Too many events at the Olympics?
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@godder said in Too many events at the Olympics?:
If part of the Olympic ideal was war contests, then horseriding fits right in.
Bring in some Warlanders and Spanish-Normans!
Winning horsemen receive medals, the others receive rather sharp pikes. Would make for spectacular viewing. Might even be able to add in a hybrid joust-polevaulting side event. -
@nostrildamus love it, especially a good joust!
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The guys on The Rest is History Podcast did two episodes on the Modern Olympics which were very entertaining.
They trace the modern Olympics back to the Shropshire Village of Much Wenlock
- two mascots at London 2012 were Wenlock and Mandeville a nod to the originators of Olympics and Paralympics (Stoke Mandeville)
Anyway in 1850 a local Victorian do gooder established a number of classes in Much Wenlock to promote the moral, intellectual and physical improvement of the residents particularly the Olympian Class.
they held annual games competing in events like running, Horse and Chariot Racing, Penny Farthing Races, Football, Cricket, Coits, Blindfolded Wheelbarrow Race and Old Womans Race (prize 1lb of tea)
In 1859 the residents of Much Wenlock sent prize money to the winners of Olympic Races held on three consecutive Sundays in Athens. These included javelin, discuss and climbing a greasy pole.
In 1890 de Courbiton visited the Much Wenlock games and was prompted to push for the modern Olympics which started only 6 years later. Apparently de Courbiton was much taken with the ideals of Victorian manliness as espoused in Tom Browns Schooldays, so tangentially Rugby helped promote the modern Olympics.
the podcast looks even further back to the Cotswold Games (still held today as a bit of a laugh) but in the 1790's were very serious. Best event sounds like dwile flonking . Rules state first choose the villages most dim witted person to act as the jobanole (referee) - these guys knew what they were about.
Anyway they go on to describe particular event since 1896 - funny, serious tragic. Recommend it
But on point why can't the modern Olympics have the old ladies race, chariot racing, climbing the greasy pole or dwile flonking?
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@mikedogz said in Too many events at the Olympics?:
well, hard to believe art was ever included but if it had to make a comeback , it should have some criteria for level of difficulty ...for example pricasso would be an intresting Australian team selection
Jeez there has been and still is some sh*t, I like tug o war though
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@bayimports Art was an important part of the ancient Olympics and thus was included in the early years of the modern ones as well.
I'd take tug of war over many if not all of the sports introduced since 1990
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Just found another sport that would be a worthy addition to the Olympic menu
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https://www.audible.com/pd/80-Modern-Olympics-Part-1-Podcast/B09BDTB62N?ref=a_pd_The-Re_c0_lAsin_0_3&pf_rd_p=1da7ab30-c785-4a0e-a160-4a7e7077b353&pf_rd_r=WXXS2TTK9MNFMFF7Q0GN
