THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
See the official opening of the Olympic Stadium on 5 May
Answer the question below and you could be there watching “An evening of athletics and entertainment”. What’s more, one audience member will get to officially open the stadium, so enter and it could be you.
The competition question
This year will be London’s third time as host city, and the Games have certainly changed since last time.
But what ancient sport would you most like to take part in and why? Here are a few examples to get you started:
Chariot Racing
Duelling Pistols
Tug of War
How to enter
Leave a reply below telling us your answer. Remember, only the most original entry will win, so get creative.
Good luck!
Get involved with the #100daystogo conversation on Twitter and find out more about “An evening of athletics and entertainment”, including the BUCS Visa Outdoor Athletics Championship and GB stars taking part in a series of fun games and challenges.
Read full Terms and Conditions here.
Tug of War. There’s too much seriousness in the Olympic sports. Tug of war is massive, participatory, and hilarious.
Mobile Archery (hitting moving targets from a moving horse)
Most effectively practiced by the Mongols, Saracens and Huns
Sport = survival
Throughout history sport has provided one way of training to defend one’s home and territory – and to catch food – and, sometimes, to attack others. This sport represents a great survival challenge.
Tug of war: Definitely is such a fun sport!: Mud, dirt, pain, sweat and teamwork… all in one place! I think this sport is so amazing because when you see it, it looks so easy, is just a bunch of people pulling a rope… a no brainer, but when you actually do it you understand why it is challenging and how important is working together with your team. One person not pulling their weight makes such a bit difference!! You get very motivated as you can see the contender’s face, so is a question of pride at one point.
Chariot racing. Driving in Australia I have had lots of practice….
I would take part in the chariot racing because it may not be as fast as car, but the feeling as the horse gets gradually faster would be amazing. You would feel as if you would fall out but that’s the exciting bit. It’s kind of like riding a bike down a steep hill, letting the momentum take you!
Why, Tiddlywinks of course!
Eurostar is linking France and England… London won the Olympics 2012 against Paris… I think it is time to re-start (a very friendly) France vs England war, 2012 could be the new 1066 (hoping for a French victory this time). Let’s do some medieval style jousting
Note: this is a very SARCASTIC reply of course
How about an equestrian/javelin combo – jousting. It would be good for the teams to turn their hand to another skill.
The 200 meter Obstacle Race Swimming was only at the 1900 Olympics. The goal was for a swimmer to climb over a pole and over and under a row of boats.
Bring it back!! sounds like fun!!
This would be great to watch and more entertaining than watching swimming lengths of the pool. I would take part as it doesn’t just mean the fastest swimmer wins it. A great obstacle course on the water.
Could be a few injuries though.
Being of British decent, for me it would have to be the egg and spoon race.
Nothing is as quintessentially British!
The marathon a great race good for over seas althletes a great crowd pleaser and the public get behind the runners as they run away the miles
Pankration – It’s an ancient Greek sport which is essentially Mixed Martial Arts, but there’s no silly rounds, rules or rests. Hunger Games, you cry? Well no, if you kill your opponent, that results in an instant lost! So it’s trying to go as far as you can competitively and still walk out alive! Sounds like the ultimate Olympic challenge…
The three legged race with my hubby, one way for us both to get active and stick together!
Since the modern Olympics doesn’t have synchronised swimming for men, I would instead pick to reintroduce Naumachia which has got to be the craziest sport ever. Also I want to see how waterproof the new Olympic Stadium really is.
I would enter Chariot Racing similar to ancient Greece, where the *owner* of the Chariot was the competitor and could have multiple entries. And by adding a congestion charge the sport would be self-funding for the games organisers.
The Fisherman’s Joust, which was for a group of “sportsman” to go out in fishing boats to the river and then basically bat each other to death with an oar, the resulting blood often attracting crocodiles.
But as we are more civilised in the 21st century, it would be a new version, called the Eurostar Joust.
Sportsman battle to stay on the train by doing apprentice like tasks whilst travelling from london to paris. It might be getting the cheapest sports equipment at Ashford, selling them in Lille and then donating the money to a sports charity in Paris.
