SAILING
RUGBY
Rugby was an Olympic
sport from 1900-1924
before taking an extended
break until now. Back then,
it was rugby union, with 15
players per team, but this
time around it is rugby
sevens, with seven per
side, making the cut for
the Olympics. In rugby,
teams try to score as
many goals as possible by
carrying, passing, kicking
and grounding the ball.
There are men’s and wom-
en’s tournaments, with 12
squads in each beginning
the competition in pool
play and eight advancing
to the quarterfinals with a
shot at a medal. Both U.S.
teams are expected to be
competitive.
8/6-7 Q; 8/8 M; 8/9-10 Q;
8/11 M
RUGBY RETURNS AF-
TER 92-YEAR ABSENCE
SAILING: RIDING
WIND AND WATER
SHOOTING
• Hollywood starlet Esther Williams, an accomplished swimmer, hoped to compete in synchronized swim-
ming at the 1940 Olympics, but they were canceled due to World War II.
• Sailing events at the i rst Summer Olympics in Athens in 1896 were canceled due to bad weather. Sailing
made its Olympic debut four years later at the Paris games.
SHOOTING ATHLETES
AIM HIGH
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Olympic shooting
competition is the combination of modern and classic firearms.
The shotgun sports, which remain trap and skeet, showcase the
craftsmanship and balance that double-barreled shotguns have
always been known for. The .22-caliber small-bore pistols,
meanwhile, are all about performance and handling. The air
rifles and air pistols showcase the development of modern fire-
arms that rely on air rather than gunpowder. The shooting sports
are anyone’s game. Although China excelled in 2012, U.S. skeet
shooter Morgan Craft of Pennsylvania is among the favorites to
shoot straight in Rio.
8/6-14 M
• Field hockey was i rst played on artii cial turf at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium in the 1976 Olympics.
• Actress Geena Davis tried out for the USA archery team for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.
• The i rst known archery competition was held in London in 1583.
• Child development expert Dr. Benjamin Spock won a gold medal in rowing at the 1924 Summer Olympics
in Paris.
• After the 1924 Paris Summer Games, members of the Hungarian and Italian fencing teams settled a scor-
ing dispute with an actual duel.
pg 10 2016 SUMMER OLYMPICS VIEWER’S GUIDE
Ten gold medals are award-
ed among various categories
in two size classes (one- and
two-person crews), with six
for men and four for women.
On the men’s side, look for
Australia to defend its 2012
gold medal from Austria,
Croatia and the USA in the
470 (two person), while the
Aussies and Germans are
considered to be factors in
the Laser (one person).
Poland is a likely candidate
for gold in the RS:X (one per-
son), while New Zealand,
Denmark and Spain are in a
wide-open field in the 49er
FX (two person). In the wom-
en’s competition, look for New
Zealand to vie for gold in the
470, while France should bag
hardware in the RS:X.
8/8-13 Q; 8/14-18 M; 8/19
Q