What new sports are at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? Skateboarding, surfing and climbing rules explained

ByDan Gibbs

Published 18/07/2021 at 01:00 GMT

If you fancy a change from the usual athletics, swimming and cycling events this year then how about some surfing or skateboarding? There's also a new event which could be over in just SIX seconds. Watch every unmissable moment from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games live on Discovery+ and the Eurosport app

The Olympics is the perfect occasion for any sports fan to sit back and watch hours upon hours of exciting, nerve-wracking and truly incredible moments.

Whether it’s watching the fastest men and women run 100m in under ten seconds, staring in disbelief at a triple axel in the ice skating or wondering how on Earth athletes decided to get into the sport of pole vaulting – there’s something for everyone.

And this year will entice a whole new wave of fans with the introduction of five new sports to the Olympic Games.

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Here’s all you need to know about the sports making an appearance in Tokyo 2020 this summer.

• Tokyo Olympics start date: When do the Games begin and how long does it last?

Karate

Olympic karate will feature two types of events. Kumite, a combat discipline, sees two fighters go head-to-head in a three-minute fight.

The competition features three weight classes and athletes are awarded points for the techniques used.

The other event is called Kata - which means 'shape' or 'model' - and is performed solo.

Competitors will be judged on a series of pre-approved choreographed offensive and defensive movements.

Men and women will compete in both types of karate with 60 competitors in the Kumite competition and 20 in Kata.

Team GB's Sky Brown is among the favourites to scoop gold in skateboarding

Image credit: Getty Images

Skateboarding

Skateboarding consists of two formats: street and park.

Competitors perform individually and are ranked for the overall level of difficulty and originality of their routines.

Both are individual events with street skateboarding requiring athletes to take on obstacles, including rails, stairs, kerbs, benches, walls, and slopes, to demonstrate their tricks in a set time frame.

Park skateboarding will take place in a hollowed-out course where skaters climb the curves at speed to perform mid-air tricks, accompanied by music.

Eighty athletes will compete among four medal events with men and women - including Team GB's 13-year-old sensation Sky Brown.

Surfing

Surfers will be hoping for the perfect weather conditions and the biggest waves to showcase their skills and tricks in the ocean this summer.

Each heat is normally 30 minutes where surfers are allowed to ride a maximum of 25 waves, and their two highest scoring waves will count towards their heat total.

Catching the biggest wave isn't always a guaranteed winner as it's about who can showcase the most dynamic range of maneuvers and impress the judging panel.

Sport climbing will feature for the first time at the Olympics this summer

Image credit: Getty Images

Climbing

There will be three formats of climbing at Tokyo 2020; speed climbing, bouldering and lead climbing - all of which take place on artificial climbing walls.

Climbers need to be experts in all three fields with the gold medal going to the climber with the highest cumulative score.

Speed climbing involves two climbers racing up a fixed route on a 15m wall with men and women competing on identical routes. These events can take just six seconds in some cases!

In bouldering, climbers must scale a number of fixed routes on a 4m wall within a given time and it's about navigating the most routes within that time frame.

Lead climbing sees the competitors attempt to climb as high as possible on an overhanging 15m wall within a six-minute time limit and whoever climbs to the highest point wins.

Baseball/Softball

Baseball became an official Olympic sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona but was last played in 2008 in Beijing before it was dropped.

This summer it makes its return with men competing in baseball and women playing softball.

They both have the same format with the team making the most runs from hitting the ball before running around bases to reach the home plate the winner.

In baseball the pitcher throws overarm, while they do so underarm in softball.

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