It’s suitably gladitorial in the age of reality shows.
Has to a an ancient version of ‘it’s a knockout!’ just think of a 100 meter sprint in costume falling all over the place, while Stuart hall worked his magic on commentary
Being purely an armchair spectator these days I think that the “Art Competition”, introduced to the Olympics between 1912 and 1952 where medals were awarded to the best “sport inspired” work of art would be perfect to compete in, although the British “Summer” weather may be a problem if painting a watercolour track side!!!
Well its definitely between Distance Plunging and Duelling pistols
Mini history lesson -Distance plunging was only played once in the Olympics, in 1904. For this one, contestants had to dive into a pool and remain there, without moving, for 60 seconds! All entrants were Americans and it was William Dickey who won. Diving is now a staple of the Olympics, although it’s not quite done the same ways anymore! Would love to take part as sounds totally random and funny to watch if not a little dangerous! Although believe duelling pistols would definitely have me in hysterics…
Dueling Pistols- This is about as odd a sport as they come, especially when you consider the fact that contestants were shooting at a fancily dressed mannequin. It was part of the 1906 games and again in the 1912 before it was removed from the Olympics. It’s not likely we’ll ever see this one return, what a shame! I would love to see how they dressed the mannequin, maybe they could modernise with a bit of sparkle – would be totally impossible to concentrate on winning as everyone would laugh at the random mannequin, how bizarre!!!
A quick search and Duck on a Rock sounded really good until I discovered it didn’t involve eating. Now an ancient version of Zumba (or Body Jam or any dance aerobics) would definitely gather a lot of interest and I’d be in that for sure… Having not done much exercise for years they helped me get fit again and now, for my 50th year, I’m a volunteer performer at the closing ceremony
Bring it on!
Cucumber Sandwich Discus I say!
http://golondon.about.com/od/julyannualevents/fr/chapolympics.htm
I’m going to plug the somewhat unheard of Ancient Indian sport of Mall-Stambha, a type of wrestling – except the wrestlers are sat on the shoulders of another person who happens to be standing in a pool of water up to their waist!
Less of a health and safety risk/gory than some of the other ancient sports (too much bloodshed in naumachiae for me, thanks!) and it sounds like so much fun!
You’d be all wet, so no-one would catch you looking like a sweaty mess – and think of what it could do for your core body strength! Forget Pilates, Mall-Stambha’s the way forward!
Duelling Pistols: This would eliminate the need for expensive replay and third match official type devices to see who won…the winner would be standing.
Prime minister, member of parliament and finance ministers of the world wrestling. Let’s really see who the big hitters are.
British Bulldog – a great sport that we invented and so have a chance of gold. Imagine everyone lined up having to get from one side of the stadium to the other. Open to all ages and abilities and wheelchair athletes may have the best chances.
Three-legged race because it’s rewards teamwork above individual athleticism.
Slapsies – The game of cunning, speed, wit and very sore hands.
This ancient playground sport would benefit hugely from slo-motion camera technology finally ending those lengthy “you moved”/”my hands stayed together” disputes.
It would have to be Chariot Racing because it would be such an inclusive sport for so many countries. Just imagine Italy v China; the Italian team would be all over the place and the Chinese would want to drive along the side of the track! All olympic countries have different styles of driving and so Chariot racing would be both competitive and hilarious to watch!
Well it has to be bog snorkeling of course – although the bogs in London might not be so pleasant to snorkel in! This would be a good chance for Team GB to clean up (!) as hardly anyone else does this anymore.
like eurostar… cross La Manche… why not??? intoduce something like an “original” swimming competion!
French skipping! Imagine all the “skippers” from around the globe -I guess there would be some sort of hi-tech elastic involved now! But it is a cheap sport, you can play it anywhere and it is open to all ages. I seem to remember some paiful bruising in the ankle area!!!
Tug of War. It’s not just about strength it’s about distraction techniques. I’d devote half the team to the actual tugging. The other half however would emerge from the line wearing clown masks and animal suits and begin a ‘New Zealand style’ dance. Also it might be an idea to have a few team members creeping up on the people at the back of the other team or rising from the ground zombie style. One good scare and it’ll be Britain for the win!
