Instead of the current ones, which are only about a metre.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 31 2012 But then when a runner knocks the hurdle down by accident, the runners in all the other lanes get a clear run. I suppose that levels the playing field by giving the slower runners a leg up.-- pocmloc, Jul 31 2012 I was thinking of height, not width.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 31 2012 I knew that.-- pocmloc, Aug 01 2012 This idea highlights the weirdness of the Olympics. The Olympics showcases effort and performance in some fairly obvious areas of human activity: running, jumping, swimming, fighting, lifting heavy things, hitting balls with sticks, but then includes others (synchronised diving, walking very fast without running, waving ribbons) without first including more of the obvious ones such as throwing a ball (with marks for accuracy or distance) or climbing, as suggested by this idea. I think a 100 metre ladder-climbing competition would be an interesting Olympic event.-- hippo, Aug 01 2012 //waving ribbons//
Unlike the other new nimby pimby sports in the Olympics, the business with the ribbons traces its origins back to ancient Greece. The "ektyflotiki mastigio" were small whips with handles about six inches long, leather thongs about six to eight feet long, and small metal buttons on the ends of the thongs. A skilled practitioner would use these very effectively to blind (often permanently) an enemy, whilst keeping out of reach of their sword or dagger.
The ektyflotiki evolved first into a target sport, where the participant would attempt to knock down coins balanced on the ends of thin wooden posts (which were themselves balanced on end), without knocking over the posts themselves. From this, they evolved into a display art, and thence into the ribbony business we know today.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 01 2012 // without first including more of the obvious ones such as throwing a ball (with marks for accuracy or distance)
Well there is a ball throwing thing, the shot that they put. I'd like to see overhanding a baseball at shooting targets.-- tatterdemalion, Aug 01 2012 Isn't precision baseball-throwing an integral part of Olympic baseball? It would seem a little redundant, kind like 'Olympic bat-swinging'.
I, for one, would like to know why high-caliber riflery is not an Olympic competition. The ability to hit a small but relatively close target with an airgun under controlled conditions is not the same as hitting targets outdoors at very long ranges. While both involve a high degree of discipline and skill, the latter requires an intuitive artfulness which the former, IMO, does not.-- Alterother, Aug 01 2012 There is no Olympic baseball. They threw it out.
I'd enjoy some very short track sports, such as 3m sprint. The contest would be about the minute details, they'd have to measure in thousands of a second. It would be fascinating to see.-- tatterdemalion, Aug 01 2012 //why high-caliber riflery is not an Olympic competition// According to WP, 1972 was the last year for the 300m free-rifle open to both men & women. Rifles were limited to 9mm & 19lbs so you could bring out the t-rex botherer.
Why it isn't now ? A quick Google didn't turn up anything... I can think of a few reasons, none of which are particularly good ones...
- too military in purpose - Switzerland keeps kicking everybody else's ass - The ISSF is big & international which makes the Olympics jealous.-- FlyingToaster, Aug 02 2012 // I gotta watch me an exciting game of badminton. //
I'd sleep much more soundly at a baseball game. Curling is one of those things that isn't exciting until you've actually been to a meet. But yeah, racewalking and rhythmic gymnastics have gotta go... actually, I think the re- introduction of large-caliber riflery might help facilitate that...-- Alterother, Aug 02 2012 //I'd sleep much more soundly at a baseball game.// Likewise - if I had to watch the 'action'. I have actually been to a baseball game (Boston Red Sox) and it seemed to be an excuse for sitting around and chatting while eating hot dogs and drinking beer.-- hippo, Aug 02 2012 The olympics kind of riles me up for several reasons, including the one hippo mentions.
100 metre ladder climbing should be there. If you had that you could easily have 100 metre rope climbing in the same arena.
Multiples of these could be done with the addition of a fireman's pole-- Loris, Aug 02 2012 Baseball was only ever played at the Olympics in 1904 then from 1992 to 2008. It's a sport with limited appeal in many of the 200-plus nations who attend the Olympics, as was polo, removed in 1936.-- UnaBubba, Aug 03 2012 BTW, [Max], 100m hurdles is a women's event. The men compete over 110m.-- UnaBubba, Aug 03 2012 Ah, but how will they define Olympic HalfBaking?-- normzone, Aug 03 2012 We should get rugby back into the Olympics - the USA are the current Olympic champions of rugby, having won the Gold medal in 1924. Then, they should never have dropped the Town Planning and Etching Olympic competitions (both dropped after the 1948 games). Great Britain is still the Olympic Painting title-holder (Gold at the 1948 games).-- hippo, Aug 03 2012 Any truth to the rumour that poulting is set to return as an event in 2016?-- ytk, Aug 03 2012 //an excuse for sitting around and chatting // You should have gone to Japan to watch the baseball, hippo. There was much more audience participation (including some superb synchronised chanting) when I went to see Hiroshima Toyo Carp. It was a surprisingly excellent night out. By the way, I have a '140th Olympiad Organising Committee' conference bag for sale if anyone wants it.-- DrBob, Aug 03 2012 Synchronized underwater projectile vomiting.-- hubby2debbie, Aug 08 2012 Debbie must be so proud.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 08 2012 random, halfbakery