Nothing beats the excitement of watching expert-level athletes compete in sports no one has heard of. Graphic by Maddy Broderick.

Every two years, the Olympics remind viewers that the world is full of sports considered only for a brief, glorious moment — ones that inspire admiration and confusion. Beyond the marquee events are competitions that are stranger, faster or simply more niche than most expect, each with its own history, quirks and fiercely devoted athletes. From precision broom-sweeping to high-speed sledding, these lesser-known competitions offer a look into unique global athletic traditions. Read on to learn more about a few of the Games’ most delightfully obscure events. 

MADDY BRODERICK | CULTURE EDITOR | mbroderick@butler.edu

Luge

At first glance, luge seems like glorified sledding — until one realizes how much precision it demands. Often called the fastest sport on ice, athletes lie on their backs, feet-first, and rocket down an icy chute at highway speeds armed with nothing but calf muscles, shoulder pressure and a prayer. Luge leaves no room for hesitation, as a single brush against the wall can cost an athlete thousandths of a second. What originated as a mode for transportation in the 16th-century Swiss Alps has evolved into a precision-obsessed spectacle, complete with singles, doubles and — debuting in this year’s Olympics — women’s doubles, finally expanding an event long dominated by men. For viewers, it’s part physics lesson, part adrenaline rush and entirely mesmerizing. 

ANA DOLLARD | ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR | adollard@butler.edu 

Curling

Whilst watching the Olympics, nothing has ever felt more humorous than watching athletes intensely mopping a floor and letting a giant weight slide across it. This, however, is the joy of watching curling, an event widely regarded as the most ridiculous sport at the Olympics. While it may look unusual, curling has received a reputation not quite aligned with the true talent required to succeed. Despite how easy it might look, curlers must have genuine athletic prowess, and even intelligence — the sport has been nicknamed “chess on ice”. Next time one feels the instinct to laugh at curlers, remember, there are all kinds of mind games going on to get that stone on the target. 

ABBY KIDWELL | ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR | arkidwell@butler.edu

Mogul skiing 

For those who think skiing on relatively smooth, packed snow is too easy, try mogul skiing. Mogul skiing is a freestyle skiing event where participants race down a field of bumps in the snow called moguls. The competition is not just about who can get to the finish line fastest — style is a more important factor, as skiers must launch jumps from the moguls to earn points. The snow mounds are not just obstacles, but ramps, and a successful run requires impeccable timing, balance and speed control. 

SAMUEL DEMIS | STAFF WRITER | sademis@butler.edu

Skeleton

Competing in skeleton is likely the closest an athlete can get to becoming a penguin. The sport requires a running start onto a metal sled, which then shoots down an icy racetrack as the rider tilts and turns for dear life. Depending on the point-of-view, it could be considered either headfirst luge or one-man bobsledding. The rather macabre name is not a reflection of what athletes break if they crash into the side of the track; rather, skeleton is named so because the first metal sleds used in 1892 vaguely resembled human skeletons. 

HARRISON PRYOR | STAFF REPORTER | hrpryor@butler.edu

Nordic combined

The Nordic combined is not actually all that strange. It is essentially just cross-country skiing with jumping involved — so really just a long ski-jump game. The intrigue comes from the fact that it is the only modern Winter Olympic sport that is still exclusive to male competitors. Women are allowed to compete in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, so why can they not do the Nordic combined? The Winter Olympics have a lot to answer for.

SAWYER GOLDWEIN | MANAGING EDITOR | sgoldwein@butler.edu 

Biathlon

Who came up with the idea to combine rifle shooting with cross-country skiing? Why is anyone in the world that good at both? What even are the rules of the competition? Whatever the answers to those questions are, biathlon is pretty electric to watch, particularly the relay events. Why should anyone care about the running and swimming relays at the Summer Games when the Winter Olympics bring teams of athletes running on skis, stopping intermittently to shoot at some targets from an assigned position? It does not get much better than that.