'Awuduru Games' No More At The Olympics!
These two sports which are very popular during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, were a part and now discontinued from the Olympic Games over a century ago!
As we prepare for the New Year dawning tomorrow, the 'Awurudu Games' take center stage in many parts of Sri Lanka during this time, especially in the rural regions where some of these events are organised annually on a large scale. Did you also know that two of these popular games, were once part of the Olympics?
This special feature is none other than about how 'Kamba Adeema' and 'Gama Haraha Diweema', that not only fosters community bonds through displays of strength and endurance, was once a part of the Olympics till the 1920's and discontinued for completely different reasons!
Tug-of-War - A Tussle Before The War
Many might not know this but Tug-of-war as it is known worldwide (and as 'Kamba Adeema' in Sri Lanka) is an IOC recognized sport which featured in the Olympics from 1900 to 1920.
In fact, Great Britain won the most number of medals in the sport during this period before this was removed by the IOC, citing too many sports and competitors but it was also due to the fact that there was no governing body at the time and the IOC had the last say when it was removed along with 32 other sports!
Agencies
Despite not being an Olympic sport anymore, Tug-o-war remains a very intense game of strength and endurance, with many countries doing it on a more professional basis where there is even a Tug-o-war Association of Sri Lanka other than the sport being popular during this time of the year.
Cross Country set to make its return?
Everyone loves a race and 'Gama Haraha Diweema' along with bicycle and cart races that are highly popular in the rural parts of Sri Lanka is certainly one that brings the whole village together, whether you're a participant or bystander!
The closest comparison to this sport in English is Cross Country, which is also a sport that is no longer part of the Olympics and shares the same distance and terrain. Although at present, most villages in Sri Lanka have carpeted road so it wouldn't necessarily qualify as 'Cross Country' but long before roads were built, it certainly did as competitors ran over hills and terrain.
Cross Country was featured in only 3 Olympics, unlike Tug-of-War having a longer history of 5 and there are discussions at present to bring back the sport, which stopped after many competitors felt the extreme heat and pollution from the Power Station near the track in the 1924 edition.
Quite notably, Paavo Nurmi the legendary Finnish middle-distance runner with 9 Gold medals to his name in his Olympic career, had two of those Golds from this event. Although the proposal to reintroduce Cross Country at the Paris Games last year was rejected, there is still hope for the sport to make its return after almost a century at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
With that being said, here's to wishing all readers a Happy Awurudu!