When you hear the word skeleton -- a sport is probably the last thing to cross your mind. But it is indeed an interesting name for a rather interesting sport.
Skeleton made it's Olympic debut in 1928, but was only an event at one other Olympic games in the 20th century (1948). Similar to bobsled and luge, competitors speed down an icy track. But unlike the others, they go head first in skeleton at speeds nearing 90 mph.
Yikes, amirite? No wonder it's has a "scary" name! But actually, the sport's name has more to do with the sled and a possible mistranslation than the way competitors travel down the track.
WATCH: How skeleton got its name
According to NBC Olympics, Cresta Run, a natural ice run in Switzerland, toboggans (or long narrow sled) were referred to as "skeletons" as early as 1892. This was due to the fact that the new sled may have resembled human skeletons. Either that, or it was just a poor translation of the Norwegian word "Kjelke" which means sled.
Skeleton was re-introduced at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, where two Americans won gold. Fast forward 12 years, and Arizona's Matt Antoine snapped the skeleton medal drought for Team USA with a bronze medal in Sochi in 2014.
Fun fact, since they do travel head first, skeleton athletes have some of the coolest helmets at the Olympics.
