The highly anticipated 2024 Summer Paris Olympic Games have arrived, and the world prepares to witness the grandeur of the game’s official opening ceremony in Paris on Friday.
Thousands of elite athletes from around the world who will be competing in the various sporting codes on offer at the games have already made their way to the City of Lights and have set up at the Olympic Village.
Weighing heavily on their minds as they gear up for weeks of intense competition would be the elusive Olympic gold medal that often separates the rest from the best.
However, while many people are familiar with the major sporting codes athletes compete in, IOL Sport takes a look at some of the sports codes that you probably didn’t know could land you a gold medal in the Olympic Games.
1. Break dancing
Breaking will be making its official debut at the Olympic Games in Paris. The popular form of dance began in the US back in the 1970s and is expected to capture audiences in Paris as athletes put their best breaking moves forward with the aim of achieving Olympic Glory.
2. Golf
While the niche sport has been around for a long time, it is fairly new in the world of the Olympics, the sport only returned to the Olympic stage in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after being away from the games for 112 years.
To put this into perspective, Golf only will be making its fifth appearance at the global event, despite its decades of existence as a sport.
3. Skateboarding
Skateboarding will only be making its second appearance in Paris after the sport made its first official showing at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
4. Race Walking
Race walking first made its official debut in 1908 in the Olympic games, however, the sport has over the years received less media coverage, when compared to mainstream sports such as soccer and swimming.
5. Sport Climbing
Sport climbing will only be making its second showing at the Olympic games, after it first made its official debut in the Rio 2016 Olympics.
Sixty-seven athletes are expected to compete in the sport in Paris this year.
