This list covers 26 sports that start with the letter H, ranging alphabetically from “Handball” to “Halfpipe”. They span team games, track and field events, water sports, and extreme mountain pursuits. People play, watch, or compete in these sports for fitness, entertainment, and the thrill of competition.
Sports are organized physical activities with rules, goals, and often a competitive element between individuals or teams. Some, like hurling and Highland Games, carry centuries of cultural and regional history behind them. Others, like heli-skiing and high diving, push the limits of speed, height, and nerve.
Below you’ll find the table with each sport and its description.
Sport: the name of each sport on this list, giving you a quick way to scan and find the one you’re looking for.
Description: a short explanation of how each sport works and what makes it distinct, so you know what to expect before digging deeper.
Sports
| Sport |
|---|
| Handball |
| Hang Gliding |
| Hapkido |
| Harness Racing |
| Heptathlon |
| Highland Games |
| High Jump |
| Hiking |
| Field Hockey |
| Horse Racing |
| Horseshoes |
| Equestrian (Horseback Riding) |
| Hot Air Ballooning |
| Hunting |
| Hurdling |
| Hurling |
| Hydroplane Racing |
| Hammer Throw |
| Handcycling |
| Hacky Sack (Footbag) |
| Heli-Skiing |
| High Diving |
| Hill Climbing |
| Horseball |
| Half Marathon |
| Halfpipe |
Descriptions
Handball
A fast-paced team sport where players throw a ball with their hands, trying to score by getting it into the opposing team’s goal, similar in flow to soccer.
Hang Gliding
An air sport in which a pilot flies a light, unpowered, foot-launched aircraft called a hang glider, using rising air currents to stay aloft.
Hapkido
A dynamic Korean martial art and combat sport that blends kicks, strikes, joint locks, and throws, often practiced for both self-defense and competition.
Harness Racing
A form of horse racing in which the horse pulls a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, with a driver, at a trot or pace rather than a gallop.
Heptathlon
A combined athletics event for women consisting of seven track and field disciplines completed over two days, testing all-around speed, strength, and endurance.
Highland Games
A traditional Scottish athletic competition featuring events like the caber toss, hammer throw, and stone put, alongside music and dance.
High Jump
A track and field event in which athletes sprint, then leap over a raised horizontal bar without knocking it down, landing on a cushioned mat.
Hiking
An outdoor activity involving long walks, often on trails or in the wilderness, that can range from casual strolls to competitive endurance treks.
Field Hockey
A team sport played with curved sticks and a small hard ball, where players try to hit the ball into the opposing team’s goal.
Horse Racing
A sport in which jockeys ride horses at speed around a track, competing to cross the finish line first, often tied to betting culture.
Horseshoes
A lawn game where players toss metal horseshoes at a stake in the ground, scoring points for ringers and close throws.
Equestrian (Horseback Riding)
A sport encompassing disciplines like show jumping, dressage, and eventing, in which riders and horses perform together with skill and precision.
Hot Air Ballooning
A sport and recreational activity involving flying in a basket suspended beneath a large fabric envelope filled with heated air, sometimes flown competitively.
Hunting
An outdoor pursuit involving tracking and taking wild game, practiced both as a traditional food-gathering activity and as a regulated competitive sport.
Hurdling
A track and field sprint event in which runners must clear a series of evenly spaced barriers while racing toward the finish line.
Hurling
A fast, ancient Irish team sport played with a wooden stick called a hurley and a small ball, combining elements of hockey and lacrosse.
Hydroplane Racing
A motorsport in which lightweight boats designed to skim across the water’s surface at high speed race one another on open water courses.
Hammer Throw
A track and field throwing event in which athletes spin and release a heavy metal ball attached to a wire and handle for maximum distance.
Handcycling
A cycling sport for athletes who use a hand-powered bicycle instead of pedals, popular in both recreational riding and Paralympic competition.
Hacky Sack (Footbag)
A casual sport in which players use their feet, knees, and body to keep a small beanbag-like ball off the ground, often in a circle.
Heli-Skiing
An extreme winter sport in which skiers and snowboarders are transported by helicopter to remote, ungroomed mountain terrain for backcountry descents.
High Diving
An extreme aquatic sport in which competitors dive from great heights, often 20 meters or more, into a pool or open water below.
Hill Climbing
A motorsport discipline in which drivers race individually against the clock up a winding uphill road or dirt course.
Horseball
A team sport played on horseback that combines elements of rugby, basketball, and polo, with players passing a ball with handles between mounted riders.
Half Marathon
A long-distance running race covering 13.1 miles (21.1 km), popular among both competitive runners and recreational fitness enthusiasts.
Halfpipe
A snowboarding and freestyle skiing event held in a U-shaped, snow-covered course where athletes perform aerial tricks off each wall.