             
             
Aquatics
Pairs (synchronised) diving made a new splash during the Sydney 2000
Games.
Although Water Polo was included in the Olympic Games as early as Paris 1900 women could only play it at the Olympics 100 years
later.
Dutch swimmer, Inge de
Bruijn won four medals (three individual gold and one relay silver) and set three
world records in Sydney.
Athletics
The women's pole vault and hammer throw first made their appearance at
the Olympics in Sydney.
After taking gold in Barcelona 1992
and Atlanta 1996, the Czech Republic's Jan Zelezny
became the only javelin thrower in Olympic history to win three gold medals; when he again
produced the longest throw in Sydney.
On 12th December, 2007 the Executive Board of the International
Olympic Committee disqualified Marion Jones from the five events in which she competed in
Sydney (100m - 1st place, 200m - 1st place, 4 x 400m relay -1st place, 4 x 100m relay
– 3rd place, and Long Jump - 3rd place), and from the event in which she took part in
Athens 2004 (Long Jump - 5th place). Jones had to
return her medals.
Badminton
After tasting the sweet flavour of success at Atlanta 1996, women's doubles Fei Ge
and Jun Gu,
from Chjina, completely destroyed their opposition once again in Sydney; outscoring their
four opponents 120-45.
Baseball
With his inspirational pitching, Ben Sheets
was instrumental in Team USA depriving Cuba of their third successive gold medal.
Boxing
Cuba's Félix Savon
boxed his way to a third successive gold medal; having already won the heavyweight divison
in Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta
1996. As the 1986 World Champion, he might have won gold in Seoul
1988 as well; had Cuba bothered to take part.
Football
Patrick
Mboma was influential in Cameroon's success in Sydney. The African Footballer of the
Year also went on to help his country win the African Nations Cup,
in 2002.
Gymnastics
Open to both men and women, the trampoline discipline first became a
medal event in Sydney 2000, with Russia taking home both gold medals; Alexander
Moskalenko and Irina Karavaeva the winners.
Hockey
Rechelle
Hawkes, who captained the Hockeyroos for eight years, won her third gold medal in
front of the home crowd.
Judo
France's David
Douillet became the first judoka to win three medals in judo's heavyweight category;
with a gold in Sydney to complement his bronze in Barcelona
1992 and gold at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Modern Pentathlon
Women pentathletes made their first appearance at the Olympic Games.
Rowing
Sir Steven
Redgrave, of Great Britain, became the only rower to win gold medals in five
consecutive Olympics.
Sailing
The 49er double-handed high performance dinghy appears at the Olympic
Games for the first time.
Taekwondo
Having previously appeared as a demonstration sport, Taekwondo is
finally available for Olympic medals.
Although there were eight weight categories (four for men and four for
women), Korea was limited to only four total entrants. Three of them won gold medals and
the fourth won silver.
Triathlon
Canada's Simon
Whitfield won the first Olympic men's triathlon while Brigitte McMahon of Switzerland
came home first (a day before him) in the women's event.
Weightlifting
Women's weightlifting first appeared at the Olympic Games.
Aquatics, Archery, Athletics,
Badminton, Baseball,
Basketball, Boxing,
Canoe, Cycling,
Equestrian, Fencing,
Football, Gymnastics,
Handball, Hockey,
Judo, Modern
Pentathlon, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting,
Softball, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis,
Triathlon, Volleyball, Weightlifting, Wrestling.
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