Inspired by the Paris Olympics to get sporty? Here’s where you can get started in Lincolnshire

In the world of sport, the Summer Olympic Games are the biggest show in town.

Attracting the creme de la creme of athletes from across the world across 45 diverse sports, the Games provide the ultimate sporting stage. Tonight, the four year wait ticks down to zero with the opening ceremony taking place in Paris - the host city.

Olympic gold remains the most precious of metals. Its lure inspires competitors to scale new heights, which in turn inspires the next generation to get off the sofa in search for their own piece of the action.

We’ve taken a look at seven sports which may catch your eye for the first time over the next 17 days and find out how you can give them a try right here in Lincolnshire.

Breaking

Breakdance will take many of a certain age back to their formative years.

Sweeping across the Atlantic from its New York birthplace in the 1980s, it found its place in UK pop culture and persuaded a generation to bust a variety of ill-advised and ultra-gymnastic dance moves on their parents’ kitchen lino.

It may surprise a few of us with such hackneyed and nostalgic views that a much-evolved scene remains cutting edge today.

So much so that the IOC was persuaded to give ‘breaking’ its bow as an Olympic discipline in Paris, six years after a successful trial run at the Youth Summer Olympics.

But how do you ‘win’ at breaking?

There will be two events - for b-boys and b-girls - who will face off in solo battles, looking to impress the judges with a combination of power moves as they adapt to the beat of the DJ’s tracks (so it says here).

Here in Lincolnshire, a team has been keeping the streetdance burning bright for the last 20 years.

The all-male breakdance group Jumpstart is run through the Hub’s dance programme and is open to boys aged 10 to 19.

They meet term-time at the OneNK Centre in North Hykeham, coached by Leicester professional b-boy Jordan Wildman.

“It’s a great way to not only stay fit, but it's also a good way to collaborate with others and get to know new people,” said dance development manager Emma Bouch.

“The Olympics will raise the profile for people to see dance as a sport and not just as an art form because it does require so much athleticism.

“It will make people think ‘if I apply myself, could I be there?’ because many of the b-boys and b-girls would probably have just started doing dance for the social aspect.”

Classes resume in September. Visit https://hub-sleaford.org.uk/dance for more details.

Sport climbing

My climbing career plateaued on a family day out at the beach as a pre-teen when, bored, I scaled a gently sloping rockface.

Oddly forgetting I possess a fear of heights bordering on the extreme, the intrepid climber soon became stuck, paralysed by fear after looking down from what was, for most, a pathetically low height.

If you fall into a more adventurous category, you can scale the heights by giving sport climbing a whirl.

Like breaking, competitive climbing against the clock emerged in the 1980s.

It found its way into the Olympic schedules after a run out at the 2018 Youth Olympics and was swiftly introduced for the Covid-delayed Tokyo games, held in 2021.

The sport encompasses three formats - bouldering, speed and lead.

Bouldering sees intrepid climbers scale walls without ropes, in a limited time period and in the fewest possible attempts.

Speed is a one-on-one race up a 15m high wall, and in the lead event, athletes climb as high as they can in six minutes.

If the events in Paris persuade you to revisit your childhood climbing days, or unleash your inner Spiderman, you can.

The Showroom Climbing Centre, in Tritton Road, Lincoln, boasts a bouldering room with more than 100 routes and 40 boulders ranging from kids’ climbs to roof climbing.

Based at Lincolnshire YMCA in Tritton Road, it also houses the largest roped climbing wall in Lincolnshire, again accessible to newbies through to advanced climbers, with a variety of courses and classes for every ability and age.

“Physically, climbing provides a full-body workout, engaging muscles in the arms, legs, back, and core, while also enhancing flexibility, balance, and co-ordination,” said spokesperson Jake Drake.

“Climbing also demands focus, problem-solving skills, and quick decision-making, which can enhance cognitive function and reduce stress.”

For more details, visit www.lincsymca.co.uk/health-wellbeing/climbing-bouldering/ or email climbing@lincsymca.co.uk

Water polo

While many events in the Olympic pool are typified by style and grace, water polo is not among them.

It’s rough, tough and not for the faint of heart, with contact positively encouraged. You have been warned.

Water polo was developed right here in England, but like oh so many sports we could mention, other nations soon adopted the sport and became better at it.

It was first developed in rivers and lakes in the 19th Century as an aquatic version of rugby before rules were laid down in London.

While water polo is now a fringe sport in the nation of its birth, it is one of the oldest team sports in Modern Olympics, dating back to the 1900 Games and remains a big deal on the Continent, particularly in central Europe.

Going into Paris, Hungary have bagged the most Olympic medals with 16, including nine shiny golds.

GB has an impressive haul of four golds, although you’d have to go back 104 years for the last one.

If you’d like to dive in and try your hand, Grantham Water Polo Club runs four junior teams, from under-12s, as well as men’s and women’s teams at the Meres Leisure Centre.

Horncastle Otters Swimming Club also hosts weekly water polo sessions, on Wednesday evenings from 7.15pm to 8.15pm (seniors) and 7.15pm to 8pm for juniors.

Senior swimmers must be able to swim at level six or above, or from level two for juniors.

For more details, visit www.granthamwaterpoloclub.com/ and www.horncastleotters.org.uk/disciplines/water-polo

Fencing

You can’t get a sport with much more history than fencing.

It seems fencers have been honing their cut and thrust since the days of the Pharoahs, with carvings depicting the sport discovered in Egypt which date back more than 3,000 years.

While the sport itself is not quite so ancient, its Olympic legacy has endured - fencing has featured in every Games since the Olympics were resurrected in 1896.

Wearing kitchen sieve-like face guards and clad head to toe in white protective gear, fencing has a mystique all of its own and comes in three disciplines - epee, foil and sabre.

France, Italy and Hungary (again) are the daddies when it comes to Olympic success with a combined 343 medals, while GB has one gold among nine medals - the last coming 60 years ago.

If you fancy your chances of improving our fortunes, North Kesteven Fencing Club holds the next in its twice-yearly eight-week beginners’ courses in September.

The club meets on Fridays from 8pm to 10pm at the North Kesteven Sports Centre, in North Hykeham, with members ranging from beginners to experts, from 10 to 75.

Club chairman John Carleton says the sport offers a ‘unique blend of physical and mental challenges’ and encourages ‘honour and fair play’.

“Fencing provides a comprehensive workout that enhances physical fitness,” he said.

“The sport involves dynamic footwork, lunges, and rapid changes in direction, which improve cardiovascular endurance.

“Fencers also develop agility, balance, and coordination, making it an excellent choice for overall fitness.”

For more details, visit http://www.lincolnshirefencing.co.uk/Home.html

En garde!

Archery

Fencing may be an ancient art, but in terms of historical provenance, it is knocked into Robin Hood’s cocked hat by archery.

Arrowheads were discovered in South Africa dating from 64,000 years ago, while the first recorded archery tournament was held in China during the Zhou dynasty (1027-256 BC).

But having been introduced at the 1900 games in Paris (again), its Olympic legacy has been a little patchy, with a 52-year wait after the 1920 Games before its reintroduction in Munich.

GB has a decent track record with nine medals, placing it fifth in the all-time list, although the last of those came 20 years ago when Alison Williamson claimed a bronze in Athens.

Those of you familiar with Robin Hood movies will know the aim of the game, quite literally, is to fire your arrow at a ringed target, with the innermost bullseye scoring highest points.

So far so good. Unfortunately for us mere mortals, the target measures just 122 centimetres in diameter and is placed a rather inconvenient 70 metres away.

But fortunately there are a host of clubs in our county willing to set you on your way.

Grantham Archers was where it all started for Paralympic gold medalist Maggie Parker and British international Neil Dowsett, while double Olympic bronze medalist Simon Terry was a member.

For those picking up a bow for the first time, the club runs beginners courses at the Walton School for juniors (aged 10 to 20) and adults. Sessions take place on Sunday mornings and all equipment is supplied. And for under 10s, there are taster sessions.

Visit www.granthamarchers.co.uk/beginner-courses to register your interest.

