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Civilizations were inventing extreme sports thousands of years before ESPN.

Seven ancient sports — from a Maya ball court that doubled as a temple to Mongolia's 800-year-old games.

Cover — civilizations were inventing extreme sports thousands of years before ESPN.
Pok-ta-pok — the Maya ball game played in temple courts
Cuju — China's ball game, played through a net since 200 BC
The ancient Olympic Games
Gladiator combat sports — Rome
Naadam — Mongolia's 800-year-old games
Heʻe nalu — Hawaiian surfing, an art of chiefs
Hurling — ancient Irish sport
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The Maya played ball with their hips — and the court was a temple. China kicked a ball through a net in 200 BC. Hawaiians rode waves as an art of chiefs. Mongolia still runs its 800-year-old games every summer.