Discontinued Olympic Events Trivia Quiz

Answer: Real Tennis

Great Britain - the only other nation to compete - won the Silver and Bronze medals. Although only ever an official sport in 1908, Jau de Paume was also a demonstration sport in 1924 (Paris).

Answer: France

Yes, honestly, it was France. In fact, most of the French team were English employees at the British Embassy in Paris, who were doubtless glad to have a day off work. No other nations competed, so only one two-innings match was played, which Great Britain - actually a touring team from Devon and Somerset Wanderers Cricket Club - won by 158 runs.

Answer: Tug-of-War

The Tug of War, a version of which was part of the Ancient Greek Games, was competed for on five occasions, between 1900 and 1920. Although a team game, there was no limit to the number of national teams that could enter - hence the British clean sweep in 1908.

Answer: The rope was too long for most competitors

Two Greek athletes - Nikolaos Andriakopoulos and Thomas Xenakis - took Gold and Silver, being the only two competitors to reach the top of the rope. In 1904, 1924 and 1932 (the only other occasions on which the Rope Climb was included in the Olympic Games), a shorter rope was used.

Answer: Competitors jumped on horseback

The Equestrian long-jump only appeared in the 1900 Olympic Games. For comparison, in the same year, the human-only long jump winner, Meyer Prinstein of the USA, jumped 7.175 metres.

Answer: He was taking part in the "Obstacle Race - Swimming" event

Frederick Lane won the Gold medal in the "Obstacle Race - Swimming", which made its only appearance in the 1900 Paris Games. He also won Gold in the 200 metres freestyle swimming event in the same year.

Answer: Polo

Polo featured on the Olympic programme in 1900 (Paris), 1908 (London), 1920 (Antwerp), 1924 (Paris) and 1936 (Berlin). In 1900, some of the teams contained players from more than one nation - the victorious British team actually contained two American players.

Answer: Men's Standing Long Jump

Standing Jumps (whether measured vertically or horizontally) evidently required similar abilities! In the Long Jump, Tsiklitiras took the Gold, with Platt and his brother Benjamin Adams in the Silver and Bronze positions. Both the Standing Jumps were discontinued after 1912.

Answer: Solo Synchronised Swimming

Many were the jokes cracked about how a solo swimmer could hardly be synchronised with anyone else. Explanations along the lines that the individual is synchronising their movements with the accompanying music failed to prevent this event from sinking without trace after only three Olympic appearances.

In 1996, a team event replaced the solo. Incidentally, Underwater Swimming was an actual event in the 1900 Games: as at 2007, the other two options have yet to feature as Olympic sports.

Answer: 21

France's Maurice Faure took Silver with 20 birds, with the American Crittenden Robinson and the Australian Donald MacKintosh tying for third place, with 18 each. 52 shooters are believed to have taken part, with some 300 birds in total coming to grief. Although the event took place under the umbrella of the 1900 Olympic Games, this sport is not included in the official International Olympic Committee results - perhaps more due to subsequent embarrassment at the nature of the event than doubts as to the quality of the performances.

Rumours that this event will be re-introduced for the 2012 London games, and will take place in Trafalgar Square, are probably untrue.

Pedantic Note: in the 1896 and 1900 Games, Gold medals were not actually awarded. The winners of each event were awarded Silver medals, with runners-up receiving Bronze. Gold, Silver and Bronze "medals" have been retrospectively allocated by the International Olympic Committee to those in 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each event, thus bringing the medals into line with current practice.

Thanks to www.topendsports.com for providing me with the inspiration, and much background information, for this quiz.