Despite the clear risks involved in sports like pole vaulting, javelin or boxing, surprisingly few deaths have occurred at the Summer Olympic Games. In fact, there are just three recorded deaths of athletes during past tournaments – two in cycling events and one during a marathon.
Injuries are frequent, however. At the end of the 2008 Olympics, over 1,000 injuries had been reported. The events associated with the most injuries were football, taekwondo, and hockey.
Read more about athletic science:
