The Paris 2024 Olympics is featuring several new + newish sports: breaking, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, and 3x3 basketball. Let’s explore what you need to know about these new events and their rules.
Ah, we can just picture that Olympic podium and those shiny medals now.
Skateboarding
Stoked about skateboarding at the Summer Olympics? Us too. This sport is newish to the Games — it debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and it seems it’s here to stick. The world’s greatest skateboarders — including many from California repping Team USA (we see you, Bryce Wettstein + Nyjah Huston) — will compete in two disciplines across preliminary and final events: park + street skating. On July 29, Jagger Eaton took home the silver medal and Nyjah Huston took home the bronze in the Men’s Street Final.
Park goes down on a course featuring bends + bowls, and Olympians gather speed to get that sweet air. What to know:
- Athletes will perform three, 45-second runs.
- Skaters will be judged by the height and speed of their tricks.
- The best score of their three runs will be counted as their final round score.
Street took place on a straight course that mimics a street with stairs, handrails, and other bells + whistles to make it look like the streets where skateboarding first began. What to know:
- Olympians performed two, 45-second runs and five tricks during each run.
- They were judged on their tricks and how well they control their boards.
Ollie this way for this year’s Skateboarding events results.
Owens Field Skatepark, Rosewood | In 2009, the Tony Hawk Foundation awarded $25,000 to make this SC’s first concrete skatepark. The 14,500 sq-ft park features large bowls, designed by professional skaters. This park is open to the public, so drop in any time the weather’s nice.
Friarsgate Skatepark, Irmo | After a three-year campaign, the Irmo Skate Park opened earlier this year. The 8,500-sqft facility, approved by Richland County and built earlier this year, offers a new hub for local skaters. The park opens at 7 a.m. and will stay open until 10 p.m. once lighting is installed in September.
Sport Climbing
This new Olympic sport is going to rock your world. Similar to skateboarding, sport climbing made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games, it’s also here for the long haul. Before you gather your pom poms to cheer on the climbers of Team USA, here’s everything you need to know about sport climbing.
This sport is hosted in three formats: bouldering, speed climbing, and lead climbing.
Bouldering
- Athletes will try to reach the top of a ~15-ft wall via a route or “bouldering problem” in as few attempts as possible in a given period of time.
- Climbers are scored + subsequently ranked based on how many boulders they top, zone holds they reach, and number of attempts. If a climber reaches the top of the boulder during their first attempt, this is considered a “flash” and guarantees them the maximum score for that boulder problem.
Speed
- Athletes will attempt to scale a 49-ft wall as quickly as possible.
- Results are based on time, and athletes climb in pairs. The speed walls have two lanes that climbers scale simultaneously, beginning at the sound of a buzzer. At the top of each lane, athletes must hit the contact point that stops their clock.
- In seedling rounds, athletes are ranked by their times. During elimination rounds, athletes compete head-to-head.
Lead
- Athletes will attempt to scale a 49-ft wall. They are given one attempt and a six-minute time limit. They’re also are given six minutes prior to their climbing attempt to study the wall.
- As climbers ascend the wall, they must clip the rope that is attached to their harness into quickdraws.
- Each lead route includes a minimum of 40 holds + only the highest 40 are assigned point values. If a climber reaches the top hold, they will receive 100 points.
Sport climbing events will take place at Le Bourget between Monday. Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 10.
Psst — are you wondering what equipment is used to keep climbers safe? Check out this guide.
Feeling boulder? Here’s where you can harness your inner climber in Columbia, SC:
Capital City Climbing, Cayce | This climbing gym is the Midlands go to spot for bouldering and other training options. The facility features over 2,000 sqft of dedicated climbing surface and a 12 x 12 Kilter Board at 45 degrees, providing thousands of options for tracking progression and training to get you to Los Angeles in 2028.
Wild Adventures Rock Wall, Riverbanks Zoo | There’s no shortage of activities once you’re in Riverbanks Zoo, and rock climbing is one of them. This is a great place to start for beginners. They’ll strap you in and you can climb high and maybe get a view of the lions.
