As we eagerly await the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the anticipation is building towards breathtaking performances and record-breaking feats that are bound to be achieved. Whilst a host of new athletes will be making their debut at the games hoping to do their countries proud, there are also a number of new events that will be taking part in the French capital. The new disciplines on show this summer are Breaking, Sport Climbing, Skateboarding and Surfing. We’re going to take a deeper dive into the new sports and showcase where you can try them in Essex.
Also known as breakdancing, Breaking is the first of the new events coming to this year’s games. Originating in America, Breaking is a dynamic and acrobatic form of dance which emerged from the streets of New York in the 1970’s. Those competing are judged on their technique, creativity, and musicality and the introduction of this form of dance to the Olympics, celebrates diverse cultures helping to attract younger audiences. In Essex there are a range of different dance groups that offer Breaking to their attendees. Brentwood based ‘Dance Space Essex’ have classes in numerous dancing styles including street dance, which is like breaking. ProjectME and Bam Bam Boogies are two dancing groups that through London Marathon Funding, we have helped grow their groups, offering their classes to more attendees. Breaking is the only competition of the four new optional sports that will not be returning for the 2028 games.
Skateboarding, which made its Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020, is returning for this year’s games in Paris proving its growing popularity and acceptance as a competitive sport. The event will feature both street and park disciplines, each displaying different tricks on mimicking environments such as stairs, rails and ledges. The park event however features more highlight tricks, flips, and kicks comparable to those seen in the gymnastics arena. Essex is home to over fifty outdoor skateparks which are suitable for beginners and more experienced riders. Over the last few years, we have held a number of Skate Jams in Essex which provided an opportunity for children and young in local communities to try out skateboarding for the first time. Taught by professionals and with all equipment provided, the sessions proved popular bringing the community together to try something new. The aim of the sessions was also to help keep children off the streets, showing them the local spaces on offer. When trying skateboarding please make sure to wear a helmet and any other suitable protection as it can be hard to find your balance right away! You can find a list of these parks and where they are in the county here.
Reaching new heights as a sport, Sport Climbing is another of the new events from Tokyo 2020 that will be continuing its Olympic journey in Paris. Like Skateboarding, Sport Climbing also has multiple disciplines to compete, with speed climbing, bouldering and lead climbing featuring. All disciplines combine physical endurance, mental strategy, and raw power, making it a thrilling spectator sport to watch. Whilst hire of a climbing space comes at a small cost, a lot of Essex Leisure Centres are home to climbing walls for all levels here you can test your ability in a safe environment.
Continuing to ride the wave that is the Olympic cycle, Surfing returns to the 2024 games. You may be wondering where in Paris you can find any sea with waves worth riding. This also crossed the minds of the event organisers as they decided the best place to host the Surfing competition will be nearly 10,000 miles away from Paris, in Tahiti. The largest island in French Polynesia, Tahiti is home to the Teahupo’o break, which provides optimal conditions for the athletes. Like Skateboarding in its daredevil attitude and its impressive high-flying feats, Surfing adds the added unpredictably of the change in the ocean. Whilst Essex isn’t really known as the Surfing capital of the world, we do know that it is home to some great water sports projects thanks to Active Thames funding accessed by groups that use the Thames Estuary as a place to get active.
Introduced to the Olympic Games in 1912, Modern Pentathlon isn’t a ‘new’ sport in any form of the word. However, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be the first games where the event is held under a new format. The traditional five-discipline event, which includes fencing, swimming, equestrian show jumping, pistol shooting, and cross country running will aim to make the sport more accessible, engaging viewers with all disciplines. The hope is that the entire event can be completed within 90 minutes, all under one roof in the same arena. This condensed format promises to enhance the spectator experience and keep the excitement levels high throughout the competition. As far as we’re aware, Essex isn’t home to any Modern Pentathlon clubs, but there are plenty of places where you can try out the different disciplines of this unique sport.
This summer’s games are poised to be a landmark event, not only for the athletes competing who have trained for years just for this moment, but also for the Olympic movement. The inclusion of these new events reflects the evolving nature of the games, constantly trying to stay up to date with trends and capture and retain audiences through commitment to innovation and inclusivity. As we count down to the games, we also have something new to share with you! Our Find Your Active Activity Finder now has a special Olympic 2024 filter where you can filter down the activities on the Finder to those in the Olympics. This means it will take you a matter of minutes to ‘Find Your Olympic’ with us throughout the games, some of which are FREE! We hope that the Olympic Games will help inspire you to try something new find what’s right for you!
Click here to access and explore our new Olympic Filter on our Activity Finder.
