“Did You Know What?” – is a column with interesting facts from the world of sports that you might not have known. In issue #1 you’ll learn 15 surprising facts.
Interesting facts about sports
- The first owner of soccer boots is considered to be the English King Henry VIII, who in the early 16th century ordered his servant to sew special shoes for him. The reason was a trivial injury received by the king during the game. Sports historians believe that the first cleats have survived to this day and are in one of the private collections.
Today it is very common for soccer players to take the field in different cleats. They get paid to promote two different models within the same company. The first company to pay huge sums to promote its brand was Puma. In the 60’s she signed a contract with Pele. The footballer had to start every match by publicly tying his shoelaces.- Footballer of the Azerbaijani club “Neftchi” Igor Ponomarev is the best performer of 11 strokes during the Soviet era. He scored 24 consecutive penalties in matches of the national championships.
- The youngest Olympic medalist was a 10-year-old boy named Dimitrios Lundras. He played for the Greek national gymnastics team and managed to win a bronze medal in the team competition in 1896.
- The first to issue a decree on compulsory swimming training was Emperor Peter I. In addition to the fact that the sailors could not swim, a lot of defenders of the fatherland died when forcing rivers and reservoirs.
- The average cost of a balloon ranges from 20 to 30 thousand dollars. They are very often compared to cars, as they also differ in size and number of passengers.
Taping is used not only in sports to reduce injuries, but also for cosmetic purposes. Tapes are used to remove age spots, wrinkles, double chins, and face and eyelid lifts.Cosmetologists claim that taping is an excellent alternative to the well-known Botox.- Interestingly, the weight of the barbell is directly related to the location of the competition. The same 200-kilogram barbell at the equator will weigh 1 kg less than at the pole. The main reason for this phenomenon is the centrifugal force, namely from the rotation of the Earth around its axis. The centrifugal force acts less on the body that is farther from the axis. At the equator, the centrifugal force is as if it were trying to lift the rod, compensating for the force of gravity. At the pole, the distance from the Earth’s axis of rotation is greater, and the influence of centrifugal force is minimal.
Cycling. Just due to the most elementary aerodynamic components: professional equipment, bike helmet and carbon frame, the rider saves from 60 to 70 watts of own power at an average speed of 40 km/h. This means that the cyclist gains 9 seconds per kilometer.- The maximum speed of the ball in handball is fixed at 125 km / h, but in volleyball, where the ball is hit with a hand, the speed is slightly higher, only 135 km / h.
- Modern fencing blades are made of maraging steel. It can withstand 18,000 bends (rapier) and 7,000 bends (epee) in the international blade certification laboratory.
The two blades of the epee and the rapier are very similar, and some do not even see the difference between them. This makes sense, as the rapier is a lighter version of the sword for civilians, nobility and the bourgeoisie. At one time, the epee was considered a military weapon that could be used not only to stab an opponent, but also to chop. The rapier, on the other hand, had only its tip sharpened, and the blade itself was often made refined and with precious stones.
Curlers’ shoes have different soles. The soles on the kicking shoe are rough to give a strong kick. The sole of the second shoe is smooth, because it should not interfere with sliding.- At the first modern Olympics (1896) in Athens, a special swim was held for sailors as part of the swimming competition. They competed in the 100 m distance, and they had to swim directly in their clothes. The swim took place in the open sea and in the cool April water. The conditions were, to put it mildly, not the best, so no such swims have been held since then.
- In the 19th century in Switzerland, hotel owners began to build ice trails to attract customers who were looking for thrills and adventures. One of these owners was Kaspar Badrutt, the owner of a hotel in St. Moritz. The desire to make money on tourists allowed him to create two sports: skeleton and luge.
