Olympic Multi-Event Summer Games

Student Worksheet

Name:________________________________ Date:_________________________________
 

I.  Access the following Web sites: http://www.ausport.gov.au/info/Factsheets/demo.html and http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/past/index_uk.asp.

Read the information given there about demonstration sports at the Olympics and then answer the following questions:

What is a demonstration sport?

 



Demonstration sports/events were introduced at the Olympics in _________ (year).

In order for a demonstration sport to become an official event of the Olympics, it must meet three criteria. What are those?

1.

2.

3.



What three demonstration sports could have been seen at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics?

1.

2.

3.

Which sport appeared in eight Olympics as a demonstration sport and then became a medal sport at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics?

 

 

What other event became a medal sport for the first time at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics?

 

 

II.      Access the following Web site: www.olympic.org/.
III.          
Click on Sports. When asked to Choose a  sport, click on Modern Pentathlon.
IV
.     Read the introduction then click on "Learn more about this discipline"
V.            
Read the information there and then answer the following questions:

How many events are included in the modern pentathlon?_________________________

Name them:___________________________________________________________

When was this event introduced to the Olympics?_______________________________

Which country is currently considered the most powerful in this event?________________

How long is this event this year?

 

 

For use by highly capable students: (Read carefully the folk tale that is meant to explain the historical basis for the pentathlon.)
V.     Return to Choose a sport and click on Triathlon.
VI.     Read the information and then answer the following questions:

How many events are included in the triathlon?_________________________________

Name them:___________________________________________________________

When and where was the first competitive triathlon held?_____________________________________________

 

 

VII.     Pent and tri are Greek prefixes that indicate a number. If a pentathlon and triathlon represent the number of events in a multi-event sport, what might you call an Olympic sport that includes 10 events?__________________________________________________

What would you call an Olympic sport that includes seven events?

 

 

Now that you have gained all of this Olympic knowledge, you are ready to synthesize and apply it in a creative way. Imagine that you wish to introduce a multi-event demonstration sport at the next summer Olympic Games. Determine how many events will make up this new sport and name it based on your knowledge of Greek prefixes. Write a clear, yet concise description of each of the events in this new demonstration sport, using the descriptions of the pentathlon and triathlon as a guide. As you create this new demonstration sport, develop a rationale as to why you’ve included these particular events.

View a list of other "recognized sports," at http://www.olympic.org/uk/sports/recognized/index_uk.asp should some of these become Olympic Sports?