced in 1936 at the Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. The sport was suspended after the 1936 games, but men's indoor handball became a full medal sport in 1972. At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, the women's indoor handball event was added.
Video: Handball (Time: 4:21)
2008 Olympic Judo
Judo has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1964. Seven men's and seven women's medal sets are now awarded at each Summer Olympic Games. For the 2008 Summer Olympics, 386 judo competitors will face off at University of Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium from August 9 to August 15, 2008.
History : Men's judo was first held at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.5 Women's judo was introduced to the Summer Games in 1992.
Video: Athens 2004 Olympic Judo Highlights (Time: 3:35)
2008 Olympic Modern Pentathlon
The modern pentathlon is one of 28 sports in the Summer Olympics. Athletes compete in running, swimming, show jumping, fencing and shooting, with medal sets going to the top male and female finishers.
History : The first Olympic modern pentathlon was held in 1912 in Stockholm, Sweden. Olympic founder Baron Pierre de Coubertin adapted the modern pentathlon from events at the ancient games. He described the modern pentathlon as "[testing] a man’s moral qualities as much as his physical resources and skills, producing thereby the ideal, complete athlete." The modern pentathlon operated strictly as a men's sport until the 2000 Summer Olympics, when women were allowed to compete for their own medals.
Video: Modern Pentathlon (Time: 1:36)
2008 Olympic Rowing
Rowing events have been contested at each Summer Olympics since 1900. Male athletes compete for medal sets in eight events, while female rowers compete in six events. Rowing events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held from August 9 to August 17, 2008 at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park in Beijing, China.
History : Rowing events were scheduled to be held at the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896, but the events were canceled due to poor weather conditions. The events were held for the first time in 1900 and have been held at every Summer Olympic Games since. Women's rowing events were added at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal, Canada.
Video: Athens Olympic Rowing, Men´s Eight 2000m Final (Time: 6:29)
2008 Olympic Sailing
Sailing is one of 28 sports in the Summer Olympics. Athletes compete in 11 sailing events: four men's, four women's and three mixed.
History : Sailing (then called yachting) made its first Olympic appearance in 1900.3 It had been scheduled for the 1896 Olympic Games, however poor weather forced its cancellation.
The structure of the sport has changed over the years. Co-ed events were held from 1900 to 1988. After that, both gender-specific and co-ed events have been held. The type of boat has also changed, with large 10- or 12-person boats used in the early 1900s. Now smaller one to four-person boats are used.
Video: 470 Team USA 1734 Sailing (Time: 2:14)
2008 Olympic Shooting
since the first Summer Olympics in 1896.1 Under the current Olympic structure, male and female shooting athletes compete for 15 sets of medals. The events are divided by the type of guns used, which include rifles, pistols and shotguns.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics, the shooting events will be held from August 9 to August 17, 2008. Shotgun events will be held at the Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field, while pistol and rifle events will be held at the Beijing Shooting Range Hall.
History : Shooting was one of nine sports contested at the first Summer Olympic Games in 1896. It has been held at each Summer Olympics since, with the exception of the 1904 and 1928 games. Olympic shooting operated strictly as a men's sport until 1968, when women were first permitted to compete alongside men in the same events. Separate women's shooting events were added to the program in 1984.
Video: Army Unit Aims for Olympic Victories (Time: 3:31)
2008 Olympic Softball
Olympics since 1996.1 Eight 15-member women's teams compete for a single set of medals. On July 11, 2005, the International Olympic Committee voted to discontinue softball as an Olympic sport, starting at the 2012 Olympics in London.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, softball events will be held from August 12 to August 21, 2008 at the Fengtai Softball Field.
History : On June 13, 1991, the International Olympic Committee voted to introduce softball as a full medal sport, starting at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia. The United States women's softball team has dominated the sport since its inception, winning gold medals in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
Video: US Olympic Softball - '04 Medal Round (Time: 4:09)
2008 Olympic Swimming
event since the first modern Olympics in 1896. There are 16 different swimming events in the Olympics using four different strokes. Men and women do not compete against each other, though they do perform the same strokes and distances, with a few exceptions.
History : At the 1896 Olympic Games, swimmers were dropped off boats into the frigid Mediterranean; the first one to reach shore won. There have been several Olympic swimming events that are now discontinued, including Swimming Obstacle Races, Plain High Diving, Swimming Plunge for Distance, Men's Sailors 100m Freestyle, Solo Synchronized Swimming and Underwater Swimming. Several swimming events have also been added since the early 20th century, including the Backstroke in 1904 and the Breaststroke in 1908.34
During the 1940s, swimmers doing the breaststroke discovered that they could swim faster when they stroked overhead with both arms simultaneously. This type of stroke was quickly banned, but in a short time it became its own event: the Butterfly, appearing for the first time in the 1956 Olympics.
Video: Dara Torres Womens 50M Freestyle (Time: 7:09)
2008 Olympic Synchronized Swimming
An Olympic aquatic sport, women's synchronized swimming has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1984.1
Two sets of synchronized swimming medals will be awarded, one team and one duet, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. The synchronized swimming events will be held from August 18 to August 23, 2008, at the Beijing National Aquatics Center.
