Tokyo Olympics: Karate and Skateboarding performances pave way for new generation

Both sports, which were new to the Games this year, look set to hit the mainstream after the Olympics, writes John Amari in Tokyo

Momiji Nishiya holds her gold medal after winning the Women’s Street skateboarding (AP)

Four new sports made their debut at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics: karate, skateboarding, surfing and climbing. But for Japan, it was karate and skateboarding – and the breakthrough performances of their athletes in both sports – that will warm hearts and stay in the memory for years to come.

Miki Nakamichi, a karate instructor at Keio University and a volunteer during karate events, says: “It was fantastic. It was really nice to watch the women’s event. It was the kata. I got to see all the really highly ranked karate players. I felt [really emotional]. It was really close and a very good match.”

A fourth-degree blackbelt, Nakamichi is talking about one of two categories – kata (forms) and kumite (fighting) – that defined karate competitions at the Games: kata is a performance of movements similar to shadowboxing, while kumite is a sparring match between two opponents trying to score points via kicks and punches to the body and head.