• Mobile version
  • Follow us on Wechat
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • App

Breaking, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing: A look at the new faces of Paris 2024 Olympics

As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games begin, anticipation builds around the novel sports that will grace the world's biggest sporting stage. Following the groundbreaking inclusion of climbing, surfing, and skateboarding in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, breaking (also known as breakdance) will make its debut this year, further solidifying the Olympics' shift towards embracing youth culture and street sports.

Skateboarding: A return to Parisian streets

Skateboarding, with its blend of competitiveness, challenge, and vibrant atmosphere, captivated audiences at the Tokyo Olympics and is set to make a triumphant return in Paris. This time, 88 skateboarders will battle it out against each other at the iconic Place de la Concorde, one of Paris's most recognizable landmarks.

Chinese player Cui Chenxi in the competition.

The discipline encompasses various styles, such as street, park (or bowl), vert, and downhill, but Paris 2024 will focus solely on street and park competitions, mirroring the Tokyo format. Both disciplines share fundamental techniques like grinding (sliding on metal edges) and sliding (performing tricks on the board's surface), yet the differing environments dictate unique skill sets.

In park competitions, the spotlight falls on breathtaking aerial maneuvers as skaters harness the ramp's momentum to launch into the air, executing flips, spins, grabs, and intricate poses that leave spectators in awe. By contrast, street skating tests riders' ability to navigate obstacles, showcasing their mastery of grinding and sliding techniques through railings, stairs, and other urban elements. Combining these moves into creative routines adds depth and originality to the performances.

Few skaters excel in both disciplines, with American Jagger Eaton, a bronze medalist in the street at Tokyo 2020, striving to secure spots for both events in Paris. Meanwhile, China's Zhu Yuanling, Zeng Wenhui, and Cui Chenxi will compete in the street preliminaries on July 27th.

On July 28, Japanese player Ren Yoshizawa (left) and Australian player Chloe Cowell celebrated after the game.

SCHEDULE OF SKATEBOARDING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 

(All times CEST) 

Saturday 27 July 2024 

12:00-15:30 Men street preliminaries (postponed due to weather conditions)

17:00-19:00 Men street final (postponed due to weather conditions)

Sunday 28 July 2024 

12:00-15:30 Women's street preliminaries 

17:00-19:00 Women street final 

Tuesday 6 August 2024 

12:30-16:00 Women park preliminaries 

17:30-19:00 Women park final 

Wednesday 7 August 2024 

12:30-16:00 Men park preliminaries 

17:30-19:00 Men Park final


Breaking: the art of street dance on the Olympic stage

Breaking, the sole new addition to the Paris Olympics stands at the forefront of urban culture. Originating from the streets of New York, its competitive format revolves around one-on-one battles, where B-boys and B-girls alternate 60-second rounds showcasing and responding to each other's moves, with judges determining the winner after two or three rounds.

On October 7, 2023, Chinese athlete Liu Qingyi won the gold medal in the women's breakdancing event at the Hangzhou Asian Games and secured a spot in the Paris Olympics in advance.

Breaking is a spectacle that transcends technical proficiency; even the International Olympic Committee's President, Thomas Bach, in his seventies, has been spotted enjoying the performances from the stands. A breaking routine typically begins with Top Rock, a series of standing moves, before transitioning into Down Rock, a floor-based segment featuring eye-catching spins, intricate footwork, and sudden Freezes—static poses amidst fluid movements—that often serve as the grand finale.

Breaking's fusion of art and sport means that difficulty is not the sole criterion for evaluation. The sport's street culture, which values freedom and individuality, permeates the Olympic contest, with randomized music, unique styling, and personalized entrances adding a laid-back vibe to the otherwise intense competition.

On May 19, 2024, at the Paris Olympic Qualification Series in Shanghai, French legendary breakdancer Mounir Biba (left) took a photo with Qi Xiangyu, who won the runner-up in the men's breakdancing group, to celebrate.

