Ball sports

Soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and tennis each have distinct emoji, and are commonly used to indicate which sport a message or post is about at a glance.

Winning and achievement emoji

Trophy, medals in gold, silver, and bronze, and the checkered flag are used both for literal sports wins and more broadly for any kind of achievement or milestone.

Winter sports

Skis, a skater, and a snowboarder cover winter sports specifically, and are useful for distinguishing seasonal content from general sports posts.

Fitness vs. competitive sports

Emoji like flexed biceps or a person running lean more toward general fitness and training, while ball and medal emoji lean more toward organized, competitive sports — worth choosing based on which angle a post is taking.