People of the Olympics
The Olympic Games is a huge event involving thousands of athletes representing their countries as competitors in dozens of sports. They come as members of their national teams, along with trainers, coaches, managers, agents and sponsors.
The Games also involve thousands of other people such as Olympic officials and support staff who organize the events and prepare the venues. Referees and umpires make sure the rules of each sport are followed, and judges score the performances in many events.
Media commentators and reporters bring the Games to the rest of the world through TV, newspapers, and the internet.
There are hundreds of thousands of spectators and fans who come from all over the world to watch the Games and support and cheer on their country's athletes.
And then there are the billions around the world who watch the Olympic Games on TV, making the Games one of the few events shared and followed by nearly all the people of the world, and one of the few events that can bring us together and make us all feel part of the one huge human family.
| word | example sentence | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| agent | Most top athletes have agents who look after their business affairs. | a person who negotiates contracts, salaries, etc. on behalf of athletes, actors, writers, etc. |
| cheer on | She cheered her team on so much that she lost her voice. | to shout encouragement to a team or a player |
| coach | A coach's job often includes making tactical decisions during a game. | a person who trains and directs an athlete or a sports team |
| competitor | In Athens in 2004, over 10,500 competitors represented 201 countries. | a person who takes part in a competition or a sporting contest |
| fan | A football fan will go to watch his team play, even if it's cold, windy and raining. | a person who adores and supports a particular sport, team or player |
| judge | All the judges gave the Japanese gymnast the highest score for his performance. | a person who rates the quality of a sporting performance, usually by awarding points |
| manager | A good manager knows how to get the best out of the players and the team. | a person in charge of a sports team |
| media commentators | Media commentators should know a lot about the sports they cover. | people who watch events and describe them for radio or TV audiences |
| Olympic official | Olympic officials decide where the Olympic Games will be held. | a person who helps to run the Olympic Games or the IOC |
| organize | It takes a huge amount of work to organize a major sporting event. | to plan for and carry out the running of an event |
| performance | The Cuban boxers usually give good performances and win many medals. | a public demonstration of a skill, such as acting, dancing, playing music or playing sports |
| prepare | Athletes spend months in training to prepare themselves for the Olympics. | to get ready; to get something ready for use |
| referee | Referees make many decisions, and they sometimes get one wrong. | a sports official with the authority to make rulings during a contest |
| reporter | Reporters should try to give fair and balanced accounts of the events. | person who prepares a written or filmed report on events |
| represent | The dream of most athletes is to represent their country at the Olympic Games. | to act on behalf of, or as a delegate for, a person, a family, a country, etc. |
| rules | Some rules are difficult to understand, such as the off-side rule in soccer. | laws or regulations that tell how a game or sport is played |
| score | The final score at the end of the game was 3 goals to 2. | the number of points a competitor or team earns during a game or a match |
| spectator | The ball went into the crowd and one of the spectators caught it. | a person who watches an event |
| sponsor | The logo of a company that sponsors a football team is printed on the team's shirt. | a company that pays an athlete or team to promote its products |
| support | He was a Liverpool fan when he was young, and he still supports them today. | to follow and be loyal to something such as a sports team or a political party |
| support staff | Thousands of support staff work day and night to take care of athletes, officials, spectators and venues. | the workers who take care of day-to-day jobs such as cleaning, driving, cooking, etc. |
| trainer | Athletes need good trainers to help them improve their performances. | a person who helps athletes develop their skills and fitness |
| umpire | In hockey and softball they are called umpires, but in football and boxing they are called referees. | a sports official with the authority to make rulings during a contest |
| venue | The swimming venue has a 100-metre pool for swimming events as well as a diving pool. | the place where an event or a performance is held, like a stadiumor a hall |