Chariot Racing for me!
I would train by riding my chariot from Braitain’s oldest recorded town and Roman capital Camulodunum (Colchester) to the UK’s newest cities in Chelmsford, Perth and St Asaph and back to the modern capital and Olympic city of London. With this kind of training the Britiash chariot racing team of the XXX Olympiad would storm the other competition in the 2012 hippodrome!
Stadion, in which the runners sprinted over the distance of 1 stade (192 m), which was the length of the ancient stadium in Olympic.
HOPLITODROMOS is one of the few early events that marked the closing of the games. ALL the participants of the games took part. As I’m no athlete this is an event wheer I coudl participate and be among the best athletes in one place.
Knights competing by a Spears Duel always seemed to majestic and heroic to me.
A brutal sport, but with lots of elegance as well!
Pankration please. Who wouldn’t want to get involved in naked mud wrestling? And before you ask, I am so totally not gay!
The Ancient sport I would like to see reintroduced is a running race of 2-4 stades (384 m. to 768 m.) in armour – with a modern twist on the requirement for this armour to be produced from reused and recycled materials only. The standard hoplite armor (helmet, shield, and greaves) weighed about 50-60 lbs. This would test not only cardiovascular fitness, strength/power, but also intelligence – in our modern knowledge-driven society, incorporating the requirement to intelligently design an eco-armour will be an interesting component to the olympics!
As an Indian origin I would take part in ‘Kabaddi’ Two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a “raider” into the other half, in order to win points by tackling members of the opposing team; then the raider tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting the word “Kabaddi” during the whole raid. The raider must not cross the lobby unless he touches any of his opponents. If he does so then he will be declared as “out”.
Tug of War
As it would bring back some of the old traditions of the games,
and could be an Olympic and Para Olympic sport
Hunger Games, because it’s full of awesomely unrealistic plot elements, dour-faced teenage angst and that cake-baking skills make you a camouflage expert! What’s that? Not an ancient sport, you say? Oh.
I’d like to participate in Varpa, the old viking game that still is practiced on the Swedish island of Gotland. It’s similar to boules, but the stones are flat and heavier.
Tug of War is competitive and also a challenge to see who is the strongest and has the ability to win by first over the finishing line. we want peace so no guns, we have cars so not chariot and tug of war is an everyday thing.
William Tell style apple shot competition, nothing like arrows and targets on a human head to get the pulse racing and draw the crownds in!!
May the ancient SPIRIT of the games live forever!
“Cheating seems to have been rare at the ancient Olympics, which traditionally started in 776 B.C. and were held every 4 years thereafter. It is assumed there were cheaters in addition to the known ones listed below, but the judges, Hellanodikai, were considered honest, and on the whole, so were the athletes, partly deterred by stiff fines and the possibility of flogging.
Eco Olympic Games
I would love to take part in the Pentathlon. A combination of five separate events: Discus, Javelin, Jump, Running, and Wrestling. With the implement made from stone, iron, bronze, or lead, a javelin made of wood and a thong for attaching the thrower’s fingers. In the jumping event, the participants held onto lead or stone jump weights (called halteres) which were thrown backwards during the jump to propel them forward and increase the length of their jump. In other words, I would like to remind the world that we need to go back to ecological things if we want to save it!!!!
Penny Farthing racing! I reckon it would not only be tough, but also potentially quite funny!
We really need to keep up with the times,Imagine how much fun we could have in iPad tossing
Mine would have to be the ancient Sumo wrestling it’s fun to watch it for real and even funnier to watch Sumo wrestling parties!
I would like to take part in a Pentathlon for a Transition Olympics.
Event 1) Digging over a 10m by 5m plot.
Event 2) Spreading compost over a 50m by 10m plot using horse and cart.
Event 3) Planting 100m row of cabbages by hand. Marks deducted for rows that aren’t straight or plants incorrectly anchored in the soil.
Event 4)200m slalom wheeled hoeing of courgettes.
Event 5) 50m potato row harvesting.
