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The Olympics is the biggest and best sporting event in the world. It has showcased, and continues to showcase, a range of events. In this article I will countdown some of the weirdest events that have ever graced the Olympic Games...

The Top Five Weirdest Olympic Events

by Barney (Senior Writer)

82

52038 reads

Rankings/List

August 18, 2008


The Olympics is the biggest and best sporting event in the world. It has showcased, and continues to showcase, a range of events. In this article I will countdown some of the weirdest events that have ever graced the Olympic Games.

 

5. 3000m Steeplechase (1896 - present)

To me, this event just looks random. It seems that someone was short of Olympic events so took the 3,000 metres and threw a hurdle every 200m or so! To add to that, they put water behind one of the barriers!

I wonder if anyone grows up and says "I want to be a 3000m steeplechaser when I'm older." Somehow I doubt it. What was wrong with the normal 3000m?

 

4. Motor Boating (1908)

Unsurprisingly this event didn't make it past one Olympic appearance. London were the hosts for this shambles of an event, where people simply raced a motor boat against others. No athletic ability was needed.

While you may not think this sounds too bad, remember, this was in 1908, when they thought going too fast would cause your head to explode. The boats therefore never got over 20 mph.

 

3. Horse Long Jump (1900)

Again, this unsurprisingly only appeared at one Olympics. The concept was simply human long jump, but instead of the human part, you have horses.

I'm guessing a few of them struggled on the landing technique, and maybe got a few foot fouls. Or hoof fouls, as they case may be.

The poor horses didn't even get to go onto the podium and collect their medals!

 

2. Horse High Jump (1900)

Another product of the genius mind who decided to get horses to do what humans did. I don't know why he didn't choose a horse 100m, it would've been better. Still, a horse high jump competition outdoes even the horse long jump.

Again, though, the horse who could jump highest didn't even get to collect its medal. I wonder how they did qualifying for this?

 

1. Solo Synchronized Swimming (1992)

Yes, you read that right. The 1992 Olympic games saw Solo Synchronized Swimming as an actual registered event. Nobody seemed to tell the inventor of this that you need two people to be in sync.

Apparently the idea was that the swimmer was in sync with the music. Sorry, but solo synchronized swimming is not only the weirdest Olympic event of all time, it is the stupidest as well. By far.

 

Honourable mentions:

Walking

Rope Climb

Live Pigeon Shooting

Pistol Dueling

Tug of War

 

We certainly have seen our fair share of weird and wonderful Olympic events. Please feel free to share any other weird events I may have missed!

 

*One more event has just come to my attention that just has to be mentioned. In 1900 there was a Poodle Clipping event!*

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82 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. BigReg 10 months ago

    I was watching an event last week where a horse just trotted around a ring. I could not understand how they consider that an Olympic event. But my wife brought it to my attention just how hard it is to train an animal for these events. Still, I think one or no horse events should be in the Olympics.

    Great read

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    • Barney 10 months ago

      yeh i can see how training an animal to do anything you tell it to could be quite hard, but things like dressage, horse long jump and horse high jump just take it too far!

      Thanks for the comment

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  2. Michael Griffin 10 months ago

    I think the dressage is weird too. Who the hell cares about a horses dancing ability? If I want to see a dancing horse, I'll watch Heather Mills on Dancing with the Stars.

    Tug of War? Now, that isn't too silly, I would love to see some of the Aussie face down in mud haha! Of course, the Irish would probably destroy everyone in that.

    Solo Synchronized? How in the hell did the IOC comission that? My god.

    Table Tennis is a bit weird too, I would sooner watch Badminton, and that really is saying something. What about Yngling too? I guarantee that anyone that heard it thought how come the venue is also the name of the event?

    Nice list mate, POTD and 5 stars.

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    • Barney 10 months ago

      haha cheers michael. i especially liked the heather mills part!

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    • dasf fdsa 10 months ago

      Are you stupid? Have you seen proper badminton or table tennis? They are proper athletes and proper games, at least on par with tennis.

      Get out of your picnic/rec game mindset, and try to pick up a badminton smash so fast you won't even see it until u've been playing for a good year.

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    • Michael Griffin 10 months ago

      I'll have you know that I have played Badminton professional for two years, and I find watching it boring. I have won competitions and tournaments. I enjoy playing Badminton, but get too bored wtaching it, just like I enjoy playing Tennis, but get bored watching it.

