Athlete facts for kids

An athlete is a person who is very good at sports. They train hard and compete in different games or events. This word often makes us think of people who run fast, jump high, or throw far in sports like track and field.

What is an Athlete?

An athlete is someone who takes part in sports regularly. They often have strong bodies and minds, and they work hard to improve their skills.

Types of Athletes

• Athletics (Track and Field): Many people think of athletes as those who compete in "athletics." This includes exciting events like:
  • Running races (short sprints, long distances, cross-country)
  • Jumping (long jump, high jump)
  • Throwing (shot put, javelin)
  • Race walking
• Sportsperson: This is a wider term for anyone who plays a sport, whether they are professional or just play for fun. All athletes are sportspersons, but not all sportspersons are athletes in the very competitive sense.
• American Football: In American football, especially when colleges are looking for new players, the word "athlete" can mean a special kind of player. It describes someone who is very strong and skilled in many ways. This means they could play well in different positions on the team.

Famous Athletes and Awards

Some athletes become very famous for their amazing achievements. There are awards like the Athlete of the Year to celebrate the best athletes in a certain year or sport.

Other Meanings of "Athlete"

The word "athlete" can also be used in other ways:

• Athlete (band): This is the name of an English indie rock band. They released an album called Athlete.
• Athlete (film): This is a sports movie from 2010.
• ATHLETE (robot): This is a special robot called the All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer. NASA is working on this robot to explore the Moon.
• Athletes (moth): This is a type of moth that belongs to the Saturniinae family.
• The Athlete (film): This is another film from 2009.

Related pages

• Athletics (disambiguation)

Images for kids

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  Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Summer Olympics

• 

  Athletes taking part in a race on a snowy park in the U.S.

See also

In Spanish: Atleta para niños