30 greatest one-time sports in Summer Olympics history

8. Bowling
1988 Seoul Olympics

Yes, that bowling. In the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea, they added the sport of bowling to the docket of demonstration events. This one had a great turnout, with 20 teams of amateurs from around the world joining in on the fun. 

For a second, let’s take a step back. How did bowling talk its way into the Olympics, even as a demonstration sport? Those in bowling had been trying to get it added for decades, but there had been resistance. Even today, bowling continues to be shortlisted for future Olympics, only to have its dreams dashed at the last moment. It mostly comes down to cost, as the host city would have to build a professional-level bowling alley that could fit a crowd. 

As far as 1988 goes, competitors were asked to play a 10-game qualification streak, with the top scorers after that moving on to the next competition, which was in stepladder format. Every bowler averaged more than 200 points per game during qualifications on the men’s side, but Kwon Jong-Ryul ended up winning the first stepladder match 177-165. 

Jong-Ryul ended up winning the entire competition, representing the home country well. Arianne Cerdeña won the event on the women’s side, becoming the first woman from the Philippines to win any Olympic event.