From athletics to cycling, what are the oldest Olympic sports? – Sportstar

With the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games commencing from July 29, the world is about to see athletes combat it out for glory in one of many largest levels in sporting historical past.

Main as much as this mega sporting occasion, right here’s a take a look at the oldest sporting occasions in Olympic historical past, which have been current because the 1896 Olympics:

Athletics (Observe & Subject)

Athletics is without doubt one of the oldest Olympic sporting disciplines.
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THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Athletics (monitor and discipline) is without doubt one of the oldest Olympic sports activities and has been an integral a part of the occasion because the first fashionable Olympic Video games in Athens (1896). Within the 1896 Video games, the game featured solely males who competed in 12 occasions, together with 100m, 110m hurdles, 400m, 800m, 1500m, discus throw, excessive leap, lengthy leap, triple leap, marathon, pole vault, and shot put. The athletics self-discipline has advanced over time, opening doorways for ladies athletes and including occasions like relay, race stroll, javelin throw, and so on.

Fencing

Athens hosted the all-men fencing competitors throughout the 1896 Olympics. (Consultant Picture)
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Getty Photos

As outdated as athletics, fencing has remained part of the Olympics because the first version of the quadrennial occasion. Athens hosted the all-men fencing competitors throughout the 1896 Olympics with three occasions: foil particular person, foil masters, and sabre particular person. Initially, the self-discipline was dominated by Greece and France.

Swimming (Aquatics)

Swimming has been part of the Olympics, starting with 4 occasions for males.
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REUTERS

Swimming has been part of the Olympics because the 1896 version of the Video games, starting with 4 occasions for males: the 100m freestyle for sailors, 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle, and 1200m freestyle. Over time, the Olympics have expanded to incorporate 35 swimming occasions. Later, girls have been additionally allowed to take part in varied classes.

Gymnastics (Creative)

Initially, gymnastics was solely for males, that includes eight group and particular person occasions.
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THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Creative gymnastics has been a staple of the Olympics because the inaugural 1896 version of the Video games. Initially, the game was solely for males, that includes eight group and particular person occasions: group parallel bars, group horizontal bar, vault, pommel horse, rings, horizontal bar, parallel bars, and cord climbing. Later, the game was opened to girls, increasing to incorporate 14 classes.

Biking (Observe)

Jason Kenny has gained Nice Britain probably the most medals in biking with seven gold and two silver.
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REUTERS

Observe biking has been part of the Olympics since its inception. On the Athens Video games, monitor biking included 5 occasions solely for males: the 100km, 10km, a 12-hour race, a 1km trial, and a dash particular person. Through the years, the game has expanded to incorporate 12 occasions for each women and men, encompassing each particular person and group competitions.

Taking pictures

Taking pictures has been a constant a part of the Olympics, aside from the 1904 and 1928 Video games.
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REUTERS

Taking pictures has been a constant a part of the Olympics, aside from the 1904 and 1928 Video games, that includes 5 occasions: 25m military pistol, 25m speedy hearth pistol 60 photographs, 50m pistol 60 photographs, military rifle 200m, and armed forces rifle 300m (the latter two solely for males within the inaugural version). Greece led the medal tally in its early days, securing 9 out of 15 medals. The self-discipline was predominantly dominated by the USA.

Weightlifting

 Within the upcoming Paris Olympics, the game will function 10 occasions throughout 5 weight lessons for each women and men.
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THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Weightlifting has been an Olympic sport because the Athens 1896 Video games. Initially, it included two occasions solely for males: heavyweight one-hand elevate and heavyweight two-hand elevate. Within the upcoming Paris Olympics, the game will function 10 occasions throughout 5 weight lessons for each women and men.

Girls’s weightlifting debuted on the Sydney Olympics in 2000. In that historic version, India’s Karnam Malleswari made historical past by profitable bronze within the 69kg class..

Wrestling Greco-Roman

Since its reintroduction within the 1908 Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestling has regularly expanded to incorporate six weight lessons for each women and men.
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AP

After its inclusion within the 1896 Athens Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestling was omitted from the next two editions (1900 and 1904). In Athens, the game comprised just one occasion, solely for males, and Greece led the medal tally with two medals. Since its reintroduction within the 1908 Olympics, Greco-Roman wrestling has regularly expanded to incorporate six weight lessons for each women and men.

Biking (Highway)

Within the inaugural Olympic video games, a males’s particular person highway race was organized, and Greece’s Aristidis Konstantinidis bagged the gold. 
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AP

Highway biking was featured on the 1896 Olympics however was excluded from the next three editions of the video games (1900, 1904, and 1908). Within the inaugural Olympic video games, a males’s particular person highway race was organized, and Greece’s Aristidis Konstantinidis bagged the gold.

Tennis

Venus Williams is probably the most profitable Olympian in tennis.
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REUTERS

Tennis is one other sport that was featured on the Athens 1896 Video games. The inaugural Olympics included two tennis occasions: males’s singles and males’s doubles, the place Greece led the medal tally with three medals. Within the upcoming Paris Olympics, the game will consist of 5 occasions: males’s singles, males’s doubles, girls’s singles, girls’s doubles, and blended doubles.

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