The Tug-o-war must be the most egalitarian of races and sports . No costly equipment easy to wear uniforms and the strength of many to create a winning team .Couldn’t think of a better sport that represents every one through age sex health and their abilities equal for even one . Cheers I will pull Pull to that .
Stephen .
Space hopper races! This ancient game slowly faded from popularity in the distant era that was the 1980′s, but I am sure that modern sports fans would jump at the opportunity to see this game back in the limelight!
I think there is defintely a gap in the schedule for the Mesoamrican ballgame.
Bascially it’s a bit like volley ball, however the ball is made of solid rubber, which you had to control by bouncing it off your forearms, hips, elbows, and bats and rackets.
The loser unfortunately have their heads cut off, so I wouldn’t lose if I were you!
I’ve always thought the IOC were missing a trick by not including a Party Olympics as an evening event. I think i’d be a dab hand at the World Musical Chair event or Pass the Parcel! I can see Usain Bolt practicing his sitting down technique.
Plunging sounds interesting but could be a tad boring to watch.
3 legged 50 meter hurdles or blindfolded javelin. Now those are spectator sports!!
It absolutely has to be either Championship Tiddlywinks or Olympic Queuing. Trust me, no-one can queue politely like the British can.
Well as the prize is to watch athletics I will opt for one of the ancient Olympic sports of running – I wouldn’t be able to compete back in the day or even watch as married women were excluded from watching. The running race I choose isn’t quite like anything that we’ll see at London 2012 but competitors would have to run nearly two circuits of the track with a whole suit of armour and a shield. It would probably take me a day to compete it but would certainly be an achievement. Wouldn’t a race like this be amazing to recreate in modern London?
Ancient sport of gladiators to win glory as the best fighter for your region town and country !!
Pankration sounded like a fab contest – real raw contest with no holds barred except for the eye gouging – which I can accept! But I could show my real brute strength!
Skittles….
Tug of war over a fire pit!
Chariot Racing – Nigel Havers would be my team mate and we’d have a Chariot of Fire.
As this is a competition to go to the Olympic stadium, the sport I’d like to compete in would be the stadion race, from where the word stadium derives. It was a race over about 190
metres (620 ft), measured after the feet of Hercules, just as well, I couldn’t run a marathon!
Tug of war, it would make such a pleasant change to see something which would bring a smile to us all lol xx
Tug of War is such a British Summer game!
Chariot Racing
1 – because it was a sport that women did not partake it, it is a sport to do with tactics more than just brawn (I think!).
2 – decades after women were allowed to vote and are doing fantastic work politically and in the boardroom, there are still certain ‘clubs’ that women are barred from joining.
Considering the excitement it generates at later stages of each round at friend’s BBQs, Olympic sized giant Jenga is the way to go. Observation, tactics, a steady hand and nerves of steel required…
The Herald and Trumpet Contest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herald_and_Trumpet_contest, I’m not making it up!)
I might not be much of an athlete, but by golly I can most definitely tell you what you’re doing wrong, very loudy and clearly, thank you very much!
A Hoplite race, I think it was at the first ever Olympics. Although I’d like to change the armour and helmets to just a general fancy dress theme, maybe changing each year to go with the host city. A British Bobby theme would go well this year.
The beautiful, noble and ancient sport of falconry. Imagine hawks, kestrels and peregrines soaring over London; maybe an owl to bring the wisdom of the ages and a buzzard to add gravitas. Best of all – it would get rid of the pigeons.
I think we need to combine the old and the new. We could have a “Draw Something” competition themed around Olympic sports, or perhaps London vs Thames Water Aquatic events. Where contestants would compete against Thames water to see who could fill an olympic size swimming pool the fastest, but under hose pipe ban conditions.
Freestyle peasant-baiting xxx
As I have Scottish ancestry I’d love to see some traditional caber toss!! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caber_toss
I reckon seeing tree trunks flying up in the air would be a lot more entertaining than watching a javelin or discus throw – and it adds a local UK touch to the London Olympics!
I’d definitely cross-dress, wear a kilt, and give it a go but I’m not sure I’d make my ancestors proud…!
Surely we need to have the games of our childhood, the egg and spoon, the sack race followed by the mother’s 50m dash!!!
