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Also TryPapers
- -'Eric the Eel' and the Olympic Spirit (CNN News)
"His swim made him an instant star of the Sydney Olympics -- dubbed 'Eric the Eel' by the world's media -- and lampooned around the world for posting the worst time in the history of the sport. But it also reminded the world that there's far more to the Olympic spirit than just victory." 07-12
- -Bonnie Blair, Great Winter Olympian (Olympics30.com)
"To date, she remains the most decorated woman in the history of US Winter Olympics." 08-12
- -Carl Lewis, Great Athlete of the 20th Century (Wikipedia.org)
"Carl Lewis is one of the greatest athletes in the world. He is known for his world records in running as well as his records in the long jump." 08-12
- -Fanny Blankers Koen, Great Olympian (Olympics30.com)
"Born in Holland in 1918 Francina Elsje Koen, is viewed by many experts as the greatest all-round track and field female athlete who ever lived. She was held in such high regard by her peers that she was awarded female athlete of the twentieth century in 1999 by the IAAF." 08-12
- -Inspirational Olympics Stories (Olympics30.com)
Provides stories. 08-12
- -Jesse Owens, Great Athlete of the 20th Century (Wikipedia.org)
"James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump, and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team. He was the most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics, a victory more poignant and often noted because Adolf Hitler had intended the 1936 games to showcase his Aryan ideals and prowess. Germany did, however, win far more medals than any other competing nation."
"The Jesse Owens Award, USA Track and Field's highest accolade for the year's best track and field athlete, is named after him, in honor of his significant career." 08-12
- -Jim Thorpe, Great Athlete of the 20th Century (Wikipedia.org)
In the 1912 Sweden Olympics, "He could run the 100-yard dash in 10 seconds flat, the 220 in 21.8 seconds, the 440 in 51.8 seconds, the 880 in 1:57, the mile in 4:35, the 120-yard high hurdles in 15 seconds, and the 220-yard low hurdles in 24 seconds.[6] He could long jump 23 ft 6 in and high-jump 6 ft 5 in.[6] He could pole vault 11 feet, put the shot 47 ft 9 in, throw the javelin 163 feet, and throw the discus 136 feet.[6]"
"Even more remarkably, because someone had stolen his shoes just before he was due to compete, he found some discarded ones in a rubbish bin and won his medals wearing them.[18] He is shown in the 1912 photo wearing two different shoes and extra socks because one shoe was too big."
Thorpe was also famous for his achievements in football and baseball. 08-12
- -Larisa Latynina Has Won the Most Gold Medals of Any Female Olympian (Wikipedia.org)
"Larisa Semyonovna Latynina... (born December 27, 1934 in Kherson, Ukrainian SSR) is a Ukrainian and former Soviet gymnast who is the only female athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals. She holds 18 total medals, second most won by a competitor in any sport at the Olympics. Latynina held the record for most Olympic medals overall for many decades before being surpassed by US swimmer Michael Phelps in 2012. She was responsible for establishing the Soviet Union as the dominant force in gymnastics.[1] She also holds the record for most individual medals (14 outside of team events) in Olympic history." 07-12
- History - Modern Olympics 1896 - 2008 (InfoPlease.com)
Provides highlights and heroes of the Olympics. 07-12
- History - Modern Winter Olympics 1924 - 2006 (FactMonster.com)
Provides highlights and heroes of the modern Winter Olympics, starting in 1924. 07-12
- History - Olympics History (Perseus Project)
Provides a history of the Olympics. 07-12
- History of Olympics (Beijing 2008)
Provides a history. 07-12
- History of Olympics (Olympic.org)
Provides a history. 07-12
- History of Olympics (Wikipedia.org)
"The Olympic Games, or Olympics, is an international multi-sport event taking place every four years and comprising summer and winter games. Originally held in ancient Greece, they were revived by a French nobleman, Pierre Frèdy, Baron de Coubertin in the late 19th century. The Games of the Olympiad, also known as the Summer Olympics, have been held every fourth year since 1896, with the exception of the years during the World Wars." 02-06
- History of the Olympics (AAFLA)
Provides a history of the Olympics up to 2010. 12-07
- Jim Thorpe, Great Athlete (CNN News)
"Thorpe, the Native American from rural Oklahoma who in the early years of the 20th century became the greatest athlete in the world, died in 1953." 08-10
- Michael Phelps: Greatest Olympian (Time.com)
"At the Beijing Water Cube around 10:30AM, Michael Phelps swam two races, and won more gold medals. He broke two more world records, and got himself a new title: the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time."
"He now has five gold meals in these Olympics, and 11 in his career, moving past Mark Spitz, U.S. track and field legend Carl Lewis, ex-Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina, and Finish distance runner Paavo Nurmi for the all-time record." 08-08
- Olympics Facts by Year (Sports Illustrated)
Provides information on each of the modern Olympics by year to 2004. 07-12
- Olympics Modern History - Emil Zatopek (Sports Illustrated)
Provides a biography that includes the heroism of one of the great runners in the Olympics. 8-04
- Olympics Modern History - Jim Thorpe (Sports Illustrated)
Provides a biography that includes the cruel treatment the Native American was given by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 8-04
- Olympics Modern History - Johnny Weissmuller (Sports Illustrated)
"One of the most colourful characters in the history of any sport, Johnny Weissmuller was the first man to swim 100 metres in less than a minute during an unbeaten nine-year career."
He set 51 individual world records from 50 to 800 metres, achieved fame outside the pool by making a dozen Tarzan films and still had the energy to acquire five wives." 8-04
- Olympics Modern History - Nadia Comaneci (Sports Illustrated)
"Given the choice, Nadia Comaneci would have become a surgeon and indulged her fascination with blood on a daily basis. Instead she had to make do with becoming the world's most celebrated gymnast." 8-04
- Phelps Wins Most Gold in Olympic History in 2008 (CBS News)
Tied no more. Michael Phelps swam into history as the winningest Olympic athlete ever with his 10th and 11th career gold medals and fourth world record of the Beijing Games." 08-08
- Swimming History (USASwimming.org)
Includes a history of the sport and provides biographies. 07-12
- Torres, Oldest Olympic Swimming Medalist in History (U.S. News)
"Dara Torres, 41, became the oldest swimming medalist in Olympic history on Sunday. She has twice retired from swimming and has a 2-year-old daughter, but keeps returning to the sport to add to her medal collection." 08-08
- Zaharias, Babe Didriksen (Sports Illustrated)
"At the opening parade, Didriksen appeared as the sole representative of the Employers Casualty Insurance Company of Dallas. During the ensuing three hours she took part in eight of the 10 events and won six of them to finish, singlehanded, first in the team competition."
"The University of Illinois, represented by 22 women, finished second." 8-04
- Zaharias, Babe Didrikson (Sports Illustrated)
Provides a biography of the person recognized as the "Greatest Female Athlete of the First Half of the 20th Century." Includes a picture. 12-02
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