OLYMPICS

Whitewater rafters carry the Olympic torch on its way to Paris.

How Is the Olympic Flame Lit—and How Does It Stay Lit?

This year, the Olympic torch made a symbolic journey from Greece to Paris for the Summer Games.

Why Won’t Team USA Dip the Flag at the Olympics Opening Ceremonies?

America is the only country that refuses to do so.

Simone Biles has five gymnastics skills named for her.

11 Female Gymnasts With Skills Named After Them

At the Olympics, some athletes will be performing tried and true moves. Others might be throwing new skills that will one day bear their names.

Olympic gold medals are the zenith of athletic achievement.

The 20 Countries With the Most Olympic Gold Medals

Whoever said winning isn't everything didn't have 1175 gold medals.

Vanderlei Lima getting attacked by Neil Horan at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

10 Scandals That Rocked the Summer Olympics

Though the Games are meant to foster a sense of unity among nations, they’ve seen their fair share of scandal—and even tragedy.

10 Sports Cut From The Olympics

If you’re looking forward to polo and tug of war at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, we have bad news for you.

Jesse Owens (right) starting the 100-meter sprint at the 1936 Olympic Games—which he would go on to win.

Watch Jesse Owens Win Four Golds at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany

The Black track star smoked the competition to win a record-setting four gold medals, making a mockery of Adolf Hitler’s belief in Aryan supremacy.

10 Great Olympics Movies

From ice skating comedies to wrestling tragedies, Tinseltown skillfully draws upon the world’s biggest sporting spectacle.

The Olympics have bred numerous misconceptions over the years.

7 Misconceptions About Olympic Sports

Divers shower after every dive for a surprising reason.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will open in July in Paris (barring war or a pandemic).

6 Times the Olympics Have Been Postponed or Canceled

Since 1896, when the modern Olympic Games began, the event has been disrupted only six times—and it usually required a war.

13 Breakdancing Terms You Should Know

Study up on this breaking terminology so you know what you’re talking about you’re watching the sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

The Olympic rings outside the IOC headquarters in Switzerland.

20 Colorful Slang Terms From Olympic Sports

Here are 20 fun bits of Olympics slang, from diving’s ‘bingo’ to gymnastics’ ‘twisties.’

Does this image of overlapping multicolored rings remind you of anything, hm?

A Stimulating History of Free Condoms at the Olympics

Condoms in the Olympic Village have been a tradition—and a public health service—since 1988.

Moviegoers were donning these glasses to take in a 3D film way before you thought they were.

8 Everyday Things That Are Much Older Than You Think

Discover the intriguing origins of everything from Oreos to Juicy Fruit gum to sparkling water, exploring their hidden histories and unexpected beginnings, from vaudeville fads to accidental inventions.

10 Fast Facts About Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph made history as a Black woman athlete at the 1960 Rome Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win three gold medals at one Olympics.

Muhammad Ali makes a prediction about how long a fight will last.

The Greatest 10 Facts About Muhammad Ali

Legendary boxer Muhammad Ali once saved a man's life, fought tooth decay, and tussled with an NHL enforcer.

Jesse Owens (right) smokes competitors in the 200-meter sprint at the Berlin Summer Games, setting a new Olympic record.

12 Fascinating Facts About Jesse Owens

Owens’s triumph at the 1936 Summer Olympics defied racist ideology and inspired generations of athletes.

NFL running back Bo Jackson moonlighting as a member of the Kansas City Royals.

11 of the Most Memorable Multi-Sport Athletes in History

The Minnesota Vikings once drafted Dave Winfield … who hadn’t played football since childhood.

How Geena Davis's Archery Obsession Nearly Landed Her a Spot on the 2000 Olympic Team

While Geena Davis might be best known for her films, there’s one role she narrowly missed out on: Olympic archer.

Team USA's Nathan Chen during his gold medal-winning free skate at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Do Olympic Figure Skaters Have to License the Music They Skate To?

Nathan Chen won gold against a backdrop of Elton John songs. But who shelled out for the music license?

Sweden's Oskar Eriksson delivers the stone during a mixed doubles match against Norway at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

What Are Those Red and Green Lights on Curling Stones?

Olympic curling stones are pretty self-policing—here's what those green and red lights can tell you.

Mabel Fairbanks performs a figure skating move.

Remembering Mabel Fairbanks, the Black Figure Skating Pioneer Who Never Got to Compete

Racism shut her out of competitive figure skating, but Mabel Fairbanks made her mark on the sport anyway.

U.S. freeskier Alexander Hall in the big air final at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Why Do Some Olympic Freeskiers Compete Without Ski Poles?

Freeskiers have been making their own rules since the inception of their sport. Here’s the skinny on why some choose to forgo the poles.

Netherlands' Suzanne Schulting and China's Qu Chunyu during a 500-meter short-track quarter-final at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Why Do Speed Skaters Wear Glasses?

Skiers and snowboarders have to contend with sun and snow—speed skaters don’t. So what are their glasses for?