Quintessentially English – why should these games finish after we leave primary school.
test
pankration, a grueling combination of boxing and wrestling,the only rules were no gouging your opponents face with your finger nails or holding on to the boxing himantes, and they started in competition as boys they had to toughen up early in life.
Mega Monopoly. Using a gigantic Monopoly board with Huge movement pieces pushed around on tracks. The Squares on the board could be changed slightly to reflect London’s Landmarks and attractions with Big working models of the attractions such as the London eye, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace and Palace of Westminster. The spectators and people at home could join in by texting in a random number from 1-6 for the dice throw. This would pay for the building of the Mega Monopoly Board. Hasbro (or who ever owns Monopoly) could sponsor it and sell Olympic copies.
Chariot racing in the style of shopping trolleys with spears on the wheels
Kottabos, the sport of throwing wine at a target whilst in a recumbent position (and we’ve all been there) . I know it may seem like a waste of wine, but I’ve had more than a few glasses that were more suited to be thrown than drunk!
Seeing as I’m on the somewhat uncoordinated side, I’d have to choose the ‘Herald and Trumpet contest” from the 96th Olympiad held in 396 B.C.
I’d dearly love to do the chariot or jousting competition but I think it would be best for everyone’s safety that I don’t.
I’d like to see Chess as an olympic sport. Allowing for athletic prowness to be replaced by strategic and cunning athletic minds.
Compact Discus Throwing: the high tech ancient sport of sharing music without worrying about ancient SOPA bill from Mount Olympus.
Wife-carrying races are popular in several countries, the best known being Finland.
The Prime Minister or Head of State of each competing country could be invited to carry / or be carried by their spouse or partner (or another qualifying individual) in a race over the customary distance of 253.5 meters over the obstacles through water, and across sand and grass in the main stadium.
Imagine the sight!
Definitely got to be the three-legged race.
Chariot Racing, because there we have lost the greek tradition of seeing young handsome men fighting in sweaty dirty tiny clothes, while they all race for their lifes and pride. Now if that is not a crowd pleaser, what is!
duelling pistols – i would be soooooooooooo fast enough to win!!
Tug of war. Whole team wins i.e. no stars, heros or discrimination
Throwing anything the longest distance as one of the first ever sporting challenges use the five coloured olympic rings
Joggling with olympic Rings: who manages with most of them?
Would end up in a ringtastic chaos, and everyone have to participate!
I would take part in a pistol duel. The pomp surrounding them in the 18th Century is amazing and the suspense and adrenaline would’ve been fantastic !
Gladiator Spear Throwing, reminiscent of the film and a variation with a dangling target movement generated randomly by computer. Heart and Head targeted with red paint, earn maximum marks. Maximum points with the best of three throws.
The crowd will go wild!!
No way you’ve lost your child’s dreams. I see the International Hide & Seek happening in a stadium as the next big thing.
1. No weight’s or size’s or sex’s discrimination. just need to be smart.
2. Absolutely forbidden to hide in the crowd.
3. Think about the podium .. World records will win because he stayed 22min in a fake Fish & Chip’s stand and this.. will make his/her country proud for 4 years.
P.S: If you search for me, I’ll be in the bedroom’s closet when these tickets are released.
I’d be happy to see any of the ancient or discontinued sports brought back – but I feel there is no point in bringing back chariot racing or tug of war or whatever UNLESS the revival is done with a real loving respect for the history and craft of the venerable and ancient traditions of the Olympics. It has to be done right; with a total commitment by all the nations involved and no ‘namby-pamby’ -modern-day “health and safety” or “Ooooh, were much too civilised for that these days” half measures.
So, as long as it was all approached with the right spirit, yes I think it would be a great idea to see absolutely any or all of the ancient sports make a welcome return for 2012! Just so long as – and here I feel I must again emphasise that it really would necessitate a concerted and dedicated effort by all the athletes and organisers involved – just so long as all of the sports of old were recreated with the utmost precision and played today just as they were once played back in ancient Greece – in their perfectly pure, unspoilt, an original form.
