Table Of ContentPOCKET EYEWITNESS
SPORTS
FACTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
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Senior Editor Rupa Rao
Senior Art Editor Vikas Chauhan
Project Art Editor Mansi Agrawal
Project Editor Kathakali Banerjee
Editors Bharti Bedi, Priyanka Kharbanda
Picture Research Co-ordinator Sumita Khatwani
Assistant Picture Research Administrator Vagisha Pushp
Picture Research Manager Taiyaba Khatoon
Managing Editor Kingshuk Ghoshal
Managing Art Editor Govind Mittal
Senior DTP Designer Jagtar Singh
DTP Designers Jaypal Singh Chauhan, Rakesh Kumar
Pre-production Manager Balwant Singh
Production Manager Pankaj Sharma
Production Editor Gillian Reid
Production Controller Sian Cheung
Jacket Designer Juhi Sheth
DK India Editorial Head Glenda Fernandes
DK India Design Head Malavika Talukder
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia MTT
Publisher Andrew Macintyre
Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
Art Director Karen Self
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
Author Clive Gifford
Consultants Brian Burnsed, Steven Conway,
Megan Fernandez, John Schwarb, Christopher Stolle
This title was created with support from the DK Diversity,
Equity, & Inclusion team. Thanks to the Product and
Content Working Group for their input and guidance.
First published in Great Britain in 2021 by
Dorling Kindersley Limited
DK, One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens,
London, SW11 7BW
The authorised representative in the EEA is
Dorling Kindersley Verlag GmbH, Arnulfstr. 124,
80636 Munich, Germany
Copyright © 2021 Dorling Kindersley Limited
A Penguin Random House Company
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
001–322653–Dec/2021
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the
prior written permission of the copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record for this book
is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-2414-7791-5 There are many wonderful sports out there. This book
doesn’t cover all of them, but does feature some of the
Printed and bound in China popular ones from around the world.
For the curious The sports in this book should be played by children
under appropriate parental supervision and after
www.dk.com taking necessary safety precautions.
Given next to the entry for each sport is information
about some of the following: where and how the sport
This book was made with Forest is contested and won; how long it lasts; what some of
Stewardship Council™ certified its major events are; whether it is played by individuals
paper – one small step in DK’s
commitment to a sustainable (solo), pairs (duo), or teams; and what the players use
future. For more information go to or wear (gear) while playing it.
www.dk.com/our-green-pledge
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CONTENTS
4 What is a sport? 70 COMBAT SPORTS 116 WHEEL AND
6 Ancient sports MOTOR SPORTS
8 Playing sports 72 Boxing, Mixed martial arts,
12 Sports for all Kickboxing, Scholastic 118 Track cycling, Road
wrestling racing, Mountain biking
14 ATHLETICS AND 74 S umo, Ju-jitsu, Fencing, 120 Roller skating, Roller
GYMNASTICS Judo hockey, Skateboarding
76 Judo points 122 Formula 1 racing, Indy
16 Sprints, Hurdles, Relays, 78 Kung fu, Karate, car racing, Karting
Long-distance races Taekwondo, Kendo, 124 Indy car racing
20 Starts and finishes Muay Thai 126 NASCAR
22 Shot put, Discus, Hammer, 128 Truck racing, Motorcycle
Javelin 80 WATER SPORTS racing, Drag racing
24 Long jump, Triple jump, High 132 Air racing, Powerboat
jump, Pole vault 82 D iving, Swimming, racing, Snowmobiling,
26 Rhythmic gymnastics, Floor Synchronized swimming Motocross racing,
exercises, Vaults 86 Swimming strokes Touring car racing
28 Pommel horse, Balance 88 Waterskiing, Water polo,
beam, Bar events, Rings Surfing 134 OTHER SPORTS
32 W eightlifting, Powerlifting, 90 Sailing, Rowing, Kayaking,
Trampolining, Acrobatic Canoeing 136 Polo, Showjumping,
gymnastics, Race walking 92 Rowing to win Dressage, Horse racing
94 K iteboarding, Underwater 138 Hang gliding, Paragliding,
34 TEAM SPORTS sports, Stand-up Cliff diving, Skydiving
paddleboarding, 140 Climbing, Parkour,
36 American football Windsurfing, Dragon Whitewater rafting, Free
38 The offense boat racing, Personal diving, Freeride mountain
40 Football watercraft (PWC) racing biking, Land yachting
42 Rugby union, Rugby league, 144 Regional sports: Horse
Australian football 96 WINTER SPORTS relay race, Kabaddi,
46 Cricket, Softball, Handball Dambe, Pok-ta-pok
48 Baseball 98 S nowboarding, Skiing,
50 Baseball field Freestyle skiing 146 All about sports
52 Basketball 100 Skiing downhill 148 Setting records
54 Playing basketball 104 Ski jumping, Luge,
56 Netball, Volleyball, Beach Bobsledding, Skeleton 150 Glossary
volleyball 106 Ice dancing, Figure 152 Index
58 Ice hockey skating, Speed skating, 156 Acknowledgments
60 Field hockey, Lacrosse, Biathlon, Bandy
Tug of war, Gaelic football
108 TARGET SPORTS
62 RACKET SPORTS
110 Golf, Curling, Ten-pin
64 Tennis, Table tennis, bowling, Disc golf
Badminton, Real tennis 112 Playing golf
66 Tennis shots 114 Archery, Snooker, Pool,
68 Squash, Racquetball, Darts, Lawn bowling,
Eton fives, Beach tennis Croquet
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4 | SPORTS
What is a sport?
