The history of each sport draws on ancient traditions that little by little end up crystallizing into a regulated practice. It is, for example, the case of fencing, the only Olympic discipline that, according to some sources, would have Spanish origin . There is an Egyptian bas-relief from the 12th century BC. C. that shows a competition with weapons that could be described as its remote antecedent, but it was in the sixteenth century when swordsman duels became more popular –although firearms already existed– and incorporated more refined techniques.
This practice was common in Italy, England, France, Germany and Spain, but in the latter country the rapier or rapier appeared at that time, a fine and long weapon with a very characteristic appearance, as well as some manuals on the technique. This has led some experts to establish the origin of modern fencing in Spain.
The other sport of international relevance that could have been born in Spanish territory is Basque pelota . Once again, the origin of ball games, in any of their versions, dates back thousands of years. There is evidence that around 1400 a. C. already practiced in what is now Chiapas, in Mexico, certain modalities of a ritual nature. However, it is generally accepted that the French jeu de paume – palm game – is the clearest antecedent of the Basque pelota, which is already mentioned as such in documents from the 16th century. The various varieties of this sport spread throughout Latin America from the 19th century due to Spanish migration.
Image: Marie-Lan Nguyen via Wikimedia / CC
