Sports are much more than just rules, strategies, and tactics. It’s a realm filled with emotions, hard work, and discipline. Sports offer a sanctuary for both professional and recreational athletes. It’s a significant part of our lives, a way to relax, and a path to feel better.
We’ve put together 10 fascinating facts about sports that even the most loyal sports fans might not know.
1. Tallest basketball player
The tallest professional basketball player in history is Romanian Gheorghe Mureșan, who is 231 centimeters tall. He played in the NBA for the Washington Bullets and the New Jersey Nets.
2. Moon sports
In 1971, Apollo 14 astronauts decided to engage in the first sporting activities in space, right on the moon. Alan Shepard hit golf balls, and Edgar Mitchell brought along a javelin, which he threw after landing on the moon.
3. Michael Phelps, god of medals
American swimmer Michael Phelps added 5 Olympic medals to his collection during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Throughout his career, he won a total of 28 medals, including 23 golds. For comparison, 28 medals is the exact number that all Slovak Olympians have collectively won throughout the history of independent Slovakia.
Source: Freepik.com
4. Gold medals without gold?
Despite their color, Olympic gold medals are not made entirely of gold. In fact, they contain only a small amount of gold—approximately 2%. The primary material used in their production is silver, which is more durable than gold.
5. Too much tennis!
Would you believe that the longest tennis match in history lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes? This remarkable feat was achieved by John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. Isner managed to win this incredibly tense match with a final score of 70-68.
6. The highest basketball court
Dubai is a place full of surprises, and one of them is that it offers the highest basketball court in the world. You can find it in the Burj Al Arab at a height of 210 meters above the ground. Who wouldn’t feel like playing sports in one of the most modern skyscrapers in the world?
Source: Pixabay.com
7. Fastest tennis serve
Do you know what speed a tennis ball can reach after being hit? The shots of Australian tennis player Samuel Groth are undoubtedly the fastest. He proved it in 2012 when his serve broke the record for the fastest recorded serve, reaching a speed of up to 263 kilometers per hour.
8. The unique reason volleyball was created
Who would want to chase after a ball just to hit it back over to the other side or in a different direction? This question crossed the mind of William Morgan, the man who invented volleyball. His vision was to create a sport where players wouldn’t have to run. The original version of volleyball was static, with players waiting for the ball instead of moving to chase it.
9. Even the USA are not 100%
Would you believe that there’s a sport in which the USA has yet to succeed at the Olympics? Believe it or not, there are three! The United States has never converted its sporting efforts into Olympic medals in badminton, handball, or table tennis.
source: Pixabay.com
10. Throwback to our childhood in Thailand
If you ever find yourself in Thailand and feel like competing, you can even choose a game with kites. In Thailand, it’s a recognized sport, with its own league. What a nice throwback to our childhoods! 🙂
“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” – Vince Lombardi
