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The 2024 Olympics Added Some New Sports, But Also Greatly Modified Others — Here's Everything You Need To Know
The Olympics are here, and I couldn't be any more excited. It's only been three years since the last Olympics (COVID-19 pushed back Tokyo 2020 to the following year), yet we get to see the best of the best from across the globe compete for the gold.
The incredibly talented Simone Biles returned to represent the USA in gymnastics; LeBron James was the flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremony; Rafael Nadal has everyone anticipating if he'll dominate in tennis.
The Summer Olympics always allow for the finest in the world of sports to push themselves to the limits. Each athlete feels the weight of their country's pride on their shoulders, regardless of the sport.
Whether fencing, soccer, badminton, or boxing, the Olympics is perhaps one of the few times when dedicated fans of specific sports might broaden their interests.
There are staples in the multi-sports event. I mean, what would the Summer Olympics be without basketball, soccer, track and field, and gymnastics? Among others, of course. The Olympics remains the gold standard for athleticism, and the ability to introduce new sports allows the competition to evolve over time.
So, how does a new sport get introduced into the Olympic Games?
Per the Olympics, the IOC Session selects the sports lineup for each edition of the Olympic Games from among the sports governed by the International Federations (IFs) recognized by the IOC. Each sport must comply with the Olympic Charter, the World Anti-Doping Code, and the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competition.
Once the Olympic Agenda 2020 was introduced in December 2014, the Olympics established a revision to selecting the program that pushes the Games' popularity and ensures that all aspects could be manageable, from event complexity and number of athletes to costs.
The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee was the first to propose new sports, adding surfing, karate, sports climbing, skateboarding, and baseball/softball to its Summer Games.
So what could we expect this year?
With the Olympics in full swing, here are the four new sports that will be introduced at the Paris 2024 games.
1.Breaking will make its debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Hip-hop heads, rejoice! A year after hip-hop celebrated its 50th anniversary, breaking will be officially recognized at the Olympics. Breaking has already had a massive international grip, with competitions taking place across the world. But this year, breakers will be able to go head-to-head on the biggest stage possible.
The competition will be divided into two groups, one for men and one for women, with 16 competitors each. These will be solo battles, and each athlete must use an array of power moves, including windmills, the 6-step, and freezes. A DJ will be spinning music, and each athlete must adapt to the beat changes, switching their style up accordingly, to try and secure the gold for the inaugural breaking competition at the 2024 Olympics.
Though this marks the first time the sport will be introduced into the Summer Olympics, breaking previously appeared at the Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2018. It gained enough momentum over the years for the Olympics, and I couldn't be more thrilled.
Victor Montalvo, aka B-Boy Victor, will be leading Team USA for the men, and Sunny Choi, aka B-Girl Sunny, for the women. Montalvo earned his quota following his win at 2023 WDSF World Championship, while B-Girl Sunny secured her spot at Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. There's going to be some stiff competition, so it will be a must-watch event at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Competitors will compete in one-on-one battles where they will be judged on five criteria: technique, vocabulary, execution, musicality, and originality, according to the Olympics website. The first gold medal event will take place on Aug. 9.
2.Kayaking introduces a brand new discipline: cross kayaking.
Kayaking has remained a fixture in the Olympics for years. The sport is typically divided into two categories: sprint and slalom. The former involves athletes racing across still water in either canoes or kayaks. Conversely, Slalom is a bit more challenging due to races occurring on man-made white-water courses where athletes must navigate the volatile waters.
This year, the Olympics will introduce kayak cross in men's and women's categories, allowing athletes to go at it for another gold medal. What separates kayak cross from other forms of slalom kayaking is that competitors won't go against the clock but each other. Four athletes will compete at a time in the cross kayaking events.
As detailed on the Olympics website, the athletes begin from a ramp above water, but once released, they must complete the course and navigate six downstream gates and two upstream gates. While touching gates is permitted, missing any gate will result in disqualification. However, the real twist about kayak cross is the mandatory 360-degree kayak roll, where athletes flip their kayaks underwater and return upright, adding another layer of difficulty.
Team USA will be represented by gold medalist Evy Leibfarth (women) and Casey Eichfeld (men) in kayak cross. Outside of the home team, Australia's Jessica Fox and Joseph Clarke of Great Britain will bring incredible competition as gold medalists in kayak cross's inaugural event.
3.Two new sailing events were added this year: kiteboarding and windsurfer — iQFoil.
Sailing has been part of the Olympics for over 100 years. Introducing two new events in the sailing category feels like a full circle moment, considering that the sport was introduced at the 1900 Paris Games. Kiteboarding makes up two new events at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which include windsurfer — iQFoil.
As explained by CBC, kiteboarding involves an athlete riding a surfboard while holding a large kite that pulls them through the waters by wind at high speeds (up to 100 km/h). The hydrofoil at the bottom of the surfboard helps athletes pull through the waters by the force of wind. The hydrofoil, located under the board, lifts athletes above the water, significantly reducing the blowback from rough waters.
Athletes must navigate a course with buoys while focusing on their movement across the water. The Olympics will judge them based on board control, balance, maintaining speed, and making clean and tight turns.
On the other hand, windsurfer — IQFoil will replace RS:X, a format included in previous Olympic Games. Like kiteboarding, this includes a hydrofoil that elevates the board above the water and allows for higher speed. RS:X athletes use a daggerboard that floats on the water, but with the hydrofoil, competitors appear as if they're flying above it.
Now that we've established some of the new events, let's take a look at some of the changes that will be happening in the upcoming Olympics.
4.NBC reports that a men's artistic swimming category has been established, marking a first in Olympic history.
First introduced in the 1984 Olympic Games, artistic swimming has remained a fixture in the multi-sport event. However, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, men will have the opportunity to compete, too. Men have been competing on a professional level since the 2015 FINA World Aquatics Championships, and now, they'll be able to take center stage. Each team will have eight athletes, though the Olympic rules state that only a maximum of two men from each country will be able to compete.
5.The shotgun shooting event was changed to mixed skeet team from mixed team trap.
Shooting has remained a staple of the Summer Olympics since 1896, except for the 1904 and 1928 games. The 2020 Tokyo Games introduced mixed team events for air rifle, air pistol, and shotgun shooting events. However, this year, the shotgun shooting program will switch from trap mixed team to skeet.
According to the Olympics website, the trap events require shooters to hit clay targets, which are 10 cm in diameter, from five positions as they're thrown in front of them, while the skeet discipline requires shooters to hit their targets from eight different stations. In the skeet events, the clays fly in from the left and right ends of the range.
6.An expansion of the women's weight class.
Seven weight classes for men and six for women will be included in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The women's boxing events have a new weight class with the introduction of the bantamweight category. However, the men's boxing program lost the weight class between 71 kg and 80 kg, Capital Gazette reports.
7.The marathon race walking mixed relay replaces the individual 50-km discipline.
The Olympics will host 25 teams, each consisting of one male and one female athlete. Each team will have to complete a total marathon distance of 42.195 km. The two will alternate between the four stages of roughly 10 km each. But maybe one of the most exciting aspects of the marathon is that it will take place at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
8.Meanwhile, the IOC has excluded three previously included sports in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Martial arts enthusiasts should be disappointed that karate will not return to the Olympics.
Baseball and softball fans might also be disappointed that neither will be included in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Fortunately, according to People, both will return at the 2028 games in Los Angeles.
Let me know which event you're more looking forward to at the Olympics this year!
