via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Judo – Men’s 60kg – Gold medal match – Nippon Budokan – Tokyo, Japan – July 24, 2021. Naohisa Takato of Japan celebrates after winning gold REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Judo – Men’s 60kg – Gold medal match – Nippon Budokan – Tokyo, Japan – July 24, 2021. Naohisa Takato of Japan celebrates after winning gold REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is up and running right now. Olympic organizers faced multiple challenges in the last 12 months or so, with respect to COVID-19 outbreaks and scheduling nightmares. But everything went as per plan as the quadrennial showpiece began on July 23, 2021. Japanese tennis superstar, Naomi Osaka, had the privilege to light the Olympic torch and declare the games open.
via Reuters
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Opening Ceremony – Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan – July 23, 2021. Naomi Osaka of Japan carries the Olympic torch at the opening ceremony REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
But this year’s showpiece has an added bit of spice to it. With teenage starlets vying for glory and records waiting to be smashed, there are also a bunch of new disciplines that will make their debut at this year’s Summer Games. Read further to find out what those sports are.
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Skateboarding, surfing and karate make their maiden Olympic appearances
Prior to that, the International Olympic Council (IOC) approved the addition of five sports, baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing. That means it would take the total to 18 new events and 474 athletes to the Olympics.
Here’s what the Olympic council had to say about the inclusion of these new games.
“They represent a combination of well-established and emerging sports with significant popularity in Japan and beyond. They include team sports and individual sports; indoor sports and outdoor sports; and ?urban? sports with a strong appeal to youth. The Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 proposed the new sports in response to the new flexibility provided by Olympic Agenda 2020,” a press release said.
Today was a HUGE day for #skateboarding and #surfing fans all around the world! 🌎
Our #Tokyo2020 Day 2 recap⤵️https://t.co/rcwuAHc28l
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 25, 2021
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How many sports are there at the Tokyo Olympics 2020?
There are 33 sports and 46 disciplines in the official Olympic program which is applicable in Tokyo right now. That includes 339 total medal events. This Olympic package promotes gender equality, with each of the five sports having equal numbers of teams for men and women. This also helps Olympic organizers and sports enthusiasts to enjoy the innovative and exciting sports for Japan and the wider international community.
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