10 Underrated Olympic Sports You Should Watch This Year
Start writing a post
Sports

10 Underrated Olympic Sports You Should Watch This Year

Here are 10 of the underrated sports that you should watch for the Rio games.

3217
10 Underrated Olympic Sports You Should Watch This Year
GolfWeek

Let’s be real here. When it comes to olympic sports, we Americans usually just follow the main sports that have pro leagues in the U.S.: Basketball, baseball (up until 2008) and soccer (or football as the rest of the world calls it. They’re crazy). We also watch swimming because of Michael Phelps, because I mean, come on, the man’s a legend. According to Twitter after the 2012 Olympics, we also love to watch Usain Bolt run, even though he’s from Jamaica (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone!) Enough about that though, we need to talk about the underrated sports that are going to be played in this year’s olympic games. We have 555 athletes from the USA participating this year, most in sports that aren't as popular for viewers. Here are 10 of the most underrated sports that you should totally check out this upcoming games in Rio!

1. Archery


Bet you didn’t know (but you’re not surprised) that the USA has won the second most medals in archery all time with 32 total, just behind South Korea with 34. We have three men, Brady Ellison, Zach Garrett, Jake Kaminski and one woman, Mackenzie Brown, who have qualified to represent the USA this year.

2. Athletics (Track and Field)


Probably the more famous of the events are the sprints and the relay, but athletics is a lot more than just those events. Hurdles, the decathlon, discus-throwing, hammer-throwing, the high jump, javelin, long-jumping, steeplechase, the marathon, pole-vaulting, shot-put, and the triple jump are all events that are so underrated. We have 71 American athletes participating in track and field events. All time, the medal count for the USA in Athletics is 767, with the Russia coming in second with 193, and Great Britain third with 194. (USA! USA! USA!) Want to watch, but don’t know where to start, or who to cheer for? How about Amber Campbell, a three-time Olympic athlete, who threw for 69.93 meters at the London 2012 games, which is the longest for an American female, ever! She qualified first for this year’s games with 74.03 meters.

3. Badminton

A totally underrated sport, badminton is something you should totally tune into this year! The USA has seven athletes participating in the sport this year. I know, a lot of people will argue that badminton is an easier version of tennis, but trust me, it's not. Viewership for Badminton is notoriously low, so tune in and cheer for Team USA!

4. Canoe (Slalom and Sprint)


Slalom and sprint are two separate disciplines that are part of canoeing. These athletes compete in rapids and in still water. It's actually very interesting to watch, so check it out once the games start!

5. Fencing

Fencing is like modern-day sword-fighting, and who doesn’t like sword-fighting?

6. Handball

Remember playing handball in gym class? I know my class always had kids who played and were so serious, like it was the Olympics. Well, this is exactly that. Crazy intense handball for the title of best in the world. Check it out!

7. Rowing

The USA has incredible rowers, and many of you may have seen how dedicated they are to competing for America. We have 41 rowers competing in this years' games, and we're right there competing with the best in the world. USA! USA! USA!

8. Rugby 7s

I’m a little biased, as a rugger myself, but rugby sevens is fun to watch. It’s a lot like football, but without padding. The sevens game is shorter and runs at a much faster pace than 15s. The last

time that rugby was in the Olympics, it was 15’s, and the USA won gold.

9. Synchronized Swimming

Synchronized swimming is actually an incredibly hard sport that combines swimming with dance moves. They’re like real life mermaids! Check out Anita Alvarez and Mariya Koroleva try to win gold!

10. Water Polo

I won't front, I don't know too much about water polo, but from what I can tell, it looks super intense. Y'all should check it out when the games start, I know I will.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70917
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132495
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments