Sports Facts for Kids
Fun facts from the world of sports
Ice skating is one of the world's oldest methods of transport. Archaeological evidence shows that people in Finland were using skates made from polished animal bones to travel across frozen lakes over 4,000 years ago.
The decathlon consists of ten athletic events held over two days: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, and 1,500m. The winner is traditionally called 'the world's greatest athlete'.
Table tennis balls were changed from celluloid to plastic for international competition in 2015. The new balls are slightly larger and slower, which has changed playing styles at the highest level.
In wheelchair tennis, the ball is allowed to bounce twice before it must be returned, compared to just once in able-bodied tennis. This single rule adaptation has made the sport accessible to millions of players.
England won the FIFA World Cup in 1966, the only time they have lifted the trophy. They beat West Germany 4–2 in the final at Wembley Stadium, with Geoff Hurst scoring a famous hat-trick.
The discus throw was one of the original events of the ancient Olympic Games. Discuses were originally made of stone, iron, or bronze; modern Olympic discuses for men weigh exactly 2 kilograms.
Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar bowled the fastest delivery in cricket history — a ball recorded at 161.3 km/h (100.23 mph) against England at the 2003 Cricket World Cup.
Weightlifting has been an Olympic sport since the first modern Games in Athens in 1896. In Olympic competition, athletes attempt two types of lift: the snatch, and the clean and jerk.
Brazilian legend Pelé is widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time. He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970, and reportedly scored over 1,000 career goals in total.
The modern pentathlon was designed to test the skills needed by a military officer behind enemy lines: fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, shooting, and running. It was introduced to the Olympics in 1912.