If you see two people kicking each other in the shins, don’t assume that they’re having a fight, because they may just be training for the Cotswold Shin-Kicking Championships . Yes, shin-kicking is a sport. And yes, it has a champion.
His name is Zac Warren and he’s the best shin-kicker in England.
MSNBC reports that people travel to Gloucestershire, England every year to watch the best shin-kickers in the world kick eachother in the shins.
James Wiseman, a judge of the English sport, said:
“The easiest way to describe it is it’s a bit like wrestling but with a lot of contact below the knees…. The idea is really to throw the person to the ground, but to throw the person to the ground you’ve got to unbalance by kicking them first.”
According to the Post Game, the athletes are allowed to stuff their pants and socks with as much straw as they want to absorb the blows. Players aren’t allowed to sweep or trip. Instead, the goal is to land direct hits against the shin in an effort to knock your opponent to the ground.
The sport may not be well known in the United States but it certainly has a long history. The shin-kicking championships have been held every year (with a few exceptions) since 1612.
This year, 23-year-old stone mason Zac Warren claimed the title of Shin Kicking Champion.
Here’s a video about the event.
