This is a guide to the top 5 sports to follow in 2020. Next year, the Olympics rolls around, a European Football Championships takes place, and there’s thousands of hours of other sports to keep track of, too. There’s so much excitement and so many potential opportunities for athletes new or old to shine.
Which 5 sports should you be following (if you’re not already) to get a great mix of the amazing experiences that watching sports can offer?
We’ve brought together a selection of sports that might be to your taste, showcasing the sublime and the brilliant across a range of different sporting areas.
Sports to Follow in 2020
#1 – Gymnastics
With the Olympics returning to our TV screens and live-streaming apps in 2020, all eyes are going to be turning to one sport, and one exceptional young woman in particular. Simone Biles steps onto the floor (and all the other apparatus) as one of Team USA’s most anticipated superstars.
When asked about her legacy at the last Olympics (which was the first time she had competed at the Games) she said: “I’m not the next Usain Bolt or Michael Phelps. I’m the first Simone Biles”. An inspiring sentiment from an athlete who has overcome great personal adversity to flourish as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time.
#2 – Marathon
There are two intriguing storylines in Marathon in 2020, and they both (sort of) involve one man. The epoch-defining Kenyan endurance runner Eliud Kipchoge has a double goal – he will want to win the 2020 Marathon in Tokyo, but he has also set his sights on a jaw-dropping record of his own.
Helped by Nike and a team of other runners, he is attempting to set the fastest time for a marathon distance ever. Dubbed ‘Breaking 2’ by Nike, the attempt sees him use pacers in a way that is illegal in competition – but this is unlikely to bother Kipchoge and his team, as they seek to clock the first-ever marathon by a human being in under 2 hours.
#3 – Euro Football
The Euros return, and it’s going to be a big one.
Can France do the double after their World Cup win? Will Germany get revenge for their terrible performance at the Worlds? And can England go the whole hog and bring home a major trophy for the first time in decades?
The Euros has some incredible storylines this year. You’d be foolish to miss it.
#4 – Climbing
Rock climbing used to be about windy mountains and scary stories. Not anymore. Now, it’s a bright and brilliant show of coordination, power, and explosive strength on indoor routes and problems.
With its inclusion in the Olympics next year, it’s going to gain a huge following, so get ahead of the curve and check it out now.
#5 – Rowing
Another Olympic favorite, rowing is going through a bit of an international overhaul as (like many sports) it moves towards gender equality across all disciplines.
This has created some fantastic racing and some brilliant stories. Be sure to check out the Australian Women’s Coxless Four who go into the Tokyo games, led by their talismanic veteran Lucy Stephan, as hot favorites.
It’s the perfect time to reconnect with sports both new and old, so why not check out these 5 as a great way to get ready for the summer of scintillating sports to follow that 2020 will undoubtedly deliver?
