New Delhi: From its humble beginnings with just 43 events across 9 sports in 1896, the Olympic Games have evolved into a grand spectacle. The Paris 2024 Olympics will feature an impressive 329 events across 32 sports, promising a thrilling display of athletic prowess. This edition introduces two exciting new sports while bidding farewell to baseball, softball, and karate.
As this historic event draws near, Sportstar highlights the fresh additions set to make their Olympic debut in Paris.
Breaking
Building on its success at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina, breaking (or breakdancing) is set to make its Olympic debut at Paris 2024. Announced on December 7, 2020, this marks the first time a dance sport will grace the Summer Olympics.
Scheduled for August 9 and 10, the competition will feature 16 B-boys and 16 B-girls battling it out in exhilarating one-on-one showdowns. With their moves synchronized to DJ tracks, these breakdancers will aim to dazzle the judges and vie for Olympic glory.
Kayak cross
At the Paris Olympics, from August 3 to 5, a thrilling new event will make its debut in canoe slalom, kayak cross. This innovative event will replace the men’s and women’s K-1 200-metre sprint races. In kayak cross, four athletes will race simultaneously from a ramp above the water, tackling a challenging course with up to six downstream gates and two upstream gates. This marks the first head-to-head racing format in Olympic canoe slalom history, shifting away from the traditional individual time trials.
Sport climbing with new formats
Along with the two debut events, sport climbing which featured in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, will appear in this edition with an updated format. At the Paris Games, the athlete count will increase from 40 to 68, with the competition split into two distinct events. Unlike Tokyo, where each gender had a single combined medal, Paris will feature separate bouldering and lead events alongside a speed event.
