Many unique sports make it to the programme of each Summer Games. Besides, there were also some marginal disciplines in Paris that gave them a specific color and flavor.
SKATEBOARDING
Skateboarding was introduced into the Olympic games for the first time at Tokyo 2020. In this context, skateboarding is divided in two disciplines – park and street. There are four skateboarding events at the Games with both male and female categories allowed to compete in either discipline.
Park contains various bowls, curves and inclines built to enable competitors gain momentum as well as perform mid-air tricks. In the park events, competitors have three 45-second runs during which they are evaluated on their use of surfaces to reach maximum height through a wide range of tricks in preliminary rounds and finals. The street competition takes place on a ‘street-like’ course with stairs, handrails and other obstacles to resemble the urban environments where skateboarding started out. Street competitions see athletes compete in two 45-second runs, performing just five tricks per run in a competition of preliminary rounds and finals.
SURFING
Surfing made its debut appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and returned again at Paris 2024 Olympics. Teahupo’o located in Tahiti offers breathtaking surfing conditions for participants from all over the world. Five judges assess tricks performed by surfers on waves assigned scores based on variety, type as well as difficulty level.
Furthermore, surfers are examined regarding speed, power as well as flow (which is how smoothly a surfer links one move to another). Olympics uses shortboards unlike longboards that are slower but more maneuverable than their longer counterparts.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Mountain biking was staged at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics as an individual event for men and women only. New Zealand’s Samuel Gaze landed gold ahead of South Africa’s Alan Hatherly in third. The sport has two mountain bike events at the Olympics: one for women and one for men.
On a rugged terrain with steep slopes, riders break away from a single starting line and travel around a loop on multiple laps. Most races begin with a mass start followed by several laps. Riders spend between one to two hours taking part in an intense race course full of twists and turns, covering tens of kilometers during the event.
SPORT CLIMBING
Climbing as well joined the Tokyo Games. The inclusion of climbing was deliberate together with skateboarding, surfing among others as they were targeting new wave urban sports. Climbing is divided into three disciplines: bouldering, speed and lead. Bouldering: Athletes ascend a 4.5-metre wall without ropes in a limited number of times within time constraints. Lead: Climbers go as high as they can on a 15-metre wall in six minutes in only one attempt. Speed: A race against the clock, climbers scale a 15-metre wall with five-degree incline
3X3 BASKETBALL
Regarded as the world’s top urban sport, 3×3 basketball is derived from street basketball – a creative version of the indoor game with less formality. 3X3 basketball has been developed by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), which governs basketball, from outdoor courts to the Olympics over time. In 3×3 basketball, two teams of three players each compete on one half of a basketball court.
The two teams attack and defend the same hoop based on who is in possession of the ball. The winner is determined by which team has more points at ten minutes or when one side scores twenty-one points first. Three-point line in normal basketball becomes two-point line in playing 3×3; any shot made outside this line earns two point while inside it gives only one point. It was during the 2020 Olympics that inaugural 3X3 Olympic champions were crowned.
BREAKING
Breaking is an American dance style created in cities during the 1970s. This finds its origin within hip-hop culture and began taking shape through lively block parties held in Bronx. New York characterized by acrobatics movement and stylized footwork that would be battled out both by DJ’s and MC’s (Master of Ceremonies).
The dance form became well-known internationally throughout the nineties thanks to global tournaments aimed at promoting. This kind of art among hip-hop communities as well as ordinary people. ‘Boys and girls’ solo battles consisting of sixteen contestants each are held during breaking competition at Paris Olympics. Windmills, ‘freezes and six-step moves among others constituted athletes’ power moves system.
