Some of you bloggers might have noticed a little sporting event going on in London. The 2012 Olympics got me thinking about how our very own Team GB, or Team Great Barbary’s, would do and what events we could enter them in. With all the grooming, sleeping and feeding together a good team spirit would not be a problem.

Training. Top left: Kerry combines weightlifting with suckling: top right: Dakota arranges the infants to practice her hurdling; bottom left: a young rider is nearly dismounted; bottom right: Apollo shows off a little with a double carry

The infants spring, quite literally, to mind their great play sessions and tree sports could make them perfect contenders in the gymnastic events. Although some of their landings might lose them quite a few marks and drop them down the rankings!  The long jump could also be a great event but our team might need a platform to jump from such as a tree branch or old tree stump.

The relay race and the wheelbarrow were both cancelled due to safety concerns; while right: an infant gets artistic

The infants could also team up with their mother or a male to take part in the cross country equestrian. Infants love a piggy back, being carried along on an adults’ back, or sometimes less comfortably on their older siblings back, smaller bodies make smaller saddles.

Top: the infants and juveniles take any opportunity to practise their high jump; bottom left: Oz shows Lewis he still has a good spring in his old knees; bottom right: at least we know all the cameras would not cause stage fright for the Green Group.

As for the adult males, I think they would be most suited to some of the big power events although being quadripedal probably rules out shoulder movements for discus, shot put or javelin, chimpanzees seem more adept at throwing objects certainly. But with their large aggressions, often with ritualised behaviour I am sure they would do well at judo.

A previous blog showed Lewis perfecting the high jump: click here

We may have to include some new events for monkeys, however, as many human based events are difficult to replicate and Barbary macaques not big water fans so that would rule out many disciplines. How about synchronised suckling for Rebecca and her infant from the Green group? In the picture below looks like they would get gold. Poor Biggie from the Cèdre Gouraud group will either need to do some intensive fitness work in the next 4 years for Rio or hope they add in competitive eating or sumo for the next games.

Rebecca and her infant try the unusual synchronised suckle

We also must not forget that the unique high altitude of the Barbary macaque home-ranges make them one of the few primate species which could also enter the Winter Olympics!

The tough exterior of the Barbary macaque would make them ideal competitors for the Winter Olympic’s too

Feel free to add your own suggested events to the comments.

Chris