Get ready to pop it, lock it and do some celebratory backspins with your fellow b-boys and b-girls, because breakdancing is coming to the Olympics. I’m all out of breakdancing slang, but stick around for some surprising details.
The Olympics are always messing with their competitions.
Whether they’re adapting to changing trends, trying to keep things fresh or just randomly swapping sports in and out, there are tons of Olympic events that have come and gone over the years.
Some sports are gone for good.
I’d love to see a modern take on Olympic tug-of-war, but getting rid of dueling just seems like good business. We want to see winners and losers, but we don’t want to see the winners literally shoot the losers dead.
Other sports have changed a lot.
The marathon is a tried and true Olympic event, and has been forever. But in 1900, things were different : organizers deliberately kept competitors dehydrated. And if that wasn’t enough, consider the fact that runners were literally attacked by wild dogs.
How do new sports get introduced?
The Olympic Games don’t go all-in at first. Instead, they accept sports on a provisional basis. This means they’ll be tried out at the next games, but gaining full approval is a separate step.
The next Summer Games are in 2020.
The Tokyo games feature some interesting venues and will wreak havoc with North American sleep schedules. But that’s not why we’re here. The real fun starts at the following Summer Games, in 2024.
The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris.
It’ll mark the first time France has hosted the Games since the Albertsville Winter Olympics of 1992. France last hosted the Summer Games in 1924 — exactly a century before the 2024 Paris Olympics are set to start.
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They’ve got some interesting sports.
Yep, breakdancing will be included as a provisional sport. I don’t know how one judges the medalists in breakdancing, but then again I know nothing about loosey-lock it-lobster-pop it. I’ll definitely be watching.
It isn’t as weird as it sounds.
Breakdancing is undoubtedly an impressive physical feat, one that’s been popular for a few decades now. Clearly the IOC is thinking of new ways to attract younger viewers who might be sick of the same old competitions.
It’s more than just breakdancing.
The list of provisional sports also includes skateboarding and surfing. If these sports are a success, the Olympics will give the X-Games a run for their money. I’ll also eagerly await Tony Hawk’s Amateur Olympic Skateboarding for the PS5.
What sports would you like to see?
There’s a wide range of sports out there, and the IOC seems willing to try out anything once — remember, they’ve considered both competitive walking and solo synchronized swimming in the past.
Let us know what sports you’d like to see in the comments!
