The Olympic Games have long been the ultimate test of personal and physical endurance, heroism, skill, sportsmanship, and commitment to excellence. An integral part of the difficult journey to becoming an Olympian are the many singular moments of courage, hope and struggle in the face of all odds.

For the basketball enthusiast, this book is a must-have. The action-packed text will keep even reluctant readers engrossed as they learn how basketball went from being an American sport played with a soccer ball and peach baskets to being the international sensation it is today.

In just 100 years, the Olympics have generated hundreds of exciting stories of triumph and success. The history of Olympic gymnastics is a source of great inspiration for young athletes.

Graceful figure skating performances and lightning-fast speed skating competitions have provided some of the most memorable and moving moments in Olympic history - from the innovative performances of skating's first superstar Sonja Henie in the 1920s to the amazing comeback of pairs skaters Zhang and Zhang at the 2006 games.

In this book readers learn about the history of swimming and diving and their inclusion as competitive sports in the early Olympic Games. The book highlights some of the greatest performances by gifted athletes throughout the history of Olympic swimming and diving.

This book begins with the origin of the Olympic games in Greece and moves on to the many memorable moments in Olympic track and field events. Highlighted are the Olympic track and field greats: Babe Didrikson, Jesse Owens, Wilma Rudolph, and Bob Beamon.

Wrestling was part of the ancient Olympics in Greece and has been one of the most popular Olympic sports since the first modern Olympics in 1896. Women's wrestling first appeared in the 2004 Olympics.