weird olympic sports that no longer exist

But for the time being, it's fair to say that there are some definite shortcomings for these nine events, even though it sure would be fun to see them one last time. Take a guess what this means — I bet you you’re wrong. What on Earth is solo synchronized swimming? These cookies do not store any personal information. Diving is a popular Olympic sport, but what if you just let yourself sink after hitting the water, keeping your arms and legs still? The competition was essentially a series of boat races that were riddled with problems from weather conditions and mud to one competitor leaving the race mid way through. This is essentially a diving competition, but it’s not judged on any skilled athletic movements above the water, rather how far your log of a body will take you. Tug O’ War. Yes, pistol dueling was an Olympic sport. In 1908, Popular Mechanics reported that duelers would protect their pistol arms with a heavy guard, and keep their faces behind plate glass. After 1908, Americans took notice and turned pistol dueling into a public sport. Today, artists can still submit their work to the Olympic cultural programme, but there's no official competition. Needless to say, as far as guns are concerned, old-fashioned dueling pistols are a thing of the past, replaced by far more destructive and harrowing weapons. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. You can thank Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the IOC, for that one. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Dueling Pistols. Here are nine prime examples of some long-forgotten Olympic sports that you may never see again. Introduced at the Olympic games in Paris in 1900, Great Britain collected a record 5 med… The sport  was reportedly considered for re-inclusion in 2012, but it didn’t end up happening. While fencing is done with foils, rapiers, and sabers, singlestick was like broadsword fighting with a blunt object. After all, the idea of gunning down pigeons in an internationally televised event is more than a little grisly. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. And what a wild first few decades it was. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Account active Perhaps if we held an entire Horse Olympics, where we award horses medals for how far they can jump, how fast they can run, and overall how pretty of a pony they are then this would have some potential. I think I just heard all the horse-owning Deborahs around the world sigh in euphoric unison at the idea. It’s not as graceful as regular ballet, but still super fun to watch. Packed arena, fierce struggle, no throat that does not stop screaming. This is a definite weird entry, because it's not really about the athleticism of the rider as much as the steed, and the Olympics are traditionally pretty human-oriented. By clicking ‘Sign up’, you agree to receive marketing emails from Business Insider Safe to say, it was short lived. From 1984 through 1992, the Summer Olympic Games featured solo and duet competitions, but they were both dropped in 1996 in favor of team competition — no real mystery as to why. If humans can long jump, why not horses? This is essentially what every person who has ever had a bad day and owns a swimming pool does in full theatrics: jump in, sink to the bottom, don’t move, contemplate life, pop back up. For some of these, it'll be pretty obvious why they're not played anymore. This might not have seemed as strange at the time, but by today's standards, a game as leisurely and austere as croquet being played in the Olympics might raise an eyebrow. But it's worth remembering that the modern Olympic games are in so many ways different from those in decades past. I mean, this one is pretty self-explanatory. The competition was essentially a series of boat races that were riddled with problems from weather conditions and mud to one competitor leaving the race mid way through. Ah yes, the sport that tests how far a horse can jump at a competition meant to display human athleticism — makes total sense. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images, the Olympic organizers opted for real, live pigeons, included in the 1094 Olympics in St. Louis, in 1904 it left its mark on Olympic history. Ski ballet appeared as a demonstration event in two Olympic Games: the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, and in the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Plunge diving was only around for the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, and the US was the only participating country. The question on everyone’s mind I’m sure: How can you be in sync with yourself? I think I just heard all the horse-owning Deborahs around the world sigh in euphoric unison at the idea. This is essentially what every person who has ever had a bad day and owns a swimming pool does in full theatrics: jump in, sink to the bottom, don’t move, contemplate life, pop back up. How few topariam bet your life on bloody competition in the “ring” were usually slaves, forced to fight for freedom - or, more com… A selection of our best stories daily based on your reading preferences. After 1908, Americans took notice and turned pistol dueling into a public sport. Ah yes, the sport that tests how far a horse can jump at a competition meant to display human athleticism — makes total sense. © COPYRIGHT 2020 The Tug-Of-War event was held at every Olympic Games for over two decades from 1900 to 1920. Who doesn’t want to win a gold medal while taking a trip down nostalgia lane? It could be interesting to see the packs of athletes in a gladiator-style event — at least this displays some level of actual strength. Target Practice: How the … Perhaps needless to say, this competition never made another Olympic appearance. Exposure is just as good as a medal, right? Subscriber It was reportedly considered for re-inclusion in 2012, but it didn't end up happening. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Yes, pistol dueling was an Olympic sport. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. You dive under the water, then see how far inertia can carry you through for a period of 60 seconds. The event, however, was just a demonstration — an event meant to promote the Olympics, rather than be officially incorporated as a sport. Although the Olympic games have ancient roots in Greece, the modern Olympic Games started in 1896 in Athens. You may have heard of clay pigeon shooting, which is a decidedly more humane and bloodless version of what went down at the 1900 Olympics. So, in the spirit, here are nine weird Olympic sports that don't even exist anymore, lost to the sands of time. Canada took home gold and bronze, while the US took home the silver medal. That would be plunging. And, if I’m being honest, of all the ones on the list this is the one I would be least offended if it had a resurgence. Yes, you read that correctly — solo synchronized swimming; the kind of oxymoronic idea that sounds great after a few bottles of wine. But it was only in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp that it got its own modern Olympic event, and even then. Actually, this sounds like it SHOULD be in the Olympics! In simple terms, it's an American variant of croquet ― you'll note the name is simply "croquet" wth the "c" and "t" dropped ― played on a hard, flat court, rather than on grass. (Depth was measured 60 seconds after your head hit water.). Sign up for Insider Select. BY GLORY MEDIA. Apparently the event was so named under the claim that athletes were to be “in sync with the music.” Yeah ok. Perhaps Water Ballet would have been a better name. No, they didn’t use real bullets — they were made of wax. It was never played at the Olympic level again. According to the American Vaulting Association, horse vaulting — a sport in which riders do pirouettes, handstands, and all sorts of other acrobatic feats on top of a horse’s back — has been around since the Roman games. New York Times wrote ill of the sport in 1930, , recounting that “the stylish-stout chaps who go in for this strenuous event merely throw themselves heavily into the water and float along like icebergs in the ship lanes.”, “He was raised and educated classically, and he was particularly impressed with the idea of what it meant to be a true Olympian — someone who was not only athletic, but skilled in music and literature,” Richard Stanton, author of, Today, artists can still submit their work to the. Participants would dive into the pool and without using movements of any kind, they would sink — sorry, “glide” — face down for one minute before surfacing. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Pistol duels debuted in the 1908 London Olympics, and great precautions were taken. No, they didn’t use real bullets — they were … Plunge diving was only around for the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, and the US was the only participating country. And, if I’m being honest, of all the ones on the list this is the one I would be least offended if it had a resurgence. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. How precisely does one plunge for distance? as well as other partner offers and accept our. Rather than make due with lifeless facsimiles, the Olympic organizers opted for real, live pigeons, and hundreds were reportedly slain. Spoiler: The event received criticism for its lack of athleticism and was discontinued. It could be interesting to see the packs of athletes in a gladiator-style event — at least this displays some level of actual strength. Wait, you might ask, how can this be? Cuba took home gold. Of course, there's no telling what current Olympic events might get supplanted or banished in the years to come, and how strange they might sound to someone looking back with more than a century of hindsight. Equestrian long jumping reportedly took place at the 1900 Olympics, and never again. One day Deb, one day. A similar game called cudgeling used to be played wielding two clubs (one in each hand), but it was never made into an Olympic sport. That was the only horse vaulting competition in Olympic history. Now this is an odd one. over any other factor, it was quickly criticized for the lack of skill it required. Whoever had the longest “plunge” won. No shame if you haven't heard of it, but in 1904 it left its mark on Olympic history. Well, since the Olympics are postponed until next year, and with new additions like breakdancing being added to the 2024 games in Paris, it got us thinking of the sports of Olympics past. The IOC held art competitions in which artists, writers, designers, musicians and more could submit their work for consideration.

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