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    • Scott Quinn 10 months ago

      "I think the dressage is weird too. Who the hell cares about a horses dancing ability? If I want to see a dancing horse, I'll watch Heather Mills on Dancing with the Stars."

      lmao

      It's comments like this that cry out for BR to adopt a COTD (Comment of the Day) voting system, or at least a thumbs up/thumbs down thing for comments.

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  3. Michael Griffin 10 months ago

    Another one, sorry about that haha!. Walking, as you mentioned too. What the hell? They all look like they have done something messy but dont wanna jog incase they have a major leakage. just wrong.

    Funnier thing is how they are walking, albeit very very fast, and the public have to RUN to keep up haha!

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  4. Burton DeWitt 10 months ago

    The solo synchro also was held in 1984 and 1988. Not that it defends it in any way.

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  5. Pat Middendorf 10 months ago

    good job stealing an article Asylum.com posted 2 weeks ago.

    Original here: http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/06/the-weirdest-olympic-events-throughout-history/

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    • Barney 10 months ago

      umm not i didn't repost that, if you care to notice, the two articles are quite different

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    • Michael Griffin 10 months ago

      I saw that article, and if you took any notice at all, their entirely different. One is lazy and posts just the photos with a short explanation, the other (this one) is in detail and gives a valid opinion.

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  6. Pat Middendorf 10 months ago

    Good job reposting an article Asylum.com posted 2 weeks ago.

    Original here: http://www.asylum.com/2008/08/06/the-weirdest-olympic-events-throughout-history/

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  7. Pat Middendorf 10 months ago

    and sorry for the double post.

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  8. Richard Hertz 10 months ago

    You do know that a space is required between the number and unit, e.g. 3000 m or 3 km, et cetera?

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  9. S A 10 months ago

    Good job stealing Pats post from 31 minutes ago Pat .

    Original here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/48695-the-top-five-weirdest-olympic-events

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  10. S A 10 months ago

    Good Job Reposting a post made by Pat 38 minutes ago Pat.

    Original here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/48695-the-top-five-weirdest-olympic-events-180808#comments

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  11. S A 10 months ago

    and sorry for the double post

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    • J. Michael Morris 10 months ago

      OH SH**!! I am crying from laughter.

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    • J. Michael Morris 10 months ago

      OH SH**!! I am crying from laughter.

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    • Brian Hood 10 months ago

      damn these comments are as funny as the article

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    • M Brian Ladner 10 months ago

      i'm not sure but i think double posting was slated to be an exhibition olympic event at beijing, but net censorship laws got in the way. as a person who was originally contacted about judging the event, i must say that S would have received a 9.5 - original, perfectly executed, and all despite the high degree of difficulty.

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    • M Brian Ladner 10 months ago

      i'm not sure but i believe double posting was slated to be an exhibition event in beijing, but net censorship laws kept getting in the way.

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    • M Brian Ladner 10 months ago

      sorry for the "post-and-a-half." registering an account once a comment has already been entered i have found to have a high degree of difficulty as well.

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  12. dressage isnotasport 10 months ago

    what about dressage? that's the weirdest olympic joke of a sport.

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  13. Matt R 10 months ago

    Michael: I'm from Australia and I wouldn't mind seeing an american's face in the mud after a tug of war match!

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    • Michael Griffin 10 months ago

      Ok then, I don't think anyone would mind seeing an americans face in the mud, apart from the americans, perhaps......

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    • Sharon Ingram 10 months ago

      actually, we DO like watching American's faces in the mud.....we do have a great sense of humor...... watch Wipeout and you'll have your fill (and laugh your butts off) as Americans of every size and shape, male and female, old and young try their hands (feet, heads, etc) through an obstacle course with hilarious results. No, we don't mind laughing at ourselves. Just don't any of you do it!! LOL

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  14. eric 10 months ago

    sorry about this single post.

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  15. Thomas 10 months ago

    all pointless sports.

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  1. Jason Borden 10 months ago

    What's wrong with pigeon shooting, that sounds like a reasonable sport?

    And I'm not sure what rope climb entails, but it definitely requires athletic ability to climb straight up a rope.

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  2. peter 10 months ago

    There's a bunch more events just as stupid:

    1. Running..,all running except very short sprints. Running is by definition only for losers. The winners on the "great plains of life" get to just stand there triumphant and watch the losers run away. Being a good distance runner is the hallmark of what we call a "prey" species.

