Sports has been the part of our History being played by the times of our Ancestors Hundred and thousands of years ago. But have you ever thought about which are the world’s oldest sports? If yes, then here is the list of the top 10 oldest sports in the world.
For entertainment and improvising the Troops or the Army. Sports in History were also played for the Leisure times. Even in the Upper Paleolithic age, around 15,300 years ago, human work of art depicted the carvings of people playing sports activities came to know through the archaeological excavations.
10. Rugby
Rugby was earlier Known as”Rugbyball” and is commonly known as “Egg Chasing”, a type of football developed at Rugby Schooling Rugby, Warwickshire, one of many versions of football played at English public schools in the 19th century. The two main types of rugby are rugby league and rugby union. Although rugby leagues initially used rugby union rules, they are now wholly separate sports.
9. Hockey
The National Sports of India, you can call it, but a replica of this game can be traced back to ancient Greek, where some of the archaeological carvings discovered show paintings of people playing some sport with a curved stick/horn and ball. However, the modern hockey rules were invented in England by the Middlesex cricket club in the last 19th century, and it spread to British colonies In Australia, Africa and the sub-continent. International hockey federations were established, and hockey was included for the first time in the Olympics in 1908.
8. Hurling
Hurling is the National Sport of Ireland, and it has been played in Ireland for over 3000 years, making it one of the oldest sports in the world. It is a team game played with a stick called “Hurley” and the ball “sliotar”. Usually, the players have to score goals into the opposing goalposts with the use of the stick. The sport seems similar to Hockey, but its rule is different, and the size of the stick differs as well. Unlike some other sports listed here, Hurling has a documented history, and it is very popular in Ireland. To find sports betting sites in Ireland, visit mybettingsites.com/ie.
7. Football
Sheffield FC is the oldest football club which came into existence in 1857, Whereas England’s football tournament FA Cup is the oldest in the World. FIFA claims that Football existed 200 to 300 bc, and it is one of the oldest sports in the World.
6. Gymnastics
The World Knows that Gymnastic has its origin from ancient greek its beginning was associated with military training. Still, as a sport, This game’s historical evidence is not much known from the ancient timesModernrn Gymnastiit dates back to the late 18th century when two physical educators from Germany developed and exercised with boys using “apparatus”.
5. Boxing
This Sport has a long and well-decorated history in the modern era. At the same time, considering the historical points, the “fist fightïng” as a sport has evidence from 2nd and 3rd BC, but the fist fighting with hand protection is believed to exist from 900 bc to 1500 bc. Moreover, the Romans also had Boxing, like the sport with leather thongs wrapped around the hands, but in the Roman era, boxing was more of a fight till death, so strange to call it the sport.
4. Polo
Polo is known as the Rich Man’s game and is played on horses on the Green pitch. It’s a replica of Hockey. The only difference is that horses back where both teams try to outscore each other by putting “small wooden ball” in the goal. 316 AD is the documented evidence about the sport like Polo in the Persian empire. While the modern game with rules and regulations were developed in India during the time of the British empire, and the first Polo club dates back to 1833 in India.
3. Javelin & Discuss Throw
Javelin Throwing is a track and field sport, and it dates back to the ancient Olympics in 708 bc. However, in the 1870s, Poles used as Javelin was now introduced in Germany and Sweden, and by the next decade, it became a yearly national event in Sweden and Finland. It was introduced in the modern Olympics in 1906, while it was introduced in the 1932 Olympics for women.
2. Running
Standing 2nd in our Top 10 Oldest Sports In the World’s list, Running was the only sport in the first-ever recorded Olympics held in Athens back in 776 BC. Its origin is from Greece and as a sport as many disciplines in the Olympics, with slightly different requirements such as a marathon, sprint, long jumping and hurdling etc.
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1. Wrestling
Wrestling is the oldest sport in the world, according to documented evidence. It has evolved over the centuries, of course, and it was part of the Olympics as the first set of sports in an era between 800 to 1200 BC. At the same time, Professional wrestling circuits were first introduced in Paris, France, in the 1830s. In this 21st Century, Wrestling is not only an Olympic sport but a passionate professional ca. It isd is widely regarded as one of the most popular and top sports in the world.
Top 10 Oldest Sports in the World
NO. | SPORT | ORIGIN |
1 | Wrestling | 100-200 BC |
2 | Running / Long Jump | 200 BC |
3 | Javelin Throwing | 706 BC |
4 | Polo | 1100 BC |
5 | Boxing | 16th Century |
6 | Gymnastic | 18th Century |
7 | Football/Soccer | 18th Century |
8 | Hurling | 18th Century |
9 | Field Hockey | 20th Century |
10 | Rugby | 19th Century |