SCHEDULE OF BREAKING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 

9 AUGUST

22:00 Breaking B-Girls Round Robin

22:00 Breaking B-Girls Pre-Qualifier Battle

10 AUGUST

02:00 Breaking B-Girls Quarterfinals

Breaking - B-Girls Quarterfinals

02:45 Breaking B-Girls Semifinals

Breaking - B-Girls Semifinals

03:15 Breaking B-Girls Finals

22:00 Breaking B-Boys Round Robin

11 AUGUST

02:00 Breaking B-Boys Quarterfinals

Breaking - B-Boys Quarterfinals

02:45 Breaking B-Boys Semifinals

Breaking - B-Boys Semifinals

03:15 Breaking B-Boys Finals


Sport Climbing: A blend of speed, strength, and technique

Traditionally known as rock climbing when practiced on natural formations, sport climbing, in its competitive form, has evolved into a discipline that showcases the pinnacle of human athleticism. At the Olympics, sport climbing is distinguished from its natural counterpart, emphasizing the precision and technical proficiency of athletes as they scale artificial rock walls.

June 23, 2024 Chinese athlete Luo Zhilu competes in the Paris Olympic Qualification Series Budapest Women's Biathlon Finals.

During previous international events like the World Cup and World Championships, sport climbing comprised three distinct disciplines: Speed, Bouldering, and Lead Climbing. Each discipline tested the climbers' abilities in unique ways. Speed climbing, for instance, was a straightforward race against the clock, where athletes sprinted up a standardized route, with the fastest climber emerging victorious. However, due to the Olympics' scale constraints, these disciplines were consolidated into a single "Combined" event at the Tokyo Olympics.

At Paris 2024, the speed discipline regains its independence, showcasing its unique technical demands separately from the other two. For spectators new to sport climbing, speed climbing offers an easy-to-follow yet exhilarating experience, with competitors facing off in a head-to-head battle for supremacy.

The Lead Climbing discipline, meanwhile, challenges climbers to ascend as high as possible within a set time limit. To facilitate fair ranking, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) assigns varying point values to each hold, adding a strategic element to the competition.

June 22, 2024 On June 21, Chinese athlete Niu Di (right) competed in the preliminaries of the women's rock climbing speed competition at the Budapest station of the Paris Olympic Qualification Series.

Perhaps the most enigmatic of the three is Bouldering, which takes place on short, challenging routes up to 4 meters high. Unlike the other disciplines, Bouldering is performed without the use of a safety rope, demanding impeccable technique and precise footwork. The IFSC has devised a scoring system specifically for Olympic Bouldering, awarding points for reaching key holds on the routes. In the event of a tie, each additional attempt deducts 0.1 points, incentivizing climbers to complete routes in fewer attempts. The combined scores from Bouldering and Lead Climbing determine the overall winner in the Combined event.

SCHEDULE OF SPORT CLIMBING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 



Surfing: Riding the waves in Tahiti

For the second time in Olympic history, surfing will grace the competitive arena, this time on the iconic Teahupo'o wave in Tahiti. The French Polynesian reef break provides a challenging yet picturesque backdrop for the world's top surfers to battle it out for Olympic glory.

July 29, 2024 On July 28, Indonesian players and Rio Ida during the competition.

With 48 of the best surfers from around the globe – 24 men and 24 women – set to compete, the Paris 2024 surfing competition promises to be even more exciting than its debut at the Tokyo Olympics. The expanded field, with eight additional athletes per gender, ensures a wider range of talent and tighter competition.

The competition kicks off on July 27th with the first round of heats for both men and women, showcasing the raw power, grace, and skill of these wave riders as they tackle the formidable Teahupo'o waves. As the competition progresses, the world will witness thrilling performances and heart-stopping moments, as surfers push their limits in pursuit of Olympic medals.

July 28, 2024 On July 27, Chinese athlete Yang Siqi (left) exchanged views with New Zealand athlete Witt.

SCHEDULE OF SURFING EVENTS AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 



A Youthful Revolution in the Olympics

The inclusion of breaking, skateboarding, surfing, and sport climbing underscores the Olympics' embrace of youth-driven sports. With many competitors in their teens and early twenties, and a significant portion of spectators being recent graduates, these disciplines bring a fresh, vibrant energy to the world's oldest sporting event.

As the Paris 2024 Olympics begin, eyes are on these new faces of the Olympic Games, eager to witness the fusion of tradition and modernity, as athletes from diverse backgrounds showcase their talents on the world's biggest stage.


Author | Alice
Editor | Will, James

Related News