We must respect history – and not just pick and choose the bits that suit us best. That is why we deserve to see the ancient sports played precisely as the ancient Greek spectators once witnessed them. The competitions need to be stripped back to their original form. There needs to be a back to basics approach. These sports need to be played as they once were; plainly and simply for the glory of the Gods of Olympus…Just as the Gods and nature intended them to be – with each and every athlete competing in the nude! That’s right – Starkers. In the buff. Totally bare. Completely and utterly naked. Only birthday suits allowed. That’s how it used to be and, by Zeus, Apollo and Athena that’s how it should be now!
I want to see a bare-skinned basket ball game that would make your granny blush. I want to see skinny dip swimmers; stark naked sprinters; unpeeled ping-pong players; lighter than air long jumpers and red raw marathon runners wearing only their smiles!
I want to see “women in love” style wrestling; unrobed gymnastics; butt naked boxing; modesty free mountain biking and high definition, close-up and feels-like-your-actually-there-and-might-just-get hit-in-the-face-if–you-get-to-close high velocity displays of unabashed volleyball!
Now, that’s how the games should be…
But MOST of all I would like to see some unclad croquet brought back to the games. This king of sports has only ever been played previously once before, during the Olympics held in 1900 in Paris, but on this occasion it was of course, unfortunately, the clothed variety of the game – and if there is any sport that is undoubtedly spoilt by clothes it is of course, as everybody knows, the beautiful game of croquet.
But now the games are being held in London and we have a chance to bring the sport back and make it more successful this time.
Oh, just imagine, how refreshing it would be to see this magnificent sport return to the Olympics au naturel. For surely there could be no finer sight than to see the world’s finest croquet players taking to the field in nothing but their fair, toned flesh; holding their large hammers in hand, unencumbered by their garments and wonderfully free…free to take aim, swing their bats, bash their balls and shoot for their hoops – all without the heavy and totally unnecessary burden of clothes.
Ah, the chance to finally see the physiological finesse of these elite athletes on full, uninterrupted display – it would be such a treat; to witness each rippling muscle and sinew, each tensing tendon, each crunch of cartilage as they powered delicately upon the croquet lawn!
Come on, why not? The ancient Greeks had a long tradition of playing sports in the nude. Isn’t it high time we brought it back? For goodness sake even the word gymnasium comes from the Greek word gymos, which means “naked.” Come on, let’s all strip off and make this a games to remember. You know it makes sense…
I think that we should allow are pets to also get into the spirit of things, how about dog and cat races… We could do hurdle events and high jump… England is famous for being a nation of animal lovers!
Sheba
Fun Running, similar to Free Running, but instead on a fixed course of Fun Obstacles e.g climbing down slippery poles, crossing mud pools with small unstable rocks, Tobogganing down sand slopes.
Will be challenging but will take the seriousness out of the games. As it is unpredictable, the fittest and most innovative will survive, which is what the spirit of the games should be !!
4 x 100 relay on the athletics track. First leg = hoop rolling, Second leg = egg and spoon, Third leg = hopping in a potato sack (rice sack, sugar sack – whatever is pertinent to your country!) and the Fourth leg = a three-legged race. Good old-fashioned fun!
Tug of War
So much fun but some take it sooo serious and it brings out the beast in t hem
go watch at parents open day in schools – woo its sooo funny
Elephant polo, sport of kings! Would definately make the Queen come!
Babar and Celeste?
Office Olympics is an ancient sport that is still in practice today, the discipline requires both physical and mental talent and is a competition that lasts for 8 hours a day and 5 days a week. It is not only about speed but quality of the work judged by a panel of directors. The race has many portions, is not only to be the first into the office from a squeeze test to fit into the Tube to running 400 meters in high heals hurdling over puddles while juggling a lap top bag, purse and umbrella. Upon entering the office starts the intense mental concentration part of the race to answer 100 emails while the phone rings off the hook followed by a run down the hallways to get quotes and memos approved and sent out before noon. There is no break time, just a quick glass of water while the last report is finished and to be placed on the director’s desk by 5 o’clock. The race is not over until the final sprint to the finish line, home.
I would like to participate in a triathlon that onvolved all three sports(Chariot Racing/Duelling Pistols/Tug of War.
