1900 Olympic Obstacle Swim

The weirdest Olympic sports

Chapter 1

The dawn of eccentric athletics

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Chapter 2

When animals joined the games

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Chapter 3

The battle of minds and arts

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Chapter 4

Water and wheels on the fringe

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YOUR GOAL

Master of The weirdest Olympic sports

Ch 1 · The dawn of eccentric athletics

dave Climbing to the top without a wall

dave 1900 Olympic Obstacle Swim

Climb over the boats and dive down deep, An elegant statue is ours to keep.

dave Juggling heavy clubs for Olympic gold

Juggling heavy clubs for Olympic gold

dave Club swinging challenged athletes to twirl heavy wooden clubs in complex patterns for Olympic medals.

Climbing to the top without a wall

dave Rope climbing tested gymnasts' speed and form in four Olympic Games between 1896 and 1932.

Oddball Olympiad

BETA

dave Match bizarre equipment to its event to discover the weirdest sports in Olympic history.

Fun Fact

Olympic tug of war: In 1900, a combined team of Danish and Swedish athletes won gold because they did not have enough players individually.

Glossary

tug-of-war (noun)
An athletic contest in which two teams pull at opposite ends of a rope. The sport debuted at the 1900 Paris Games, where a mixed Swedish and Danish team won gold.

Gossip

Should the Olympics bring back schoolyard games like tug of war?

Quiz

Which of these childhood playground games was an official Olympic sport from 1900 to 1920?

dave The high jump without a running start

Quiz

In early Olympic tug of war, how were teams allowed to be composed?

dave The schoolyard game turned Olympic battle

Quiz

Who won eight individual gold medals in standing jump events after overcoming childhood polio?

Quiz

What did athletes swing during a specific gymnastics event in 1904 and 1932?

Quiz

Which Olympic Games hosted the final official standing high jump competition?

Quiz

Modern rhythmic gymnastics evolved in part from which early eccentric Olympic event?

Quiz

In the 1896 Olympic rope climbing event, how was the winner originally decided?

Quiz

What was the maximum height of the rope used in the 1896 Olympic rope climbing event?