Sports for grades 5–6: questions with answers
The Sports questions for grades 5–6 from the game, with the correct answers and an explanation for each.
How long is an Olympic swimming pool?
- 25 m
- 50 m
- 75 m
- 100 m
Correct answer: 50 m — Olympic pools are 50 m long with at least eight lanes; 25 m pools are used for 'short course' championships.
How many players does a rugby union team have on the field?
- 11
- 13
- 15
- 18
Correct answer: 15 — Fifteen a side: eight forwards and seven backs. Rugby league, a separate code, is played with thirteen.
Including the goaltender, how many ice hockey players does one side have on the ice?
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Correct answer: 6 — Six per side: a goaltender, two defenders and three forwards, with players changing on the fly during play.
In which city were the first modern Olympic Games held in 1896?
- Athens
- Paris
- London
- Rome
Correct answer: Athens — Fourteen nations and about 240 athletes took part in Athens 1896, all of them men; the Games were revived by Pierre de Coubertin.
What does the Olympic motto 'Citius, Altius, Fortius' mean?
- Bigger, Better, Bolder
- Courage, Honour, Glory
- Faster, Higher, Stronger
- Peace, Friendship, Sport
Correct answer: Faster, Higher, Stronger — The Latin motto was proposed by Coubertin in 1894; in 2021 the IOC added the word Communiter, meaning 'together'.
A cricket team fields how many players?
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 15
Correct answer: 11 — Eleven a side, like football; a match is played in innings, and a Test match can last up to five days.
How many innings are there in a standard baseball game?
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 9
Correct answer: 9 — Nine innings, each with both teams batting; if the score is tied, extra innings are played until there is a winner.
How many events make up the decathlon in athletics?
- 5
- 7
- 10
- 12
Correct answer: 10 — Ten events over two days, from the 100 m to the 1500 m; the women's equivalent is the seven-event heptathlon.
Against which team did Maradona score the 'Hand of God' goal in 1986?
- Brazil
- England
- Italy
- West Germany
Correct answer: England — Minutes after the handball goal in the quarter-final in Mexico City, Maradona dribbled past five players to score the 'Goal of the Century'.
Which country won the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
- Croatia
- Germany
- Spain
- France
Correct answer: France — France beat Croatia 4-2 in the final in Moscow, twenty years after its first title on home soil in 1998.
Which country is Usain Bolt from?
- Jamaica
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Bahamas
- United States
Correct answer: Jamaica — Jamaica, an island of under three million people, has produced many of the world's best sprinters, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
What is the first name of Serena Williams's sister, also a Wimbledon champion?
- Vanessa
- Venus
- Vera
- Viola
Correct answer: Venus — Venus, the elder sister, won Wimbledon five times; the sisters met in nine Grand Slam finals and won fourteen doubles titles together.
What was Muhammad Ali's name at birth?
- Joe Frazier
- Sonny Liston
- Floyd Patterson
- Cassius Clay
Correct answer: Cassius Clay — He changed his name in 1964 after joining the Nation of Islam, shortly after taking the world heavyweight title from Sonny Liston.
For which NBA team did Michael Jordan win six championships?
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Boston Celtics
- Chicago Bulls
- New York Knicks
Correct answer: Chicago Bulls — The Bulls won two 'three-peats' with Jordan, in 1991-93 and 1996-98, coached by Phil Jackson.
How many players does each team have in beach volleyball?
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 6
Correct answer: 2 — Two per side on sand, with no substitutions; the sport joined the Olympics at Atlanta in 1996.
In which country were the modern rules of football first written down, in 1863?
- Brazil
- Germany
- England
- Italy
Correct answer: England — The Football Association was founded in a London tavern in 1863, separating football from rugby by banning carrying the ball.
In which sport did Nadia Comăneci score the first perfect 10 at the Olympics?
- figure skating
- gymnastics
- diving
- synchronised swimming
Correct answer: gymnastics — She was 14 when she scored the first 10 on the uneven bars at Montreal 1976; the scoreboard could only display 1.00.
Which city hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics?
- Athens
- Beijing
- Rio de Janeiro
- London
Correct answer: London — London hosted the Summer Games in 1908, 1948 and 2012 — the first city to do so three times; Paris matched it in 2024.
On which surface is the French Open at Roland Garros played?
- clay
- grass
- hard court
- carpet
Correct answer: clay — It is the only Grand Slam on clay; Rafael Nadal won the title a record fourteen times between 2005 and 2022.
Which chess piece can jump over other pieces?
- bishop
- knight
- rook
- queen
Correct answer: knight — The knight moves in an L-shape and is the only piece that can leap over others; it is also the only piece that can move on the first turn besides the pawns.