But few people today recall that poetry, just like the 100 meters, was an official Olympic competition from 1912 to 1948. Sadly, the names of the medal winners are not listed on the International Olympic Committee's rosters.

Did the Olympics have poetry?

Even throughout much of the twentieth century, poetry was included as an official competition in the Olympics. In the arts-inspired Pentathlon of the Muses, poets—alongside the athletes—were awarded the gold, silver, and bronze for their epic and lyric poetry.

What was once an Olympic event?

Since the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, as many as ten sports have disappeared completely from the schedule, such as croquet, cricket, jeu de paume, pelota, polo, roque, rackets, tug-of-war, lacrosse, and motor boating.