Alexander Cox

  ,Total Sports,
, is the ultimate guide to the world's sports, from the best-known to the most obscure. The book showcases the different sports by grouping them into categories, such as team sports, target sports, and athletics. Dynamic photography brings the subject to life, and works together with clear explanations and artworks to describe fields of play, equipment and clothing, teams and players, rules and tactics, key techniques, and common terms.,To put the sports into context, Total Sports, outlines the geographical range, history, and major competitions for each sport. Fact boxes highlight key information including star profiles, record-breakers, and top tens, as well as the weirdest facts, bizarrest moments, and sport's most colorful characters. The book breaks down into thematic chapters, each on group of related sports, such as racket sports, combat sports, and extreme sports.,A special section on the Olympic and Paralympic Games, looks at their history, from the early Greek games right up to the present day. All 33 Olympic sports are clearly identified and explained on the spreads, making, Sports, the must-have title in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.,Contents,1-7 Prelims/introduction,8 Athletics: Sprints, Javelin, Triathlon,18 Gymnastics: Rings, Vault, Trampolining,26 Team sports: Football, PesapÃ¤llo, Hurling,38 Racket sports: Tennis, Badminton, Jianzi,46 Combat sports: Wrestling, Fencing, Judo,54 Water sports: Rowing, Surfing, Diving,66 Winter sports: Ski jumping, Luge, Figure skating,78 Target sports: Golf, Archery, Snooker,90 Sports on wheels: BMX, Track cycling, Skateboarding,96 Motor sports: Formula One, Rallying, Powerboat racing,108 Animal sports: Show jumping, Rodeo, Polo,116 Extreme sports: Parkour, Skydiving, Whitewater rafting,126 Olympic games,134 Paralympic games,140 Contacts,142 Index,144 Acknowledgments
Total Sports