Every four years, 41 amazing sports make their way to our televisions. Unfortunately, not all of them are well known or made public. Here are four amazing sports you probably don't know much about.
1. Table Tennis
Table Tennis originated as Genteel (an after dinner game) but now has evolved into a fast-paced high-tech sport. It has four different categories: Men's singles, Woman's singles, a Men's team, and a Woman's team. While the World Championships were held in London in 1926, this accelerated sport didn't make its debut until the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. Also, this intense sport has the most contestants than any other sport in the world.
2. Canoe Slalom
In 1936, Canoe and kayak racing became full medal sports at the Berlin Games. Until the canoe slalom appeared, the sport was limited to the canoe sprint. Canoe Slalom racers compete in four events, three for men and one for woman. While slalom racers use a very similar look as the canoe sprinters, the initial boat in designed differently. While in canoe sprint the boats are long and streamlined, in canoe slalom the boats are small, light and agile, allowing for greater maneuverability through the rapids.
3. Equestrian
In the Olympics, Equestrian is one of the less covered events. It has three qualifying different sections: Dressage, Eventing and Jumping. Originally, dressage was a method found from Ancient Greeks to train rider and horse for battle; if both could simultaneously work together they advanced to 'ready'. In 1996, it was reintroduced to the Olympics. Eventing is the most involved competition regarding the demands of the competitor and the horse possible. It involves every branch of horsemanship: the harmony between rider and horse that complement dressage; the stamina and dedication needed for cross country; the experience, absolute precision expertise needed for jumping. Jumping is the final branch of Equestrian, and perhaps the most intricate. While not only jumping difficult jumps, they must do in in the shorts time possible and receive the fewest penalties.
4. Fencing
Fencing was included for the first time at the 1896 Games in Athens, and has remained on the Olympic program since then. The women’s fencing competition entered the Games in 1924 in Paris. Today, men and women compete in individual and team events, in which three types of weapons are used: foil, epee and sabre. The foil was, at first, the only weapon used by women, until the 1996 Games in Atlanta, when women’s epee was introduced. Women’s sabre appeared for the first time on the Olympic program in Athens in 2004. The foil sword, is the lightest of the three. Epee, a dependent of the foil is very similar, just a heavier version. The sabre is the modern version used. Its tips and sides are scored, unlike the other two.
