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The Paris Olympics is expanding its reach with a new lineup of events this year. Here are the newest competitions to have earned a spot on this year’s Summer Games schedule:
Breaking
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Commonly known as breakdancing (although its practitioners prefer “breaking”), this mix of footwork, acrobatics and hip-hop music originated in New York City in the early ’70s. The event was part of the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018, and was voted by a sizeable margin to be included in the Summer Games.
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In Paris, the competition will include two solo events, men’s and women’s, featuring 16 B-Boys and B-Girls. Competitors will be judged on “creativity, personality, technique, variety, performativity and musicality,” according to the Olympics website.
Breaking was meant to debut in the Tokyo Games, but was delayed due to COVID health concerns. International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has said new sports like surfing, skateboarding and breaking are being introduced to make the Olympics appeal to younger audiences.
Kayak cross
The Olympics will include a new spin on the kayak slalom, in which athletes traverse whitewater rapids, passing through downstream and upstream gates in hopes of achieving the fastest time.
In the men’s and women’s Kayak Cross, four paddlers will race simultaneously in a full-contact race, causing them to maneuver around each other and jockey for position throughout the course to win. Another obstacle, a kayak roll, will also be introduced: it requires “completing a 360° rotation that includes your head going under the water,” according to the Olympics website. Athletes Jessica Fox, Joseph Clarke, Anatole Delassus, Vojtech Heger and Mallory Franklin will be the athletes to watch out for, according to the website.
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Kiteboarding
Kiteboarding is one of ten sailing events expected to take place at the Olympics. The first sailing events at the Olympics date back to 1900.
Kiteboarders hang onto a wind-propelled kite that takes them through the air, and skim across the surface of the water on boards attached to their legs. They can reach speeds of up to 74 kph, and soar close to six metres in the air.
Forty men and women will race in separate events at Marseille Marina, where winds are expected to be constant. The opening race is scheduled for August 4.
Men’s artistic swimming
While the women’s event has been a staple for years, the introduction of the men’s contest is expected to be a unique spectacle onto itself.
The acrobatic team event, in particular, features lifts, throws and flips, and diving routines launched off the shoulders of teammates treading water below. It’s gymnastics on water, and concussions are a risk.
Marathon race walk mixed relay
Introduction of the event will ensure gender parity in track and field for the first time. A mixed relay race walking format will replace the individual 50-kilometre race, allowing more medal opportunities for women. Twenty-five teams will compete in the marathon length (42.195 km) race, which will take place at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Each race will consist of one man and one woman, who will alternate in four relay stages (man, woman, man, woman).
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Additional reporting from Associated Press
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