    2. Swimming...all a bunch of stupid made up strokes, distances, relays, etc. You want the best swimmer? Have them all jump in and swim across a lake. One event. Done. Now go home.

    3. Jumping into the pool...usually headfirst. Good way to hurt yourself.

    4. Women's gymnastics...those aren't women, those are little "girlboys". By rewarding extremely small, arrested development, circus flip-meisters any really woman is excluded from the sport. They even talk like chipmunks.

    5. Any event that is "judged" rather than measured or timed.

    In fact, dedicating a large chunk of your youth to any sport is arguably a big mistake.

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    • BigReg 10 months ago

      I don't agree w/ almost your whole comment but I had to give you props for this line.

      "Being a good distance runner is the hallmark of what we call a "prey" species." made me laugh outloud.

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    • L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

      this would be a premise for a good article peter. you should write up something.

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  3. Matthew Smith 10 months ago

    You just gave me an idea for an article except it would be top 5 wierdest current olympic games:
    my list...well youll have to read to find out

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  4. Matt Ellenberger 10 months ago

    Nice list, only trampolining would definitely be on mine. Motor Boating though, that's a good find

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    • Barney 10 months ago

      yeh tramplining probably would make the honourable mentions...if it wasn't so fun to do! And some trampolinists can do pretty cool stuff! cheers for the comment!

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  5. Alan Bass 10 months ago

    Ahahaha solo synchronized swimming?? I'd never heard of that until just now. This is a great list, great job with it!!

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  6. I amnot 10 months ago

    Pistol Dueling...
    Guess the silver and bronze medals are posthumous then????

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  7. Nick Martin 10 months ago

    No team handball??

    Alright article.

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  8. Matt Ellenberger 10 months ago

    Handball is awesome, I'm a fan, I guess

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  9. ASR 10 months ago

    Steeplechase kicks ass... there's an event that's from way back when things happenned outdoors with real obstacles. Next time they should add crocodiles to the water.

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  10. Mosang Miles 10 months ago

    Solo synchronized swimming...that's priceless.

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  11. Mark Curabolow 10 months ago

    Curling anyone?

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  12. Dan Wade 10 months ago

    The Swimming obstacle course has to have a place on the list. Anything with a high chance of a participant drowning goes down in the odd column!

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  13. Sharon Ingram 10 months ago

    Hey, does anyone know why softball is being taken out as an event?

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    • L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

      Actually, the IOC was voting on a number of deletions and after deleting Baseball some members voted to delete Softball by mistake because of the similarities.

      The voting order was confusing is what I read. And some voters tried to change their votes but it was already passed and in the books.

      I think the IOC will be re-instating Softball at the next deletion/addition meeting.

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  14. Carol Bennett 10 months ago

    Re: Softball. I read one article that said that when the US destroyed the entire field in 2004, the Olympic committee voted "in secret" to remove it in 2012. Solely because the US was so overwhelmingly dominant. The most annoying piece of cr** I've ever heard. Softball is one of the few really physical team sports women have these days, and almost all US women who want to be a sports junkie have played softball at one time or another. And now it's being eliminated? And stupid stuff like the flag waving and beach volleyball remains? What can the public do to influence this decision?

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  15. Sharon Ingram 10 months ago

    I figured that was probably the reason. It's a sad shame that one sport they can't field with a bunch of million dollar a year professionals in order to win is being cut because the participants are too good and can't be beat. My next question then, is why are we Americans taking this lying down? Our female children NEED good, strong, modest role models. Not the kind that pump their chests and turn and mock the field because they can't keep up. Gosh.......sorry, I'll get off my soapbox now.

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    • William Berry 10 months ago

      Funny thing is the American's might not be favored, even with a pro-all star team. The Dominican Republic might take the gold.

      As for baseball not being in the Olympics - so? They are a joke anyway. More people can recite the infield fly rule than know if synchronized swimmer can touch the bottom of the pool.

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  1. Jeremy 10 months ago

    what about trampoline gymnastics???

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  2. L.J. Burgess 10 months ago

    The Olympics has military roots from the beginning so the Dressage competition is a mainstay and will always remain as a reminder.

