Other new sports in the Olympics for Paris 2024 include additions reflecting not just changing athletic trends across the world, but also new interests of the audience. Simultaneously, this is done by getting rid of some events with the purpose of showing the work of the IOC continuously on keeping the Games relevant and interesting.
New Sports at Paris 2024
Of the new sports being put forward to enter the Paris 2024 Olympics, undoubtedly the most highly publicized will be that of breakdancing, or more correctly, “breaking.” This urban dance sport-which gained mainstream popularity during the 1970s and into the 1980s-will make its first appearance in the Olympic Games, bringing with it a new, vibrant dynamism to the competition. In this format, it comes down to a one-on-one battle format where athletes compete for creativity, skill, and athleticism in the discipline of breaking. This is to recognize fast-growing urban culture, the new importance of which encourages younger viewer bases.
Skateboarding is one of the other new sports returning for a second outing at the Olympics after making a debut in Tokyo 2020. In this sport, there is a competition format including street and park disciplines. The athletes perform various tricks and maneuvers on different obstacles. More catholic inclusion of skateboarding is intended to show interest to the younger generation via individual expression and displays of skill.
Returning for Paris 2024 are Surfing and Sport climbing, both of whom made their Olympic bows at Tokyo 2020. Surfing will take place on the famed Teahupo’o wave in Tahiti, while sport climbing again features speed, bouldering and lead events. These have become very popular sports because they involve outdoor adventure along with endurance.
Which Sports Have Been Dropped?
But while Paris 2024 is embracing these newer, more youth-oriented sports, the axing of karate and baseball/softball, both of which featured in the Olympics held in Tokyo 2020, will be permitted. While karate made its Olympic bow in Tokyo, despite a rich history and mass appeal worldwide, the sport does not figure in the lineup in Paris. Its axing has led to many in the martial arts community giving way to disappointment.
These are sports whose history in American and Japanese culture is rich and will be absent in Paris. Tokyo Olympics included these sports, but predominantly because of the extremely passionate following base of Japan in both of these sports. Focusing more on universally popular sports and appealing ones toward youth, neither baseball nor softball was retained for Paris 2024.
Conclusion
Breaking, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing are just some of the sports that will be part of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. This not only reflects the trend toward more modern, youthful sports but also captures a greater, younger audience for the Games as a whole. Such evolution means bidding adiós to karate and baseball/softball, with the aim of keeping the Olympics fresh and really representative of today’s global sporting landscape. With the commencement of the Games, a lot of expectations mounted in seeing how these new additions finally pulled off center stage into the world’s biggest sports arena.
