The Olympics has hosted its fair proportion of quirky, wild occasions.
Dwell pigeon taking pictures or impediment course swimming, anybody?
Coincidentally, among the most curious sports activities to be given Olympic standing truly featured on the second-ever trendy video games in 1900 in Paris, the place the sporting spectacle returns this summer season.
Try our roundup of long-forgotten Olympic sports activities under.
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DIMITAR DILKOFF through Getty Pictures
Dwell Pigeon Capturing
In what would have been an animal rights activist’s worst nightmare, nearly 300 birds have been reportedly killed when the dwell pigeon taking pictures occasion made its solely Olympic look on the Paris Video games in 1900. Clay targets mercifully changed the dwell birds in future Olympics.
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Ashley Cooper through Getty Pictures
Swimming Impediment Course
Paris’ River Seine hosted the 200-meter impediment swimming race on the 1900 Video games. Opponents needed to climb over a pole and a row of boats earlier than swimming beneath one other row of vessels.
The Seine is ready to host the opening ceremony, marathon swimming and swimming factor of the triathlon occasion on the 2024 Video games. Amid considerations about water high quality, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo truly took a dip within the water earlier this month.
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JOEL SAGET through Getty Pictures
Tug Of Warfare
The Tug of Warfare was a staple Olympic occasion from Paris 1900 to Antwerp 1920, with the 1916 Video games canceled attributable to World Warfare I.
Groups of eight had 5 minutes to drag their opponents six ft over a line.
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Topical Press Company through Getty Pictures
Lengthy Leap For Horses
Paris 1900 additionally hosted the lengthy leap for horses for the one time on the summer season video games with Belgian rider Fixed van Langendonck’s horse Additional Dry leaping 6.10-meters.Open Picture Modal
ARCHIVES CNOSF through Getty Pictures
Excessive Leap For Horses
The horse excessive leap additionally made its sole look at Paris 1900.
France’s Dominique Garderes on Canela and Italy’s Gian Giorgio Trissino on Oreste took joint first place after their horses leaped 1.85 meters into the air over a horizontal pole.
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Sue Blackeagle / 500px through Getty Pictures
Plunge For Distance
Some 120 years later, America’s William Dickey stays the reigning Olympic champion in plunge for distance. Dickey took gold on the 1904 Video games in St. Louis, Missouri, by gliding under the floor for a actually breath-taking 62 ft and 6 inches. The occasion was later scrapped from the Olympic roster.
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Stanislaw Pytel through Getty Pictures
Croquet
Croquet made historical past with its solely look at Paris 1900 by being the primary occasion involving ladies, though they competed towards males.
France romped residence with gold in all 4 classes.
Just one spectator confirmed up, although.
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PixelCatchers through Getty Pictures
Rope Climbing
The occasion ran at 5 Olympics, from 1896 to 1932, and noticed athletes clambering up 49-feet after which 25-feet lengths of rope.
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Standing Excessive Leap
America’s Ray Ewry (pictured under) was the grasp of the self-discipline that featured at each Olympics from 1900 to 1912. Ewry gained gold on the 1900, 1904 and 1908 video games.
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Topical Press Company through Getty Pictures
Underwater Swimming
Underwater swimming made its solely look at Paris 1900.
Opponents swam under the floor of the River Seine for as much as 60 meters, gaining factors for every meter lined and each second submerged.
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Mike Hewitt through Getty Pictures
This story has been up to date from this unique story in 2016.