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  3. Benny Joon 10 months ago

    BMX biking is pretty weird IMO

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  4. William Berry 10 months ago

    Man, I'm in tears. The best comedy is where the person just recite actual facts. Walking can have serious rules, but pistol dueling? "Receiving the silver, representing the estate of John Ratcliff,..."

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  5. Barney 10 months ago

    I just found a new one, this ones a blinder! In 1900 Poodle Clipping was an Olympic event!

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  6. Andrew Kearney 10 months ago

    Rhythmic gymnastics is quite weird and rubbish. Same with synchronised swimming be it solo or not.

    But Dressage I really don't get. It just seems to be trotting around a ring. It seems something any averagely skilled rider should be able to accomplish, not like the showjumping. How can they decide whats good from whats not, whats the criteria?

    And, not being American, I have to ask: what is the difference between baseball and softball?

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    • Brett Lissenden 10 months ago

      Softball is for girls and is played on the a field that is smaller than 12-year old boys play on (see Little League World Series currently going on). It is almost as bad as watching soccer because nobody ever gets a hit because the pitchers are so close.

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  7. Ryan O'Connor 10 months ago

    Bring back tug of war so I can bring a GOLD to New Jersey

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  8. Scott Quinn 10 months ago

    Nice read (article and comments haha). Just wanted to add what an awesome bike that is in the pic.

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  9. J.C. Ayvazi 10 months ago

    ROPE CLIMBING

    I knew the guy who took the gold in the 1932 games in Los Angeles. He was rather proud of the fact they dropped the event so even in his 80's he could claim to be the reigning Olympic champion.

    He also served in the Navy during WWII, assigned to submarine duty. My dad used to tease him about being underwater for too long and how that affected his brain.

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  10. Tyler Hill 10 months ago

    I think Trampoline should be atleast be in the Hon. Mentions

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  11. T K 10 months ago

    I think dodge ball should be an Olympic event. And maybe tag & red rover.

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  12. kathleen joy mendoza 10 months ago

    nice comments!......it made me laugh

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  13. kate p 10 months ago

    Dressage is about the subtle movements the rider does to get the horse to do what the rider wants. He or she is judged more on that criteria then the horses ability to "dance". Love the Heather Mills comment though :)

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  14. Ryan Greeno 10 months ago

    Now pistol dueling is one event that I would like to see in 2012. Maybe a 20 year anniversary of the solo synchronized swimming, who knows we might not have enough time.

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  15. the retriever 10 months ago

    Notice the horse high jump and long jump were in the 1900 Games? I'm not sure how far back it goes, but the host city/country could put in new sports.

    Where were the 1900 Olympics held. Paris. As in France, not Kentucky.

    (your jokes here)

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  1. Rob Carpentier 10 months ago

    Badminton seems a little wierd to me. This is a sport you can play in your yard. With that in mind, how soon before we see Olympic Horseshoes? Or Olympic Bocce? Or maybe Olympic Lawndarts?

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  2. caressa 10 months ago

    You are very ignorant if you think Dressage is easy and that any average rider can do it. Its not just trotting around the ring. Its EXTREMELY hard thing to do. If you know anything about horses at all, you would know this. Every horse and rider set has a certain "test" they have to do with many different movements and they are judged by how well they do it and how smooth. Dont bash a sport unless you try doing it first.

    All the sports Iv seen in the Olympics this year are prolly very hard to do. I doubt any of you could walk up and do what these people do.

    I do think motor boating was a dumb thing, anything that has to do with a motor shouldn't be in the Olympics.

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  3. J Rosario 10 months ago

    if we can have curling, why can't we involve our treasured older people with Olympic shuffleboard? I would like to see Olympic twister. (i'm old school.) But the way the kids are today, we'll likely see Olympic text messaging or olympic Guitar Hero first.

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  4. Rael Enteen 10 months ago

    Even though they're out of the Olympics, do any of these sports still exist in other venues? Is there still a World Motorboating League or International Walking Association? I'd love to know what the world-record in 200m walking is and see if I could beat it.

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  5. AJ Johnson 10 months ago

    Personally, I think any event that requires a horse shouldn't be included in the Olympics, or the horse should get a medal. Now, if the horse rode the jockey, I could totally support the jockey receiving the award!
    I think the Olympics have really become too political over the past 20-30 years. Any event that requires an "impartial" judge to give a score is really suspect as far as I'm concerned.
    BTW - Solo synchronized swimming sounds like something that my mom told me would make me blind!

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