The 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, feature 39 separate sports and disciplines. Seven sports are featured in the Winter Olympics and 26 play in the Summer Games. But the Summer Games also offer an additional six disciplines that are also categorized as sports. Together, they cover a wide range to interest fans of almost any sport.
Water Sports
The Summer Olympics feature diving, rowing, sailing, swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, and canoeing and kayaking. Russia has done very well in synchronized swimming, a sport that involves nine athletes performing a technical program and a freestyle program in perfect time with each other.
Skiing
Skiing competitions in the winter Olympics include Alpine, Nordic combined, ski jumping, cross country, freestyle and snowboarding. The Alpine events include downhill, slalom and giant slalom, super combined and super giant events for both men and women.
Skating
A huge favorite among Olympics fans, figure skating is included in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Other represented skating sports include short track speed skating and speed skating.
Net Sports
The Summer Games include both beach volleyball and regular volleyball, as well as badminton, tennis and table tennis. Beach volleyball teams consist of two players, while regular volleyball teams use 12 players, six on the court at one time. Badminton and tennis competitions consist of singles and doubles for both men and women, as well as mixed doubles.
Skill Sports
Archery, fencing, shooting, judo, taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling and boxing are represented in the Summer Olympics. Italy and France have traditionally excelled in fencing, but the United States team took top honors in women's saber in 2008.
Team Sports
Nations field teams in basketball, field hockey, handball and soccer in the Summer Games. In handball, each team fields six players plus a goalie. The Winter Games also feature ice hockey.
Other Winter Sports
Also represented are a biathlon competition, bobsleigh and skeleton races, curling and luge. Luge is one of the more dangerous Olympic sports, involving one or two athletes racing at extreme speeds down a narrow track. Athletes recline on their backs on sleds and steer by shifting their weight.
Other Summer Sports
The Summer Games also include equestrian competition, gymnastics and rhythmic gymnastics, cycling, track and field, trampoline, modern pentathlon and triathlon competitions. Modern pentathlon is a single-day competition that combines fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, running and shooting. The triathlon combines swimming, cycling and running.
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