5 New Sports Coming to the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics
Preview
The holiday season is over, but TV has some new gifts you’ll never want to return. Settle in for 12 months of fan-favorite stars (Fran Drescher, Edie Falco), inspiring physical feats (the Olympics), new streaming services, and another must-see season of Outlander.
Adding new sports to the Olympics helps promote interest among younger viewers. Here are the five making their debut — or, in one case, comeback! — in 2020.
Baseball/Softball
Players last took the field at a Summer Games in 2008. The men and women make their respective return in the baseball-mad country of Japan.
Karate
Athletes in kumite (sparring) compete in three different weight classes for both men and women, while kata (form, or movement) is a single event for each gender.
Skateboarding
Competitors in two settings get three timed runs each to show off their tricks and style. The park course is shaped like a deep, empty pool, while the street course has ramps and rails.
Sport Climbing
Three events — speed climbing, and the more technical bouldering and lead climbing — are totaled for overall score.
Surfing
Men and women will vie in shortboard (6- to 7-foot boards) and be given a 14-day window to ensure Mother Nature cooperates.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Friday, July 24, 7:30/6:30c, NBC
For More of Our 2020 Preview:
‘Schitt’s Creek,’ ‘The 100’ & 7 More TV Shows Ending
‘Outmatched,’ ‘Kimmy Schmidt’ & More Laughs on the Way
10 New Shows Based on Page-Turners
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