The Tokyo Olympics 2020 is up and running right now. Olympic organizers faced multiple challenges in the last 12 months or so, with respect to COVID-19 outbreaks and scheduling nightmares. But everything went as per plan as the quadrennial showpiece began on July 23, 2021. Japanese tennis superstar, Naomi Osaka, had the privilege to light the Olympic torch and declare the games open.

But this year’s showpiece has an added bit of spice to it. With teenage starlets vying for glory and records waiting to be smashed, there are also a bunch of new disciplines that will make their debut at this year’s Summer Games. Read further to find out what those sports are.

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Skateboarding, surfing and karate make their maiden Olympic appearances

Prior to that, the International Olympic Council (IOC) approved the addition of five sports, baseball/softball, karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing. That means it would take the total to 18 new events and 474 athletes to the Olympics.

Here’s what the Olympic council had to say about the inclusion of these new games.

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“They represent a combination of well-established and emerging sports with significant popularity in Japan and beyond. They include team sports and individual sports; indoor sports and outdoor sports; and ?urban? sports with a strong appeal to youth. The Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 proposed the new sports in response to the new flexibility provided by Olympic Agenda 2020,” a press release said.

How many sports are there at the Tokyo Olympics 2020?

There are 33 sports and 46 disciplines in the official Olympic program which is applicable in Tokyo right now. That includes 339 total medal events. This Olympic package promotes gender equality, with each of the five sports having equal numbers of teams for men and women. This also helps Olympic organizers and sports enthusiasts to enjoy the innovative and exciting sports for Japan and the wider international community.

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