You can’t help but get excited – it’s the Summer Olympics 2020. You only get the opportunity to see the Games once every four years, and they never disappoint. In 2020, the competitors journey to Tokyo for what promises to be one of the most exciting years ever.
The size and scale mean that you get more sports in 5 weeks than at almost any other time, a fact that also makes the Olympics an unbelievably complicated experience for competitors, visitors, and hosts.
But, that’s what makes them so special – the atmosphere is electric. In 2020, you’re going to see old favorites, as well as new sports, incredible arenas, and memorable moments. Buckle up…
‘Old’ Favorites
Who can forget the iconic moment above, when Usain Bolt streaked away from the field in the Men’s 100m Final to take an astonishing Gold – celebrating before he had even reached the finish line? And then he went on to do the same in London, and again in Rio – incredible.
Even though the big man isn’t competing next year, spectators will still have plenty of their heroes to cheer on, such as the following.
- Eliud Kipchoge – The Kenyan marathon runner and current world record holder is loved by fans from around the globe. His quest to go under 2 hours continues.
- Simone Biles – The electrifying American gymnast sent a powerful message when she burst onto the Olympic scene in 2016, overcoming adversity to rise to the very top.
- Tom Daley – The diver is a massive favorite with the Brits back at home.
The magic of the Olympics is in the stories that emerge, and every Games has stories both new and old. Expect to see some reputations deflated, and prepare to discover someone or something new.
New Sports at the Olympics 2020
The Tokyo Olympics sees the addition of 5 new sports, all with their own flavor to bring to the Games. Some look like they could become firm favorites with Olympic audiences. The new sports are the following.
- Sport Climbing – Competing in three different disciplines, climbers are going to explode onto the Olympic stage. It’s colorful, it’s fast, and the competition is nerve-wracking and close. It could be an instant classic!
- Surfing and Skateboarding – These are two more sports that could be considered both ‘extreme’ sports but also ‘lifestyle’ sports. It will be interesting to see if both of them are popular because they have an ‘alternative’ vibe, meaning some fans might avoid the Olympics.
- Karate – This is a great addition to the Olympics martial arts calendar, to go alongside more established favorites like Tae Kwon Do.
- Softball – This sport is another new one. Expect this to have a ‘Marmite effect’ – some will love it, others will hate it!
There are less than 8 months to go now until the Olympics 2020 kick off in Japan, and everyone is starting to get really excited. You can absolutely expect to see an incredible welcome from the Japanese hosts, who have built some truly incredible facilities for the Games.
But, what everyone expects is exactly the thing we can’t predict – unbelievable sporting memories to last a lifetime. Click here for more sports articles.
