Here’s a shocking fact about the Olympics you probably didn’t know

Thankfully, the event was never repeated in the next 120-odd years till date.
Here’s a shocking fact about the Olympics you probably didn’t know
Here’s a shocking fact about the Olympics you probably didn’t know
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As the Rio Olympic games are to kick off in a few hours, here’s a shocking fact.  

In the 1900 event held in Paris, the shooting competition had live pigeons as targets. The shooting event was introduced in 1896, and has since been part of the Games. Thankfully, it was never repeated in the next 120-odd years.

Time Magazine says more than 300 pigeons were killed.

Topendsports website says Belgium’s Leon de Lunden aced the competition held at Cercle du Bois de Boulogne. He beat the other 53 competitors by killing a record 21 pigeons.

According to the sports portal, six birds were released at a distance of 27 metres from each of the competitors and they faced elimination if they missed two birds.

Topendsports says the award of 20,000 Francs was equally shared by the top four competitors. The other three were Maurice Faure (France), Donald MacIntosh (Australia) and Crittenden Robinson (USA). While Faure killed 20 birds Macintosh and Robinson killed 18 each.

An NPR article lists them as one of the ‘odd’ Olympic games but says it might not be an official sport given the Games archive do not feature Lunden as one of the winners.

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