Olympic athletes have it easy. Sure, they train for years, face immense pressure and have to perform on the world’s biggest stage. But at the end of the day, they just have to focus on one sport. Olympic fans have to pay attention to 42 — taxing work, even if they never have to leave their couch.
But with so much to do as Rio approaches, a few of those sports are sure to be overlooked. And sadly, some of those overlooked events are actually quite cool. So to make sure every Olympic viewing is a gold medal, here are the four of the most underrated events you should tune into this summer.
1. Handball
Most people know “handball” only as a penalty in “football,” a sport most Americans know only as “soccer.” But for the uninitiated, there’s nothing about the fast-paced, exciting Olympic sport you can’t learn via a few thrilling YouTube highlight reels soundtracked with hilariously awful techno music. The game, which made its Summer Olympics debut in 1936, features teams of seven facing off on a small, indoor court that serves as an unwanted reminder of high school gym class. The goal? Well, it’s to score as many of those as possible, using — you guessed it — your hands. And score a lot those hands do: In the 2000 Olympic Games , the Austrian women’s handball team scored 45 goals in one of its hour-long match, an Olympic record.
2. Badminton
That’s right, the backyard game you played once at your second cousin’s high school graduation party is an Olympic sport! And no, you’re not good enough to play in the Olympics, no matter who won that game. But if you’ve ever half-assedly played badminton, you should definitely tune in to see the competition in Rio — it’s more exciting than you might think. Blending the rapid back-and-forth of professional tennis with the childish amusement that comes with saying “shuttlecock” (yes, that’s what that thing is called), Olympic badminton is worth the watch. In fact, after catching a few matches, you might want to leave it to the professionals from now on.
3. Canoe slalom
Another event you may have kinda tried at some point, canoe slalom takes the boat long assumed to be owned solely by Boy Scouts troop leaders and makes it cool again. Gone are the lakes, fishing rods and sunburned dads in goofy hats — the Olympic rendition of canoeing involves whitewater rapids, gates and lots of speed. The canoers, who paddle through the course in singles and doubles, move down the man-made rapids as quickly as possible while struggling to stay upright. And what a struggle it is: Just as exciting as the record times are the wipeouts (shipwrecks?) that come fast and furious, making canoe slalom a can’t-miss event.
4. Trampoline
One of the most overlooked gymnastics events is easily one of the most impressive (and definitely one of the highest). Fact: The best gymnastics events have lots of flips, and trampolining might have more than any other event. Each competitor’s performance is a dizzying flurry of limbs spinning in midair, twisting and turning dozens of feet in the air. In sheer terms of scale, trampoline puts other gymnastic events to shame. In fact, the Olympic sport it shares the most in common with is diving — minus the Speedos, for better or worse. It’s also one of the youngest Olympic sports, only entering the games in 2000. So to any athletic hipsters out there: Get in while it’s still cool.
