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Shooting pigeons - Women competed for the first time in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris and a sport was also performed which consisted of shooting down as many pigeons as possible.
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Trampoline jumping - The trampoline, in artistic gymnastics events, debuted as a sport in 2000. Gymnasts perform precise and controlled somersaults to score points before the judges.
Women and men will look for a medal in the specialty.
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La Canne - This French martial art is like fencing but with a cane.
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Obstacle Swimming - As strange as this sport may sound, the obstacles swimmers had to overcome are even stranger.
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Marching - In this sport athletes try to run without actually running.
Marching has been an Olympic sport since 1904.
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Roller Hockey - If it were the 1970s and there was a puck ball, the sport might have thrived.
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Climbing the rope - Yes, the sport that is usually practiced in schools debuted in 1896 at the Olympics.
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Swinging "clubs" - This sport debuted in 1904. The athlete stood up holding a baton, like bowling pins, in each hand.
Then he turned them around him.
The more complex the routine, the more points he earned. Historians say that this discipline was the forerunner of rhythmic gymnastics.
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Shooting pigeons - Women competed for the first time in the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris and a sport was also performed which consisted of shooting down as many pigeons as possible.
(CNN) -
Basketball, track and field and swimming have been the flagship sports of the Olympics for decades, drawing the attention of thousands of spectators.
And what about individual synchronized swimming or shooting live pigeons?
Those are some of the strangest events that ever took place at the Olympics.
Here's a list of the 10 weirdest sports that have been to the Olympics:
Individual synchronized swim
Yes, this sport features a single swimmer synchronized with herself.
What?
It's true.
The sport debuted at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 with swimmer Tracie Ruiz, who took gold.
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As in team events, the swimmer performs a ballet-style routine in the water.
A very lonely ballet.
In the Tokyo Olympics there are the categories of duos and teams.
Individual synchronized swimming has been discontinued since 1992.
The swinging "clavas"
This sport debuted in 1904. The athlete stood up holding a baton, like bowling pins, in each hand.
Then he turned them around him.
The more complex the routine, the more points he earned.
Historians say that this discipline was the forerunner of rhythmic gymnastics.
In Tokyo we will sadly not see him, as he was only in the Games twice and ended in 1932.
Pull the rope
Pulling a rope was once a very competitive Olympic sport.
The teams had to pull a rope fighting against the opposing team and the one who won was the one who managed to pull it to pass a certain point.
Most of the athletes who practiced it were wrestlers.
The UK actually won the most medals at this event, historians claim.
The specialty lasted until 1920.
Will he be in Tokyo?
No, it was only until 1920.
Shoot the "pigeon"
The Paris Olympics are historic as women competed for the first time in some Games, but they also have the infamous mark of being the event where this sport debuted, which consisted of knocking down as many pigeons as possible.
About 300 birds died, historians say, leaving a mess of blood and feathers.
The winner shot down 21 pigeons.
Will we see it in Tokyo?
Of course not!.
The 1900 Games were the first and only to include this "sport."
Swimming with obstacles
As bizarre as this sport may sound, the obstacles swimmers had to overcome are even stranger.
During the 1900 Games, swimmers had to crawl over boats, swim under them, and climb a pole while swimming 200 meters in the Seine River in Paris.
Will he be in Tokyo?
No, but let's say that competitors have their own challenges when competing among the best.
Roller hockey
If it were the '70s and there was a disco ball, maybe the sport would have thrived.
This specialty was presented at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the game follows the same rules as ice hockey, but on roller skates.
Argentina took the gold.
Will it be played in Tokyo?
No, Barcelona was the only time it was practiced in the Olympic Games.
La Canne
Ok, think about fencing.
Now take away the sword and replace it with a staff.
Like the one used to help walk.
Well, that's how this French martial art is, which was an Olympic sport in 1924.
And in Tokyo?
Not!
This sport can no longer be seen in the Olympics, but you can watch the fencing events and imagine how cool it would look with wooden poles.
Climb the rope
Yes, the sport that is usually practiced in schools debuted in 1896 at the Olympics.
Climbers take the time to see how fast they can climb a braided rope.
Will we see it in Rio?
No, after 1932 he was eliminated from Olympic sports.
Trampoline
The trampoline, in artistic gymnastics events, debuted as a sport in 2000. Gymnasts perform precise and controlled somersaults to score points before the judges.
Women and men will look for a medal in the specialty.
Will he be in Tokyo?
Yes. The trampoline is, according to the Tokyo Games, one of the three disciplines of gymnastics, apart from artistic and rhythmic gymnastics.
Athletes reach heights of up to 8 meters and this is "one of the most fascinating spectacles of the Games."
March
In this sport, athletes try to run without actually running.
Marching has been an Olympic sport since 1904.
To ensure that athletes do not cheat, walkers must have one foot on the ground at all times.
Men compete in races of 20 kilometers and 50 kilometers, and women in 20 kilometers.
Will he be in Tokyo?
Yes, of course.
- Editor's Note: This note was initially published in 2016, but was updated for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
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