How does an Olympic gold medal for shooting down the most pigeons sound? What about deer? With the conclusion of the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, we'd like to share with you some of the strangest events that were once part of the great sports forum but were eventually dropped, whether for good or ill.
Tug of War
Even though tug of war today is a widely common event at summer camp or at school, it was once an Olympic sport. It was officially included in the Olympics from 1900 to 1920. Great Britain can boast of having earned the most tug of war medals.
Ski Ballet
Also known as acroski, ski ballet was a freestyle form of skiing that was part of the Olympics from 1960 to 2000. Due to its gradual decline in popularity, this sport was eventually dropped.
Military Patrol
With its name pretty much saying it all, military patrol was a team winter sport in which athletes competed in cross-country skiing, ski mountaineering and rifle shooting. With rules similar to the modern biathlon, this discipline was part of the Winter Olympics in 1924, 1928, 1936 and in 1948 for the last time.
Swimming Obstacle Race
This event was only held once during the 1900 Summer Olympics. Swimmers had to swim 200 meters, with obstacles including upturned boats, which competitors had to climb up on and then continue swimming.
Speed Skiing
One of the fastest and most dangerous non-motorized sports on dry land, speed skiing was part of the Winter Olympics until 1992. The sport was discontinued due to the high rate of accidents. The current record in this discipline is 255 km/h.
Skijoring
This is a winter sport, where a person is pulled by a horse, dog or several dogs. Skijoring was included in the Olympic program only once at the Winter Games in 1928 and has never been held again.
Live Pigeon Shooting
This literally bloody sport was included in the Olympics only once - at the 1900 Summer Olympics. The competitor to shoot down the most birds wins. Roughly 400 birds were shot before a champion was determined.
Solo Synchronized Swimming
It does sound like an oxymoron but the fact is that this sport was part of the 1992 Summer Olympic program in Barcelona.
Pistol Duels
Another event held only once at the Summer Olympics in 1912. The target was another human being. The winner was the one who shot the most wax bullets at their opponent in 1 min., while also having to reload after each shot. The most points were earned by the hits that would otherwise be lethal were the bullets not made of wax.
