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Rogge, Jacques

(Encyclopedia)Rogge, Jacques zhäk rōˈkhə [key], 1942–, Belgian sports executive, b. Ghent. An orthopedic surgeon with a degree in sports medicine, Rogge is an accomplished sailor who competed in Olympic yacht...

pentathlon

(Encyclopedia)pentathlon pĕntăthˈlən [key], composite athletic event. In ancient Greece it comprised leaping, foot racing, wrestling, discus throwing, and casting the javelin. The modern pentathlon, an Olympic ...

Phelps, Michael Fred

(Encyclopedia)Phelps, Michael Fred, 1985–, American swimmer, b. Baltimore. One of the world's greatest competitive swimmers, Phelps became (2001) the youngest world record holder (in the 200-m butterfly) at 15 an...

Coe, Sebastian Newbold, Baron Coe of Ranmore

(Encyclopedia)Coe, Sebastian Newbold, Baron Coe of Ranmore, 1956–, British runner, politician, and athletic official. He set several world records as a middle-distance runner, including one in the 800-m race that...

gymnastics

(Encyclopedia)gymnastics, exercises for the balanced development of the body (see also aerobics), or the competitive sport derived from these exercises. Although the ancient Greeks (who invented the building called...

Elis

(Encyclopedia)Elis ēˈlĭs [key], region of ancient Greece, in W Peloponnesus, W of Arcadia. It was divided into three parts—Elis proper, Pisatis, and Triphylia. A plain watered by the Alpheus and the Peneus riv...

Diagoras of Rhodes

(Encyclopedia)Diagoras of Rhodes, ancient Greek athlete, fl. 5th cent. b.c. A boxer and wrester, he won an Olympic championship in 464 b.c. and won numerous times at the Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean games. Pindar ...

stadium

(Encyclopedia)stadium stāˈdēəm [key], racecourse in Greek cities where footraces and other athletic contests took place. The name is the Latin form of the Greek word for a standard of length and originally refe...

Nurmi, Paavo

(Encyclopedia)Nurmi, Paavo päˈvō no͝orˈmē [key], 1897–1973, Finnish track star. Between 1920 and 1932 he set 20 world running records and won nine Olympic gold medals. His Olympic victories included the 10,...

Cortina d'Ampezzo

(Encyclopedia)Cortina d'Ampezzo kōrtēˈnä dämpĕdˈzō [key], town, in Venetia, NE Italy, in th...