Oldest Sport Ever: What Was It?
Miles Rath
2025-05-18 11:53:16
Count answers: 3
The Carlisle Bells have earned their place in history as the oldest sporting trophy in the world. Dating back to 1559, when the coveted bells were first awarded, this prize originated in Cumbria, England.
Sabrina Romaguera
2025-05-18 11:00:16
Count answers: 6
Polo first appeared in Persia around 2,500 years ago, making it the oldest known team sport.
The first ball game is thought to have been a life-or-death type of Dodgeball, played with a 4kg rubber ball that could break bones or even kill, practised around 3,500 years ago in Mesoamerica, a region which extended from Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Perhaps even older is an ancient Chinese version of modern football called Tsu Chu.
It is thought to have been played between 5,000 and 500 BC.
Prehistoric cave paintings have been found in Japan illustrating a sport that looks like sumo wrestling.
The first Olympics were held in 776 BC and consisted of just sport - the stade, a mid-distance run, made on foot, of around 210m.
The ancient Hawaiian sport of Lele Kawa saw brave divers leap feet-first from cliffs of at least 21m high, making no splash.
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