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Four Unusual Olympic Sports Featured

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Through the eyes of Paula...

With the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics approaching quickly, it may interest some people to learn about some lesser known Olympic sports. To take a break from the well-known events, one can take a chance on watching and learning about a different event. Here are a few unusual Olympic sports.

1. Judo: Judo is a gentle way for athletes to take their opponents down – gentle as in not involving kicking or punching. This martial art uses a combination of throws and muscle power. This year marks 52 years since judo was introduced in the Olympics.

2. Rugby: Rugby may be unusual only because it has been absent from the Olympics for decades. The top contenders for the top prize are the Canadian and American women’s teams.

3. Field hockey: Field hockey is the only Olympic team sport in which there are medalists from all inhabited continents of the world. Historically played on grass, the international federation modified it to be played on a synthetic surface to provide a faster pace for flicking or chasing the ball. At Rio 2016, teams will compete in 15-minute quarters rather than 35-minute halves.

4. Trampoline gymnastics: Trampoline gymnastics only made its debut at the Sydney 2000 games, which is fairly recent. Competitors can compete solo or in teams, and they must execute an array of twists, turns, and other aerial feats while completing 10 bounces that put their bodies several metres above a trampoline. 

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Monday, 25 July 2016 20:00

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    The world’s largest architectural model captures New York City in the ’90s
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    The Empire State building stands approximately 15 inches tall, whereas the Statue of Liberty measures at just under two inches without its base. At this scale, even ants would be too big to represent people in the streets below.

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    Xavier completes thrilling comeback, Mount St. Mary’s advances as men’s First Four comes to a close
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    Wednesday saw the men’s First Four come to a close which means only one thing: the 64-team bracket is officially set following No. 11 Xavier’s thrilling come from behind win over No. 11 Texas and No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s victory over No. 16 American in Dayton, Ohio.

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    The Longhorns did not go down without a fight as guard Tre Johnson scored a game-high 23 points in the loss.

    Xavier will face No. 6 Illinois in the first round on Friday at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

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    A librarian ran off with a yacht captain in the summer of 1968. It was the start of an incredible love story
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    The fish collectors hoping to save rare species from extinction
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