Today marks the opening of the Rio 2016 Olympics! To celebrate we’d like to tell you some secret tips on where to watch and play Olympic sports in Olympic destinations, and even some facts on where these sports originated!
Parallel bars
Did you know that this type of artistic gymnastics was invented in Berlin? Friedrich Ludwig Jahn first thought up parallel bars and by 1819 the bars were being used to create amazing gymnastic movements! Mastering the bars requires patience, skill and a lot of practice!
Where to watch: Berlin has many places to watch gymnasts use parallel bars but there are public parks throughout the city like Rummelsburger Bucht where you can even try it yourself.
Handball
There are stories of handball being played throughout Europe, but it’s particularly popular in Germany. For those of you that aren’t familiar with it, two teams with seven players on the court try to use their hands to get the ball into the opposing team’s net. It’s a very tactical and physically demanding game!
Where to watch: Füchse Berlin Reinickendorf is a professional handball club from Berlin that compete in the city and throughout the world.
Tennis
Today we play tennis with racquets, but the game actually started as ‘jeu de paume’, or ‘game of the palm’, because monks used to use their hands to hit balls back and forth! That was in 12th century France – today it’s a worldwide hit!
Where to watch: There are tennis courts throughout France to watch people play tennis, but arguably the biggest spectacle is the French Open.
Fencing
This sport is as close as you can get to seeing a sword fight! It was first created in Spain in the 15th century, and gained popularity in Italy during the Renaissance, but it was at the French school of fencing that the three styles of competition were agreed. The three styles use different swords: Foil, Épée, and Sabre, although most competitors choose to specialise in one type.
Where to watch: Paris has clubs throughout the city that specialise in fencing like the Salle d’armes.
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