SportsinGreatBritain

MostpeopleinGreatBritainarerealsport-lovers. Eveniftheydon'tgoinforsport, theyliketotalkaboutit. Perhaps, youdidn'tknow, butmanykindsofsporthavetakentheorigininGreatBritain. Cricket, football, rugby, tennis, tabletennis, badminton, squash, canoeingwereinventedinBritain.

Britain'snationalsportisfootballorsoccer. Itwasplayedthereasfarbackasmedievaltimes. Nowadaysithasbecomethemostpopulargameallovertheworld. ThereisnonationalfootballteaminGreatBritain. England, Scotland, WalesandNorthernIrelandhavetheirseparatefootballclubs, whichcompeteinEuropeanandWorldCupmatches.

Englishfootballfansarefondofmostexcitinggameswhichareheldbetweenteamsfromthesamecity. Forexample, betweenManchesterUnitedandManchesterCity, ArsenalandChelseafromLondon.

Thereareplentyofamateurassociationfootballclubs. Manyschoolsformtheirownfootballteams, offeringstudentsanopportunityofenteringprestigiousuniversitiesaccordingtotheirsportachievements.

Thereis a certaintypeoffootballcalledrugby. ThegameiscalledsobecauseitwasoriginatedatRugby – a well-knownEnglishpublicschool. Aswellascommonfootballitis a gameplayedbytwoteamsoffifteenplayerseach. Thegametakesplaceon a field 100 metreslongand 80 metreswide. Therearegoalpostsatbothendsofthefield. Rugbyisplayedwithanovaloregg-shapedballwhichcanbecarriedbyhandsandkicked. Theballispassedfromhandtohandinordertobethrownacrossthegoalline. Itis a ratherviolentgame, thatiswhytheplayersmustbebigandstrong. Anotherrequirementfortheplayersistowearhelmets, masksandchestandshoulderpadding.

Cricketis a popularsummersportinBritain. Therulesofcricketwereinventedinthe 18th century. Therearemanycricketclubsinthecountry. Cricketplayerswear a certainuniform – whiteboots, a white T-shirtandwhitetrousers. Onecricketgametakes a terriblylongtime. Therearetwoteamsofelevenplayerseachandtestmatchesbetweennationalteamscanlastuptofivedays. Thespectatorshavetobeverypatient. Thegameisplayedon a pitchwith a wicketateachend. Therulesofthegamehavechangedovertheyears. Itis a game, whichisassociatedwithlongsunnysummerafternoons, thesmellofnew-mowngrassandthesoundofleatherballbeatingthewillowcricketbat. Cricketismorepopularamongmen, butwomenandgirlsalsoplayit.

TennisisanotherfavouritesportoftheEnglishmen. PeopleallovertheworldknowWimbledon, whichisthecenteroflawntennis. Itistheoldesttennistournamentintheworldconsideredbymanypeopletobethemostprestigious. IttakesplaceovertwoweeksinlateJuneandearlyJuly. Wimbledonisknownforitstraditions – strictwhitedresscodeforcompetitors, theabsenceofsponsoradvertisingaroundthecourtsandsomeothers. Everytennisplayerdreamsoftakingpartatthistournament.

Golfis a gameofbusinesscommunity. InGreatBritainitisverycommontoestablishgoodbusinessrelationsplayinggolf. Theequipmentforthisgameisquiteexpensiveaswellastheentranceto a prestigiousgolfclub, sonoteveryonecanaffordit. Golfis a ballandgolfstickgameplayedon a naturalfield. Inthisgameonehastoknock a ballinto a hole.

Englishmenlikeallkindsofracing. Horse-racing, motor-carracing, boat-racing, dog-racing, donkey-racingareverypopularinEngland. ThemostfamousboatraceinEnglandisbetweenOxfordandCambridge. Itfirststartedin 1820 andhasbeenheldalmosteveryspringsince 1836. A lotofpeoplecometowatchit.

TheBritishalsoliketoplaybaseball, basketball, volleyball, hockey, grass-hockey. Variousformsofathletics, suchasrunning, jumping, swimming, boxingarealsopopular. YoucansometimeshearthattherearenowintersportsinEngland. OfcoursetheEnglishweatherisnotalwayscoldenoughtoski, skate, ortoboggan, butwinteris a goodseasonforhuntingandfishing. Indeed, sportinoneformoranotherisanessentialpartofdailylifeinBritain.

Date: 2015-04-20; view: 1072