The Olympics may date back to ancient times, but there’s always something new at the Games. This year women will compete in five events that used to be for men only: hammer throw, pole vault, modern pentathlon, water polo and weight lifting. New for both men and women are trampolining, the martial art Taekwondo, triathlon and more.
Triathlon-In this ultimate test of endurance, athletes swim almost a mile, bike 24.8 miles and then run 6.2 miles to the finish line. Whew!
Weight Lifting-As the strongest girl in America, Cheryl Haworth, 17, has a lot to teach the world about girl power.
Water Polo-A hundred years after becoming one of the Olympics’ first team sports, water polo is now for women too.
Synchronized Diving-In this new event, two people perform the same stunts, or stunts that look good together, side by side on their way from the platform to the pool.