From timeless classics to groundbreaking novelties and downright eccentric events, the Olympic Games have showcased an astonishing variety of sports since their modern inception in 1896.

This quadrennial spectacle offers a global stage for both exhilarating and serene competitions.

While sports like football, basketball and tennis captivate millions year-round, others – such as gymnastics, swimming, and weightlifting – gain prominence every four years, often fueled by national pride and homegrown talent.

In 2024, Paris will welcome over 10,000 elite athletes for the Games, featuring 28 traditional sports alongside exciting new additions: surfing, skateboarding, climbing and breaking, which will make its Olympic debut.

Yet, not all events have stood the test of time.

Many have come and gone both before and after the iconic five rings were introduced.

Here are some of the most unusual sports ever contested at the Games – test events like poodle clipping are notably absent.

Art competitions

While today's leading artists may vie for prestigious awards like the Turner Prize or the Hugo Boss Prize, Olympic medals were once up for grabs in official art competitions.

From their debut at the 1912 Games to their conclusion in 1948, these contests celebrated artistic achievement alongside athletic prowess.

The brainchild of Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games – who himself won a gold medal for his 1912 poem "Ode to Sport" – these competitions included categories in architecture, music, painting, sculpture and literature.

Notably, the architecture segment featured a town planning category, while the literature section judged dramatic and epic works.

Germany emerged as the dominant force in these competitions, securing 23 medals before the event was discontinued in 1952.

Despite its end, the spirit of the art competitions endures through the Cultural Olympiad, continuing to celebrate the intersection of art and sport.

Tug of war

A staple of school sports days and funfairs, tug of war – simple yet exhilarating – was once part of the Olympic program for 20 years, from 1900 to 1920.

During this period, only men's teams competed.

At the 1900 Paris Games, a mixed team of Swedish and Danish athletes clinched gold against another mixed team.

The U.S. and Great Britain then dominated the podium at the 1904 and 1908 Olympics.

In 1912, Great Britain fell to Sweden but reclaimed the title in the final Olympic Tug of War event in 1920, with the Netherlands finishing second and Belgium third.

Today, Tug of War continues to thrive at the World Games and boasts biennial World Championships, with Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Chinese Taipei typically leading the charge.

Underwater and obstacle swimming

At the 1900 Paris Games – a notably unconventional edition – two unique swimming events made their sole Olympic appearances.

The underwater swimming race featured 14 competitors and was judged based on distance traveled and time spent submerged.

French athletes Charles Devendeville and Andre Six took gold and silver, respectively, while Denmark's Peder Lykkeberg, despite spending more time underwater, controversially earned bronze due to his erratic path, which included circling rather than traveling in a straight line.

The lack of interest led to the event being discontinued after just one year. Similarly, obstacle swimming made its debut and final appearance at the same Games, requiring athletes to climb over a pole and a row of boats before ducking beneath another set of boats.

In the obstacle swimming event, Australia's Frederick Lane claimed gold, adding to his successful year where he also won the men’s 200-meter freestyle.

Live pigeon shooting

Ok, this one is not for the faint-hearted or animal-rights activities, as the 1900 Paris Games featured a controversial event where competitors could win medals and up to 20,000 francs by shooting live pigeons.

Participants, paying an entrance fee of either 20 or 200 francs, aimed to hit as many pigeons as possible, which were released one by one from traps.

Shooters were permitted to miss two targets before being disqualified.

Australia's Donald Mackintosh claimed victory in the 20-franc competition by killing 22 pigeons, while Belgium’s Leon de Lunden won the 200-franc event with 21 kills.

However, these results were swiftly removed from the official Olympic record.

Just two years later, the International Olympic Committee passed a motion banning live animal shooting, leading to the introduction of the more humane clay-pigeon shooting event we know today.

Club swinging

The evolution of Olympic gymnastics has been remarkable.

While today’s audiences cheer for Simone Biles as she performs dazzling routines, the 1904 Games featured a unique event known as club swinging.

Exclusively for men, this event required competitors to swing clubs – resembling juggling bats and bowling pins – in intricate patterns.

Like contemporary gymnastics, scores were based on difficulty and execution.

Edward Hennig of the U.S. excelled in this art, mastering complex movements and earning 13 points to secure the gold medal in this one-time Olympic event.

The competition later resurfaced under a new name, Indian Clubs, in the 1932 Games. Today, rhythmic gymnastics includes a baton event, reflecting the evolution of this once-elusive discipline.

Plunge for distance

Before springboards and platforms became the standard in diving, the event known as "plunge for distance" captivated audiences in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The rules were straightforward: jump from the edge, land face-down and glide as far as possible within 60 seconds.

Featured as a one-time Olympic event at the 1904 St. Louis Games, the U.S.' William Paul Dickey won gold by plunging 62 feet and 6 inches.

However, this feat fell short of the 1933 world record of 86 feet and 8 inches, set by Great Britain's F.W. Parrington.

Additionally, there was a non-Olympic competition for the shortest time to cover 60 feet, with a world record of 14.4 seconds. Yet, within a few decades, the plunge for distance lost its appeal. Today, watching Tom Daley execute a flawless 10-meter dive with multiple twists and turns is far more thrilling.

Water motorsports

Once banned from the Olympics, water motorsports might make a comeback at the 2028 Los Angeles Games – though likely on dry land rather than on water. This event was featured at the 1900 and 1908 Games, with three distinct motorboat classes in the latter.

In the 1908 Games, France’s Emile Thubron triumphed in Class A, the open category, with his boat, Camille.

Great Britain’s three-man team piloting Gyrinus took top honors in Class B, where boats were limited to 60 feet in length.

Gyrinus also excelled in Class C, where boats ranged from 6.5 to 8 meters and weighed at least 800 kg before the event was ultimately removed from the Olympic program.

A 2022 report from Inside the Games suggests that motorsports could be proposed for inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, potentially featuring the world's top karters competing for glory.