First tug of war where I will have the most energy at the start, then off to chariot racing because if I did Dueling pistols second and lost, then I wouldn’t be able to participate in the intense race of horses. I would be in a intense race to the hospital instead.
Cannot wait until the Olympic games
Being a female I would not have been allowed to compete at the ancient Olympics. However, there was a loophole, I could be the owner of a chariot. Therefore I would like to be the wealthy owner of the winning chariot, although I may not have been permitted to be there to watch, my fun would come when I tried to sneak into the stadium to see my chariot rider take the gold!
Kabaddi – would be a fun for all to watch and it originates from my home country !
Chariot Racing – I’d light up the wheels and be the chariot of fire!
Chariot Racing.
Imagine watching BEN HUR’S chariot race at an olympics. How fantastic would that be. Health and Safety would have a field day though !
Duelling Pistons…sounds quite exciting!
Chariot racing
We have plenty of football in the capital these days but its been a long time since Londinium has seen a good chariot race.
I would like to take part in an ancient Aztec sport called Ullamaliztli, it was a ball game where the players had to use elbows, heads, knees and hips to keep a 9lb rubber ball in the air without touching the ground and into a small stone hoop. They weren’t allowed to use feet or hands which sounds like quite a funny/hard game to play but I think it would be fun and you’d get fit really quick as it’s a fast paced game but I wouldn’t want to be sacrificed at the end!
No one can deny that the Ancient Greeks and Romans played a major part in shaping civilization, and the world as we know it today would be considerably different had it not been for their input. They came up with so many inventions, and of course the Ancient Greeks created the Olympic Games themselves. That’s why I’m going for Chariot Racing, as it would serve as a spectacular and vivid reminder of where it all began, on Mount Olympus. This year’s Olympic slogan is “Inspire a Generation” – what could be more inspiring that linking the modern Games with the ancient?
TUG OF WAR
Dueling pistols… what better and faster way to decide a winner of a game?
I would like to suggest the “slow bicycle race” because it would be interesting and hilarious to focus on a winner who can go slowest for a change. However, as do not think that was an ancient game,I would like to suggest “Hoop Rolling” as everyone regardless of age or ability could take part. Truly an Olympic event for all the people of the world.
Duelling Pistols (At dawn) of course!!! Too long a male only prerogative. I think we girls would be quite splendid!!!
Cow Tipping… A traditional team sport the world over, ideal for fast food sponsors.
Sword fighting. Being left handed I’d be able to make some sneaky moves and win a Gold for Team GB!
Lacrosse – Fun.. Cheap.. Universal!
Lacross was played since the Middle-Age between EU Nations, contests were organized near battlefields! Another reason it was demonstrated 3 times during Summer Olympics across the 20 century: Credible now for London2012!
Lacrosse – Fun.. Cheap.. Universal!
Lacrosse is played since the Middle Age and contests were organized near battlefield. Another reason is this sport was demonstrated 3 times across the 20 century: It’s now ready for London 2012!
Because of my African Caribbean heritage I would choose the ancient sport/martial art of “Kalinda” (aka “Calinda”) – a traditional, African “dynamic art” that combines aspects of stick-fighting, martial arts, dance and singing. Kalinda has its ancient origins in southern and West Africa but, as a result of transatlantic enslavement, Kalinda travelled to the Caribbean region and became a significant symbol of African Caribbean heritage that often manifests during the modern-day, street-based carnivals in Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, Antigua, etc. (&, of course, Notting Hill Carnival here in London!). Like Capoeira in Brazil, Kalinda is an important symbol and celebration of cultural hybridity, diversity and inter-culturality, as well as being a dynamic and energetic combat sport that comfortably straddles the line between sporting activity and performance art. In my view, Kalinda would be the BEST choice because – in the same way as the London 2012 Games – although it has ancient origins, it symbolises the contemporary representation of ‘Olympism’ and ‘multiculturalism’ – i.e. an internationally recognised ‘sport/art’ activity that reflects the harmonious coming together of people from all over the world to share in the pursuit of cultural, sporting and aesthetic excellence.
Tug of War!
Actually we played it with neighbors in last summer at the street party.
