OLYMPICS

Why Do They Spray Water in the Olympic Diving Pool Between Dives?

When Tom Daley heads to the showers post-dive, the diving pool gets a little shower of its own. Here’s why.

Charles Downing Lay, the Man Who Won an Olympic Medal for Town Planning

Renowned landscape architect Charles Downing Lay beat the odds to become a champion town planner at the 1936 Games in Berlin.

LeBron James's most recent Olympics appearance at the 2012 London Games.

Why Do So Many NBA Stars Skip the Olympics?

LeBron James’s last Olympic basketball appearance was back in 2012. But he and his fellow NBA players have good reasons for skipping the Games.

Ecuador's Angie Paola Palacios Dajomes during a weightlifting competition on July 27.

Why Are the 2021 Olympics Still Being Called 'Tokyo 2020?'

“Tokyo 2020” is all over the 2021 Olympics coverage—athlete gear, advertisements, etc. Why didn’t anyone change it?

Players from Canada and Spain face off during an Olympic match on July 26, 2021.

The Real Reason Water Polo Players Wear Those Caps

Spend a few minutes watching Olympic water polo, and you’ll realize the players' bonnets have holes in them. If they’re not keeping water out, what are they for?

Watch Simone Biles Hit a Physics-Defying Triple-Double in Super Slo-Mo

Simone Biles is the most decorated female gymnast in history, and this super slow-motion video demonstrates why.

Serena Williams poses with her gold medal after winning at the 2012 London Olympics.

How Much Is an Olympic Gold Medal Worth?

And how much gold is in an Olympic gold medal, anyway? Not enough to make it worth melting down for parts.

How Much Do You Know About the Olympic Games?

When were the first modern Olympic Games held? How many Olympic medals does Michael Phelps have?

The fiery cauldron at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

It's Lit: Watch Almost 100 Years of Summer Olympic Cauldron Lightings in This Supercut

The Summer Olympics opening ceremony wouldn’t be complete without a cauldron lighting—revisit past ones in this supercut.

Kerri Walsh Jennings during a match against Brazil at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Why Do So Many Female Athletes Compete in Bikini-Style Uniforms?

Women’s beach volleyball players aren’t the only Olympic athletes who compete in bikini-style uniforms. But do they have to?

Rhythmic gymnast Laura Zeng competes for the U.S. at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Artistic vs. Rhythmic Gymnastics: What’s the Difference?

Rhythmic gymnastics is all about ribbons and balls, while artistic gymnastics is all about flips and tricks. But there’s a little more to it than that.

Runners Kenzo Yashima, Yahei Miura, Shizo Kanakuri, and Zensaku Motegi.

Shizo Kanakuri, the Japanese Olympian Who "Vanished" Midrace and Crossed the Finish Line 54 Years Later

After Shizo Kanakuri pulled out of a race during the 1912 Olympics, he unintentionally became mythologized as the “Japanese who vanished.”

Synchronized swimmer Becky Dyroen in action during the 1992 US Olympic Team Trials.

When Solo Synchronized Swimming Was an Olympic Sport

When synchronized swimming was first introduced as an Olympic event, it came in three varieties: duet, eight-woman and … solo?

Simone Biles performs at the U.S. Olympic trials in St. Louis.

12 Amazing Facts About Simone Biles

Is it too much to say that Simone Biles is not only the best Olympic gymnast, but the greatest gymnast of all time? We don't think so.

Members of the 1922 Everest expedition at Base Camp.

Peak Performance: The Most Hazardous Sport In Olympic History

From 1924 to 1936, the International Olympic Committee handed out medals for a sport so dangerous that the vast majority of recipients weren't alive to collect them.

Erriyon Knighton, center, after winning his heat at the Olympic trials on June 26, 2021.

Erriyon Knighton—Who Has Broken Two of Usain Bolt's Records—Will Be America's Youngest Male Track Olympian Since 1964

Florida sprinter Erriyon Knighton will be the youngest competitor on the U.S. men’s track and field team at the Tokyo Olympics this summer.

Some artists have won Olympic medals for making medals.

When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Making Medals

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Olympics bestowed medals on artists for excellence in medal-making. Even if they were dead.

A duelist takes aim in New York City in 1909.

Bullet Time: When Pistol Dueling Was an Olympic Event

The 1906 and 1908 Olympic Games featured a thrilling new attraction—one that could maim participants and spectators alike.

The U.S. tug-of-war team at the 1908 London Olympics.

11 Surprising Sports that Have Appeared in the Modern Olympic Games

Since the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, the Olympics have included everything from pistol dueling to croquet.

American athlete Tommie Smith, wearing black socks, celebrates after crossing the finish line of the men's 200-meter final ahead of Australian Peter Norman and compatriot John Carlos during the Mexico Olympic Games.

Tommie Smith and John Carlos Shocked the World—and Sacrificed Their Careers—By Protesting Racism at the 1968 Olympics

When Tommie Smith and John Carlos each raised a black-gloved fist on the Olympic podium, 50,000 people fell silent. Then, the booing started.

American Girl Doll Introduces Joss Kendrick, First Doll With a Hearing Aid

And they’ve paired up with 17-year-old soon-to-be Olympic surfer Caroline Marks to promote her message.

Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY 3.0 br

Simone Biles Just Became the Most Decorated Female Gymnast in History

At the 2019 World Gymnastics Championships in Germany, Simone Biles won her 21st gold medal, setting a new record for the women's division.

The New Tokyo 2020 Olympic Medals Are Made From Recycled Electronics

The organizing committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo collected 78,985 tons of used electronics to make medals for the upcoming games.

How to Tie Your Shoes With One Hand, According to a Paralympian

When other methods didn't cut it, Megan Absten invented her own.

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