Sports are activities in which people use physical effort
and skill to compete against others. Some sports pit two
individuals head-to-head, while others are team contests.
People play sports for fun, exercise, the challenge, or
the thrill of competition.
Differing demands
Each sport requires something
different. Some call for great
strength, explosive power, or
lightning-fast reactions. Others
need strategy and accuracy. But
all players need to practise the
skills and techniques that will A weightlifter needs
strong muscles to
give them the winning edge.
lift heavy weights.
An archer needs calm concentration,
steady arms, and a good aim. Archery Weightlifting
Games
Competitive activities that involve
skill, knowledge, or chance,
but rarely any physical activity,
are called games. Examples
include card games, draughts,
and chess, which some
consider a sport because
of the serious nature of
its contests.
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WHAT IS A SPORT? | 5
A panel of judges watches
the competitors perform. eSports
Competitive video gaming
draws large crowds of
live and internet viewers.
In such eSports, individual
gamers or teams compete
within one computer game.
Play by the rules
All competitive sports have rules. Many of them have
officials, such as basketball referees, who monitor
play and ensure the rules are followed. In some sports,
such as diving or gymnastics, a panel of judges
decides the score of each competitor.
Adapted for all
The adrenaline rush of playing a sport
can be enjoyed by people of all ages
and abilities. Some sports, such as
flag rugby, have been adapted for
younger children by making it safer
for them to play. Other sports, such
as the 200 m sprint, have been
adapted to allow athletes with
disabilities to compete. As seen
here, visually impaired British athlete
Libby Clegg (left) competes in
a race with the assistance of a
non-disabled guide (right).
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6 | SPORTS
Ancient sports
No one knows precisely when sport first began. But
evidence found in cave paintings and other rock art make
it clear that people have been taking part in competitions
of speed, strength, and skill for thousands of years. The
depictions show players competing in many sports,
including wrestling, sprinting, swimming, and archery.
Ancient Olympics
The Olympics are the world’s biggest
sporting competition. The first Olympics
were held in 776 bce and featured just one
race. Over time, more events, including
boxing, wrestling, the long jump,
and throwing a discus,
were added.
One of two
stone rings Walled court
Early ball game
A 16th century Aztec manuscript shows
an ancient Mesoamerican ball game being
Ancient Greek
played by at least two players. Estimated
discus thrower
to have been first played over 3,000 years
ago, in Mexico and Central America, the
sport featured players trying to propel a
solid ball made of natural rubber through
one of two stone rings on a walled court.
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ANCIENT SPORTS | 7
Cuju
A forerunner of football, cuju was first played
in ancient China more than 2,000 years ago.
Without using their hands, cuju players score
goals by kicking a ball between bamboo
poles or into a hole.
Military training
During training, ancient armies would
competitively practise their skills – from
spear throwing to wrestling. Some sports
arose out of these training competitions,
including chariot racing, which drew huge
crowds in ancient Rome.
Lacrosse
A stick and ball game played by the Algonquian tribe
and other Indigenous Americans was named lacrosse
by French settlers in the 1630s. A modified version of
the sport is still played today.
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8 | SPORTS
Playing sports
Millions of people enjoy playing sports, which fascinate us as
children and inspire passion and pride as we grow up. Most
sports have dedicated regional, national, or world championship
competitions, which offer players or teams a chance to compete
against each other for victory and glory.
The Italian
men’s football
team after
winning UEFA
Euro 2020
Organized sports
Sport needs to be organized for large competitions. Most sports are governed
by national associations. Many of these answer to continental federations, such
as UEFA for football in Europe, and to global organizations, such as FINA for
swimming. These bodies arrange rules and major international competitions.
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