Sports have been a part of the human lifestyle from his early days. Although it was done as a way of enjoying and entertaining people, today it has been turned into a full-time career by many sportsmen all over the world. Here we have brought the list of some of the oldest sports in the world, and the most shocking thing for many sports fans will be that many of the ancient sports are in business even today.
- Running – Oldest Game in the World
It is the most popular sport in athletics today in the world. Running started to be competitive in Ancient Greece. And, it can be traced back to 776 in the first recorded Olympic Games in Greece. During that time, there were only four events compared to today’s tons of events.
Running gait can be divided into two phases in regard to the lower extremity: stance and swing. And, running is both a competition and a type of training for sports that have running or endurance components. Besides, it now holds the top spot among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Wrestling
This sport was used to decide the strongest man in society during ancient times. And, it represents one of the oldest forms of combat. It involves the techniques of grappling, throws, and takedowns on your competitor to gain ultimate supremacy.
Wrestling can be traced 15,000 back in France and also in the ancient Olympics. And today, wrestling is a career and a very popular sport all over the world. Besides, it now also holds its place among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Long Jump
In this sport, the athlete contest on who leaps the farthest distance from the take-off point. The game has been contested in the Ancient Olympics of 656 BC as per the records. It is also the only known jumping event in the original Olympic Games in Ancient Greece.
The long jump has emerged probably because it mirrored the crossing of obstacles such as streams and ravines. And today, it is still a very popular game in the modern Olympics. Besides, it also deserves its mention among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Javelin Throw
Throwing javelin is a track event that involves participants throwing a stick-type instrument called javelin as far as possible. It was practiced in the Ancient Mycenaean and Romans where a lighter javelin was used. But today, this sport mainly involved a javelin which is quite heavier than it was supposed to be during ancient times.
It is also mentioned in the records of the Ancient Olympics making it one of the oldest sports. It is still a huge event in the modern Olympics. And, it also deserves its mention among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Discus Throw
It is a track and field event that involves throwing a heavy disc to a farther distance than possible. The sport can be traced back to the early fifth century BC in Europe. There are also six key movements of the discus throw: wind up, move in rhythm, balance, right leg engine, orbit, and delivery.
Besides being one of the most popular games of ancient times, it is one of the ancient Pentathlons in 708 BC making it one of the most-played sports in ancient times. Besides, it now also holds its place among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Polo
This was one of the most majestic of all ancient sports. Polo is also a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. A small wooden ball would be pushed into the opponents’ goals using a long handle mallet.
What made it very popular was that the participants ride on horseback while on the pitch. And, it can be traced back to the 4th century in the Sassanid dynasty. Besides, it now also deserves its mention among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Gymnastics – Oldest Olympic Sport
This game tests the flexibility, agility, balance, and physical strength of the individual, the game is believed to have originated from the Greeks. It was developed by horse riders who would mount or dismount from horses using acrobatics. And then, it was included in the modern Olympics Games in 1896.
Artistic Gymnastics is usually divided into Men’s and Women’s Gymnastics. Men compete in six events: Floor Exercise, Pommel Horse, Still Rings, Vault, Parallel Bars, and High Bar, while women compete in four: Vault, Uneven Bars, Balance Beam, and Floor Exercise. This sport now holds its place among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Boxing
This is a combat sport that tests the strength, speed, and stamina of the fighters by throwing punches. It originated in Greece back in 687 BC. Besides, Boxing was also a popular spectator sport in Ancient Rome.
It evolved to professionalism in the 16th and 18th centuries in Great Britain to become a very popular sport in the modern Olympics. Moreover, it now also holds its place among the top 10 old sports in the world.
- Horse riding
The sport of riding a horse is a type of show horse in the UK. Horses have been with us since the earliest times as a mode of transport, especially by soldiers. Besides its mention during ancient times, horse riding has evolved to become a very popular sport in modern games.
Ancient Greeks and Romans were very fond of this game. And, it was first included in Olympics Games in 1900. Without any doubt, this game definitely deserves its mention among the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
- Hockey
The sport of Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent’s goal using a hockey stick. In this game, the players try to push the ball into each other goalpost using a curved long stock called hockey.
The word ‘hockey’ can be traced back to 1363 from Edward III of England’s proclamation. The game is also mentioned in 600 BC Ancient Greece paintings and shows that it is an old game. And now, it holds its place among the top 10 old sports in the world.