History : After appearing as a demonstration sport at the Olympics from 1948 to 1968, synchronized swimming was introduced as a full medal sport at the 1984 Summer Olympics.1 At the 1984, 1988 and 1992 games, medals were awarded to the top solo and duet swimmers. In 1996, those events were replaced with an eight-person team event. The duet competition was reintroduced in 2000 and has been contested alongside the team event in the years since.
Video: Women in the Olympic Games - Synchronized Swimming (Time: 6:01)
2008 Olympic Table Tennis
Table tennis, or ping pong, as it is also known, has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1988. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, team and individual medals will be awarded to the top male and female competitors, for a total of four
History : Since table tennis was incorporated into the Olympics in 1988, China has won 16 of 20 gold medals.
Individual Event Format. The winner of the best-of-seven games wins the match and moves on to the next round of the tournament.
Video: 2008 Olympic Table Tennis Trials Highlights (Time: 5:24)
2008 Olympic Taekwondo
Summer Olympics, athletes will compete for eight sets of medals, four men's and four women's. In Beijing, taekwondo contests will be held from August 20 to August 23, 2008, at the Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium.
History : A Korean martial art noted for its kick movements, taekwondo appeared as an exhibition sport at the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympic Games. At the 1994 International Olympic Committee session, taekwondo was accepted as a medal sport, starting in 2000.
Video: Olympic Tae-Kwon-Do Sparring (Time: 7:25)
2008 Olympic Tennis
Tennis was one of nine sports held at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.1 Men's and women's medal sets are awarded to the top singles and doubles players. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, tennis events will be held from August 10 to August 17, 2008, at the Olympic Green Tennis Center
History :
Tennis debuted at the 1896 Summer Olympics. In 1900, the mixed doubles competition was added to the program. The sport continued in the Olympics until 1924, when all tennis events were discontinued. After appearing as an exhibition sport at the 1984 Summer Games, men's and women's singles and doubles events were reinstated as full medal events at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The mixed doubles event was not reintroduced.
Video: Tennis Stars Set Sights on Medals (Time: 1:33)
2008 Olympic Triathlon
The Olympic Triathlon is a race consisting of three parts. A 1500m swim is followed by a 40km bicycle race. The last leg of the event is a 10km run. The Triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held near the big dam at the Ming Tomb Reservoir in northern Beijing from August 18 to August 19, 2008.
History : The modern Triathlon originated in 1971 in San Diego, California, at the San Diego Track Club as a way to break up the routine of a runner's training. It was not until 1989 that the International Olympic Committee recognized Triathlon as an Olympic sport.
Video: Triathlon - 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Course (Time: 8:27)
2008 Olympic Volleyball
Volleyball events have been held at the Summer Olympics since 1964.1 Men's and women's medal sets are awarded to the top teams in beach and indoor volleyball. Indoor volleyball events at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held at the Capital Indoor Stadium and Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium from August 9 to 24, 2008.7 Beach volleyball events will be held from August 9 to August 22, 2008, at the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground.
History : Indoor team volleyball events were introduced to the Summer Olympics at the 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. Beach volleyball events were added at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.
Video: Volleyball - Olympic Games Final 2000: Serbia - Russia (Time: 6:05)
2008 Olympic Water Polo
Water polo has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1900. Two team medal sets, one men's and one women's, are now awarded at each Summer Olympic Games. For the 2008 Summer Olympics, water polo teams will face off at Ying Tung Natatorium from August 10 to August 24, 2008.
History : Water polo was developed in England in the 1800s. Originally an aquatic version of rugby, the sport was adapted in Europe and the United States to resemble soccer before it was added to the Summer Olympics program in 1900. After operating for nearly a century as strictly a men's event, women's water polo was introduced to the Summer Olympics in 2000. Hungary leads all nations in Olympic water polo medals with eight gold, three silver and three bronze.
Video: Waterpolo - 2004 Olympic Final Last 10 Minutes (Time: 9:54)
2008 Olympic Weightlifting
Weightlifting has been an event at the Summer Olympics since 1896. Under the current Olympic structure, 15 sets of weightlifting medals are awarded, eight men's and seven women's. Athletes compete in two disciplines, snatch and clean & jerk, and medals are awarded to the top competitors in each weight class. Weightlifting competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics will be held at Beihang University Gymnasium from August 9 to August 19, 2008.
History : Although the sport of weightlifting can be traced back to ancient Egyptians and Greeks, international weightlifting competitions began in 1891. Weightlifting was one of only nine sports at the first Summer Olympic Games held in 1896 in Athens, Greece. The 1900 Olympics did not contain a weightlifting event, but the sport reappeared at the 1904 Olympics before being removed from the program again in 1908. In 1920, weightlifting returned as a full sport and has been contested in each Summer Olympics Games since. Also in 1920, the format of the event was restructured to allow athletes to compete by weight class.
Video: 2004 Athens Weight Lifting Clean and Jerk (Time: 6:21)
2008 Olympic Wrestling
Wrestling made its debut at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Male wrestlers compete for medals in seven freestyle events and seven Greco-Roman events, while female wrestlers compete in four freestyle events.
History : Wrestling medals have been awarded to athletes at every Summer Olympics since 1896, with the exception of the 1900 Summer Games in Paris, France. Women's freestyle events were introduced at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece.
Video: olympic Athene.2004.lutte.wrestling.freestyle.120kg (Time: 5:26)
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