Spalding-based Silver Spoon Bowmen run Have a Go sessions as well as beginners courses throughout the year.

Details at https://silverspoonbowmen.org.uk/beginners.html

During the winter months indoor sessions are held at Surfleet Village Hall, but in more clement conditions, members venture outdoors to Red House Farm, in Donington.

To the east of the county, there’s Friskney Bowmen and the Boston-based Pilgrim Bowmen, and completing the set are Sleaford Maltsters, Lincoln Archers (Washingborough) and Louth Archery Club.

Rowing

If you enjoy the sight of the Union Flag being hoisted up the flagpole, best head to the boating lake.

Rowing - that is racing in boats rather than arguing - has traditionally been a banker for the Brits when it comes to Olympic medals.

GB’s total tally of 70, including 31 golds, is bettered only by the United States, but our rowers have been the dominant nation in recent years, topping the medal table in three of the last four Games.

It has also provided one of our most prolific Olympic athletes, with Steve Redgrave winning gold at a staggering five consecutive Olympics.

Rowing has been on the programme at every edition of the Modern Olympics.

Essentially the name of the game is moving your boat as quickly as possible from point A to point B using either one oar (rowing) or two oars (sculling). It can be done solo or as part of a team - two, four and eight.

It’s darn hard work to get to the top with plenty of gym work and early morning training stints, but if you fancy something less Olympic-sized, there are opportunities right here.

The Lincoln Rowing Centre offers competitive rowing as well as Learn To Row programmes for juniors (aged 11 and above) and adults.

Adult taster sessions take place on Sundays from 10am at their River Witham base in Spa Road.

To find out more, email learntorow@lincoln-rowing.org.uk or juniors@lincoln-rowing.org.uk or visit www.lincoln-rowing.org.uk/

A few hours pootle along the Witham, you’ll find Boston Rowing Club.

One of the oldest clubs in the country, formed in 1856, the nation’s best rowers head to its Carlton Road HQ every year for the British squad’s winter time trials.

However, if you haven’t set foot in a boat before, never fear.

The club holds six-week fully-coached Learn 2 Row courses two or three times a year for both adults and juniors. Visit www.bostonrowingclub.co.uk/learn-2-row

Trampolining

The urge to trampoline arrives early in most of our lives.

It’s usually followed by a swift parental rebuke to stop bouncing on the bed.

While gymnastics has offered up a huge amount of medal opportunities all the way back to 1896, trampolining is a relative newcomer to the Olympic family, making its debut boing back in 2000, and has two events - men’s and women’s.

While childhood ambitions begin and end at getting as close to the bedroom ceiling as possible, competitive trampolining is a highly technical affair and requires remarkable precision and fitness to land those mid-air twists and somersaults.

Competitors must bounce more than eight metres high in performing a routine of 10 elements which are scored based on their difficulty, execution, and time in the air.

Britain has won two Olympic medals in the discipline, both captured by Bryony Page who is aiming to complete the set with gold in Paris after winning silver in Rio (2016) and bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

Abbey High Fliers Trampoline Club, based at Crowland Sports Hall, offers a place to go for beginners and those wishing to trampoline purely for fun and fitness.

But it is also home to national and international competitors.

Sessions are held on Mondays, and from Thursday to Saturday, with most open to children aged six to 18, as well as adults.

Email enquiries@abbeyhighfliers.com or visit www.abbeyhighfliers.com/index.html

Lincoln Imps Trampoline Club, in North Hykeham, offers recreational sessions for beginners of all ages, as well as competitive sessions for the more experienced.

Taster sessions are available at £10 for two sessions. To register your interest, email lincolnimps.tc@btinternet.com and visit www.lincolnimpstrampolineclub.com/ for more about the club.

Just down the A15, Sleaford Elite Gymnastics Club holds trampoline classes for children aged seven and above.

Visit https://sleafordelite.co.uk/classes2/t for more information, or email sleafordelite@outlook.com

The Paris Olympic Games runs from July 26 until August 11. The Paralympic Games follows from August 28 until September 8.