The Summer Olympics have a long and storied history. The Ancient Games looked a lot different than what we see today of course, with chariot races and whatnot.
But did you know that the Modern Games, which began in 1896, have undergone major changes over the years as well?
Here’s a list of some obscure sports that should be brought back.
1. Tug of war
Tug of War was contested in the Olympics from Paris 1900 to Antwerp 1920. ? #TriviaTuesdayhttps://t.co/7A77L7LHsA
— Olympics (@Olympics) March 22, 2016
Yes, tug of war was an Olympic sport!
That game you played in elementary school was actually in the Olympic Games from 1900 to 1920. Bring it back, we’d watch.
2. Underwater swimming
One of the cool things about looking back at these old Olympic sports is that many of them are still being played.
That includes underwater swimming, which was part of the 1900 Olympics.
What struck me most about underwater swimming was how fast it is. The swimmers wear fins, which makes them cut through the water at remarkably high speeds.
3. Tandem biking
If you can have double luge in the Winter Olympics, why not tandem biking in the Summer Games?
Not only does tandem biking look far funnier than single rider cycling, they go faster too.
Tandem biking was in 13 Olympic Games from 1908 to 1972.
4. Basque pelota
If you’ve never heard of Basque pelota, imagine racket ball or squash, but on steroids.
It actually looks like a heck of a lot of fun.
It was around as an official Olympic sport in 1900, and only two countries (Spain and France) competed in it. Guess the IOC was a little more loose on the expectation that each sport must be played globally back then.
Basque pelota was also brought back as a demonstration sport on three occasions, most recently in 1992 in Barcelona.
5. Croquet
Croquet, really? Yes.
Check out the skills the best croquet players in the world have…
Croquet was in the 1900 Olympics, and then swapped out in favour of a sport known as roque in 1904. Roque is like croquet, but played on a hard, smooth surface.
Only one country competed in roque at the St. Louis Olympics in 1904, the host Americans. Good way to pad your medal count I guess.
6. Plunge for distance
The plunge for distance involves diving into a pool and gliding, while remaining completely motionless.
It’s as exciting as it sounds.
It’s essentially long jump for divers, with the total distance calculated after gliding for 60 seconds of when the diver’s head breaks the surface.
The sport was a one-and-done Olympic event, having its time in the spotlight in 1904.
7. Obstacle race swimming
Obstacle race swimming was part of the Olympics in 1900.
It was a 200 metre race that involved:
- climbing over a pole
- climbing over a row of boats
- swimming under a row of boats
Here’s what a more modern version of the event looks like:
This competition was also done in a river, which meant competitors had to contend with river currents. Now that’s a spectator sport.