What to know about combat sports at the 2024 Olympics
NBC Universal, Inc.
The 2024 Olympics will continue the tradition of including combat sports, but there is one sport that has been put on the chopping block this time around.
Here's everything you need to know about judo and taekwondo at the 2024 Olympics in Paris:
What is judo?
Judo is a martial art that originated from 19th century Japan, and literally translates to "the gentle way." The sport is considered "the gentle way" because it eliminates the most dangerous aspects of another martial art, jujutsu. But let's be clear, it is a violent sport.
What are the rules for judo at the 2024 Olympics?
A competitor wins a judo match by throwing their opponent to the ground or forcing them into submission. There are two ways this can be achieved.
- Ippon: A competitor achieves ultimate victory if they are able to throw their opponent on "their back with strength, speed and control," or by pinning their opponent to the ground for 20 seconds, or by keeping their opponent in a chokehold or joint lock for 20 seconds.
- Waza-ari: A waza-ari is achieved when an opponent is thrown to the ground but does not meet all three criteria for a Ippon, or is held into submission for less than 20 seconds but more than 10 seconds. A competitor needs to a waza-ari twice to win the match.
What judo competitions will be at the 2024 Olympics?
Judo competitions are divided by weight class and gender. There is also one mixed teams competition at the 2024 Olympics.
The weight classes for men are:
- under 60kg
- under 66kg
- under 73kg
- under 81kg
- under 90kg
- under 100kg
- over 100kg
The weight classes for women are:
- under 48kg
- under 52kg
- under 57kg
- under 63kg
- under 70kg
- under 78kg
- over 78kg
When will judo be held at the 2024 Olympics?
Judo events will take place between July 27 and Aug. 3.
Where will judo take place at the 2024 Olympics?
Judo will be held at the Champ de Mars Arena, a temporary facility set up across from the Grand Palais in the center of Paris. The Eiffel Tower can be seen not that far away.
Wrestling events will also be held at the venue.
What is taekwondo?
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art that literally means "the way of kicking and punching."
What are the rules for taekwondo at the 2024 Olympics?
The sport is held on an octagon with three rounds lasting two minutes each. Competitors try to punch and kick their opponent while avoiding hits themselves.
Points are awarded to competitors for "the degree of difficulty of techniques used; for example, a kick to the head scores higher than punches and kicks to the trunk. Spinning kicks are also rewarded with extra points," according to the Paris 2024 website. Players can also be penalized for various faults.
What taekwondo competitions will be at the 2024 Olympics?
The taekwondo events will be divided by gender and weight class.
The weight classes for men are:
- under 58kg
- under 68kg
- under 80kg
- over 80kg
The weight classes for women are:
- under 49kg
- under 57kg
- under 67kg
- over 67kg
When will taekwondo take place at the 2024 Olympics?
Taekwondo events will be held between Aug. 7-10, 2024.
Where will taekwondo take place in the 2024 Olympics?
Taekwondo events will be held at the Grand Palais, a sports and events venue that was originally built for the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition.
Will karate be at the 2024 Olympics?
Karate made its first appearance as an Olympic competition in Tokyo in 2021, which made a fitting venue, as karate originated in ancient Japan.
However, karate has not been included in the list of competitions for the 2024 Olympics, likely making the sport an Olympic one-hit wonder.