What counts as a summer Olympic sport? It depends on the year. In 1896, freestyle swimming for sailors was on the lineup. In 1920, tug-of-war. Live pigeon shooting was a new event in 1900 (like 184 other events through the years, it lasted for only one Olympiad). With a few enduring exceptions—the 1,500-meter swim and the shot put come to mind—individual events and even whole catego- ries go in and out of fashion: This year women will enter the boxing ring for the first time, and tennis will gain a mixed doubles event. Here’s a look at how long each Olympic category has OLYMPIC EVOLUTION MEN WOMEN MIXED FROM CROQUET TO BMX CYCLING, 116 YEARS OF OFFICIAL EVENTS been able to keep the flame burning.—Rachel Swaby EVENTS BY DEBUT YEAR 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 FENCING GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLING GYMNASTICS ROAD CYCLING ROWING SHOOTING SWIMMING TABLE TENNIS TENNIS TRACK & FIELD TRACK CYCLING WATER POLO WEIGHTLIFTING ARCHERY BASQUE PELOTA CRICKET CROQUET EQUESTRIAN JUMPING GOLF POLO RUGBY SAILING SOCCER TUG-OF-WAR BOXING DIVING FREESTYLE WRESTLING LACROSSE ROQUE FIELD HOCKEY JEU DE PAUME RACKETS WATER MOTORSPORTS EQUESTRIAN DRESSAGE EQUESTRIAN EVENTING MODERN PENTATHLON EQUESTRIAN VAULTING BASKETBALL CROQUET CANOE/KAYAK An event in HANDBALL 1900 featuring JUDO only French VOLLEYBALL players attracted RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS just a single SHOOTING 1920 was a good SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING spectator. year for the RUGBY BADMINTON gun. There were 88 years after BASEBALL its last appearance, 21 shooting events men’s rugby will SOFTBALL SWIMMING return to the that year—the SOFTBALL BEACH VOLLEYBALL To complete the Olympics in 2016, BEACH 200-meter route of most ever. In 2012, and women’s VOLLEYBALL MOUNTAIN BIKING Largely dominated the obstacle course there will be rugby will debut. The sport debuted in TAEKWONDO in Paris in 1900, swimmers only 15. by the US, softball 1996, but it wasn’t TRAMPOLINE had to climb over a was eliminated until 2012 that women pole and boats and dive after the 2008 Games were permitted to TRIATHLON under a row of boats. wear anything BMX CYCLING in a 52-52 IOC other than a bikini. stalemate. 124 WIRED ILLUSTRATIONS BY ADAM SIMPSON