By Kaia Costa
I never grew up watching the Winter Olympics, so it isn’t surprising that many of the sports included in the games were completely unfamiliar to me. While events like figure skating and hockey are well known in the United States, many other Olympic winter sports receive far less attention and remain largely unknown to the average viewer. Regardless of my oblivion to the iconic Winter Olympics, here are some unconventional sports I had no idea were in the Olympics.
One sport that immediately confused me was Skeleton. At first, I thought it was basically the same as Bobsleigh because both involve racing down an icy track. However, skeleton athletes ride a small sled headfirst while lying on their stomachs, which honestly sounds terrifying. Unlike bobsledding, there’s no protective shell—just a sled, a helmet, and a lot of bravery.
Another sport I never really understood is Curling. Before learning about it, I only knew it as the one where people sweep the ice. Players slide a heavy stone across the ice while teammates sweep in front of it to control its speed and direction. Even though it looks strange at first, the sport actually requires a lot of strategy and teamwork.
Then there’s Biathlon, which might be one of the most unusual combinations of skills. In this event, athletes ski cross-country over long distances but must stop along the course to shoot rifles at targets. Missing a shot results in a penalty lap, so competitors must quickly calm their breathing after intense skiing. The mix of endurance and precision makes the sport surprisingly intense.