If you watch the Olympic coverage on NBC, it seems the only events you get to are Swimming, Gymnastics, and Beach Volleyball. These sports have all been awesome to watch, as the Americans are dominant in each event. However, maybe you’ve already grown bored of witnessing Katie Ladecky crush world records. Or maybe you don’t want to jump on the bandwagon of popular Olympic sports. Regardless, here are 6 obscure Olympic events for you.
Canoe Slalom
Combine white water rafting with down hill skiing and what do you get? Canoe Slalom. I have enough difficulty keeping a kayak right-side up, much less navigating an obstacle course in as little time as possible. Still looks like it would be a blast to try.
Team Table Tennis
We’ve all tried playing doubles ping pong at family BBQs and in dorm lounges. It never works well right? That’s why Team Table Tennis is an Olympic sport. To prove just how poorly you and your friend are at being teammates.
Mixed Nacra 17 Sailing
This event is fascinating for two reasons. First, it’s the very specific title that this sailing event is given. Nacra 17 is a new class of sailing. Many innovations have come to sailing technology over the centuries, and the Olympic events for sailing reflect these advancements. In Nacra 17 class sailing, all vessels are equipped with the same curved sails and double hulled bodies. The second interesting aspect of this event is that the sailing vessels are each manned by a two person crew of mixed gender, one of the few events with mixed gender participation. If any of that sounds interesting, make sure to check out the Nacra 17 Sailing
Pistol Shooting
No, this isn't the old west. Pistol shooting has been an Olympic event since 1896. As you can imagine, the equipment has changed drastically since that time. One of the more interesting pistol shooting events requires the shooters to fire all five shots in quick succession ala action heroes like James Bond and Jason Bourne. Awesome!
Handball
I want to try this sport so bad. Take two children’s soccer goals, place them and opposite ends of a basketball court, and you’re looking at a handball game. Teams of 7 attempt to put a softball sized sphere into the opponents net with leaping throws and rapid offense. A good handball goalie blocks only 30 percent of the shots on goal. High scoring fun!
Modern Pentathlon
Who are the best all-around athletes at the Olympic games? That would be the pentathlon participates. This event is a combination of events from fencing, swimming, equestrian, shooting, and running. Pentathlon athletes must truly be a jack-of-all-trades to come out with a gold medal. Fun fact: Pentathlon athletes only have 20 minutes to familiarize themselves with their provided horse before the equestrian stage.
What are your favorite, obscure Olympic events? Let me know in the comments below!
