They have shoes for that?

Last Sunday marked the Singapore National Tug-of-War Challenge. Now if you're like me, you are probably thinking: "They have Tug-of-War Challenges? That's a real sport?" They do!

Teams competed in matches (best out of 3), then the winners would progress on towards other winners, and the losers towards other losers...what is that called? Brackets? They were very serious about the competition, too.

The team pictured here is the Malaysian team, and they actually ended up being the winners. They had super amazing leg strength and a good technique...and yes, there is such a thing as good technique in Tug-of-War!
What amused me (and my mother) the most, perhaps, was that they even have their own shoes! I mean, I guess it is to be expected... what sport doesn't have their own special shoes to wear? It was still sort of funny, though. They all had shoe covers to wear as well whenever they were walking anywhere other than on the green mat part.
Right now there is some sort of Asian Olympic thing going on... I guess this means that Tug-of-War isn't included in that since they had to have their own championship on the side.
It was an interesting find, nonetheless!