The Olympics are consistently evolving, with new Olympic sports activities being added to maintain the Video games contemporary and thrilling. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics launched occasions like skateboarding, browsing, and sport climbing, capturing the curiosity of youthful audiences.
As we sit up for the Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, much more sports activities are set to hitch the lineup, so let’s discover these new additions and rejoice the proficient Australian athletes able to make their mark on the world stage.
As soon as upon a time…
Would you imagine me if I informed you there was creative classes within the Olympics? From 1912 to 1948, classes like structure, poetry, music, drama, portray, and sculpture was Olympic sports activities.
Initially launched as a result of Historic Greeks valued a balanced excellent of physique and thoughts, they have been discontinued attributable to a number of points.
Artists have been usually professionals after they have been meant to be amateurs, judging artwork is subjective, which precipitated disputes between judges, and public curiosity began to wane. After WWII, the Olympics centered extra on sports activities. Right now, the Olympics rejoice artwork by means of cultural packages, not competitions.
However yearly, new sports activities are being added, or thought of, to usher in new viewers and contributors.
New Olympic Sports activities Added to Line Up
Not Simply Athletic Pursuits Anymore
On the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021, thanks COVID), 5 further sports activities occasions have been added. Avenue and park skateboarding, browsing, karate, baseball/softball, and sport climbing which included pace climbing, lead climbing, and bouldering.
In 2024, Breakdancing, or Breaking, and Kayak Cross can be added on the Paris Olympics, and on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, plans are in place to introduce flag soccer, lacrosse, squash, motocross/karting (reconsideration), and cricket. Baseball/softball can even be again in 2024 however gained’t be within the Olympics this yr.
Younger Aussies Heading to the Olympics
Who’s heading to the video games to signify Australia and are any of them taking part in these new sports activities? We’ll have an nearly 500-strong group.
For breakdancing on the Olympics, two Aussies are set to compete. Rachael Gunn, a 36-year-old college lecturer often called Raygun, will present her expertise within the B-Lady occasion. Jeff Dunne, a 16-year-old highschool scholar from Casuarina, goes by J Assault and can compete within the B-Boy occasion. Jeff isn’t solely one of many youngest rivals within the breakdancing class but additionally among the many youngest athletes on this yr’s Olympics.
Among the many males are Keegan Palmer (21) from Gold Coast, Kieran Woolley (20) from Minnamurra, NSW and Shane O’Neill (34) from Melbourne, VIC QLD, who all competed at Tokyo, and newcomer Keefer Wilson (17) from Nyora, VIC.
Representing the ladies are Arisa Trew (14) from Palm Seashore, Gold Coast, and Ruby Trew (15) from North Narrabeen, NSW. The 2 joke they’re cousins as a result of they share a surname, however they’re not associated. We’ll additionally get to observe Chloe Covell (14) from Tweed Heads, NSW, Liv Lovelace (20) from Sydney, NSW, and Haylie Powell (18) from Nambour, QLD.
At fourteen years and 86 days, Arissa Trew would be the youngest Olympian from Australia, and the youngest in 40 years after swimmer Dimity Douglas, who was fourteen and 27 days outdated when she competed.˘
Why Are They Including These Sports activities?
New sports activities are added to the Olympics to draw youthful viewers and contributors. This helps the Video games keep thrilling for the following technology and brings in additional younger athletes. By together with sports activities which might be stylish with youth, the Olympics can preserve its viewers engaged and develop the occasion’s international fan base.
Including new sports activities additionally displays the worldwide reputation of various actions. It permits the Olympics to showcase sports activities with massive followings worldwide, making the Video games extra interesting to various audiences. Plus, sports activities that signify the cultural variety of the host nation, spotlight the distinctive heritage and traditions of various international locations. These modifications assist the Olympics keep trendy and related in our fast-changing world, guaranteeing the Video games proceed celebrating athletic and cultural achievements.
The Olympics aren’t for everybody. You.gov did a survey that exposed one-third of Aussies gained’t be watching, with over half revealing their disinterest within the occasions. This is likely to be why new sports activities are being thought of each Olympics.
Esports, parkour, and mixed-gender occasions are already being thought of for future video games. And I do know some who would like to see Cheer added as an occasion.
If solely there have been an Olympic class for multitasking. Mums would win that for positive.
And who is aware of, possibly we’ll see creative occasions make a comeback. I’d tune in for a spoken phrase competitors, and I might win a medal for e-book studying.
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