It was fun fun fun!
Pankration – because it was considered the ultimate game to win in the original Olympics, where it was competed for for 1000 years, and because it is a total combat, pitting you against your opponent with just two rules.
Duelling pistols would be amazing – mainly because of the huge drama of it all- obviously would need to done at dawn!
Would love to try chariot racing – sounds amazing!
The mum challenge. The contestants have to complete the tasks over 100m: change a nappy, pull on tights, make a sandwich, feed a baby it’s breakfast, walk over a floor of Lego, iron a shirt, make a cuppa and then run the last bit in heels.
Russian Roulette. Derren Brown can represent England.
scrabble……….it’s a sport !
Chariot Clay Pigeon shooting of course……London 2112
Egg and Spoon/Oeuf et la cuillère
TORCH RELAY. The Olympic Flame is transported all over the world to the Olympic stadium by torch, so why not finish the games in late evening with an actual 400meter relay where the runners have to hold a lighted flame torch high at arms length ( obviously to avoid burns to other contestants !). This will even out the advantage sprinters have as it is harder to run with one arm held high–but what a finish in the fading evening light. Lighted torches, the symbol of the Olympic games,hurtling towards the finishing line. A Blazing Finish!
Oh what i’d do to win first place,
In an ancient chariot race,
Ready and set on the starting line
I would charge to the finish for my chance to shine
Imagine the excitement to hear the crowd roar
With passion and pride for their champion to soar
Past the components and into the lead
Faster and faster hurtling at speed
Their chanting and cheers getting louder and louder,
Winning gold for my country? I couldn’t be prouder,
With the finish in sight,
I’d hold on tight,
Thundering along with all my strength and might..
..whilst being a chariot racer may be a dream,
Nothing will stop me supporting our GB team
Being a cynical Londoner who is sans tickets, it would have to be an updated chariot race. The ‘track’ could be a miniature version of our fair streets! Each 4×4 would have to stealthily avoid the world class, body armored cyclists weaving in and out
To gain a bonus, you would have to successfully throw the requisite number of gold coins into a basket to avoid losing points at the edge of the start zone.
Refueling is possible, but you would have to be quick, as the cost starts increasing from the word go, and doesn’t stop…
Other perils would include, a red danger zone alongside parts of the track where double decker chariot thwarters randomly pull out to obstruct you, and you will be fined, ahem, points for even putting a wheel over.
You cannot stop, as there’s nowhere to ‘park’, and if you see a set of tricolor lights, just go straight through, as once stopped you will lose momentum, patience and honour.
Lastly, if you see flashing lights from above, its either your adoring public, or the empty boxes pretending to film your Olympian effort!
Sounds like fun!? It is, EVERY DAY!
The pre-15th Century game of Stoolball, the for runner to Cricket, Rounders and Baseball and originating from my home county of Sussex. A proper ladies team sport for the Olympics.
I would take part in the ancient sport of Hula Hooping. Both directions available – spinning clockwise and anti-clockwise, points for number of hoops and spins and artistic merit, much as with the rhythmic gymnastics today. This takes athletic ability, practise and dedication. Olympic hoops would, of course be a prescribed circumference, but material would not be prescribed. I wonder if an old fashioned wooden hoop would twirl just as well as a modern plastic / aluminium or duraluminium hoop would fare?
Gladiators.
Tug of War. But how do you get the tugs from the Thames to the stadium?
Its got to be “Its an Olympic Knockout” with greasy poles, slides, moving plates, foam and lots of water – but only with Stuart Hall doing the commentary!
Tug of War. Across the Thames.
It has to be fighting the lion in an enclosed cage with just a large fork and dinner plate.
1. Adrenalin rush very high.
2. Constipation cured.
3. watchable for the audience.
4. Leg of lion for dinner (much protein) and if not, leg of me for dinner.
Chariot Racing: ….. have you ever watched the movie Benhur? THRILLING!!!
Pillow-fighting!
Chariot racing!!!!
I’d like to show how can I use the whip…
Gladiator’s of course. I would love to dress up as a female gladiator in Roman costume tearing a fellow contestant’s hair out. Count me in.