Most amazing Olympic Sports?

[cisamcgu]

Gymnastics isn't a sport. It's a sort of Eurovision Song Contest for fit people.

 

[yello]

I used to high jump as a kid so I started to be taught different methods... western roll, fosbury flop... so I guess it doesn't seem so incredible to me. A gymnast could jump higher, but that's a two footed take off.

At the moment, I'm completely in awe of the the mayhem and carnage that's avoided in the Madison!

 

[marinyork]

It was quite amusing when Hugh(?) was talking about Madison on a 145m not 250m track!

 

[rich p]

The Greco-Roman wrestling amazes me. I'm amazed they allow a sport in the Olympics that only Greeks and Italians can enter.

 

[yello]

The Greco-Roman wrestling amazes me.

Is that the one that even consenting adults might be arrested for if performed in public?

 

[Hover Fly]

I'll just add that pole vaulting is the daftest sport ever. Who thought of it?

As practiced today going for height, it was originally done by cricketers in Ulverston, then in Lancashire, in 1843, waiting for their turn to bat.

 

[rich p]

Is that the one that even consenting adults might be arrested for if performed in public?

That's the one. If there's a stalemate they take a coloured ball out of a scrotum bag and the loser assumes the all fours kama sutra position while the winner takes him from behind. That's just a brief explanation you understand!

 

[Rob S]

Gymnastics
High Jump
Archery
110m Hurdles

Daftest sport ever is race walking.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Gymnastics
High Jump
Archery
110m Hurdles

Daftest sport ever is race walking.

That isn't a sport, it's cruising with a number on.

 

[papercorn2000]

Gymnastics for the sheer strength and grace, swimming, running, cycling and kayaking because I have done these sports and the speed is incredible, Most of the others but, this year, Hoy for his sheer dominance and Bolt for jogging faster than the rest of the world can go flat out!

 

[User169]

As practiced today going for height, it was originally done by cricketers in Ulverston, then in Lancashire, in 1843, waiting for their turn to bat.

In Holland, it's claimed to derive from farmers using poles to jump water ditches. They still have competitions in Friesland, although distance, not height, is the key.....


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeMAMv6GaJQ&feature=related

 

[Headgardener]

That's impressive. If I got thrown 90 metres I don't think I'd get up again. And you say this person who was thrown was only 15?

That's impressive. He must be hard.

I don't think that is what chrisKH meant but the thought of it does sound funny.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

I'll just add that pole vaulting is the daftest sport ever. Who thought of it?

Using a pole to enable you to clear a high or wide obstacle, that you couldn't make on your own, I can understand (Dutch farmers etc., as mentioned above).

Long jump, high jump make sense, as do throwing the various "implements",.... the event I just don't "get" is the triple jump, where did that originate from? Why not still have the standing long jump instead