Chattanooga Times Free Press

NEW SPORTS WATCH!

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3X3 There’s a new basketball event in Tokyo: the 3x3, a half-court game played by two teams of three players. While the U.S. men’s team didn't qualify, the female team—Stefanie Dolson, 29, Kelsey Plum, 26, Allisha Gray, 26, and Katie Lou Samuelson, 34—did. Watch: July 24–28

KARATE Two karate events—kumite (sparring) and kata (a solo practice)—will debut in Tokyo. “Karate is not just about competitio­n,” says kata athlete Ariel Torres, 23. “It’s about character building and becoming a better contributi­ng member to society.” Watch: Aug. 5–7

SPORT CLIMBING Fifty feet (three stories tall!) is about the height of the 95-degree climbing wall competitor­s will race up in the Olympics’ new speed climbing event. The other events in the sport climbing debut are lead climbing, featuring a differentl­y angled 15- to 20-meter wall, and bouldering, a competitio­n that uses a lower wall covered with tricky climbing challenges. The U.S., Japan and France are the only countries sending a full team—two women and two men. Watch: qualifiers, Aug. 3–4; finals, Aug. 5–6

SURFING Surfers will take to the water for the first time in Olympic history at Tsurigasak­i Beach. Located on Japan’s Pacific coastline, conditions here should be great for “a lot of aerial maneuvers, which should score high and be fun to watch,” says U.S. surfer Kolohe Andino, 27. Watch: July 25–Aug. 1 (timing depends on waves and wind)

SKATEBOARD­ING Competitor­s will be judge` on the difficulty, height and speed of their midair tricks, jumps and body rotations in the debut of skateboard­ing in Tokyo. They’ll compete on “street” courses (urban stair sets, handrails, ledges and banks) or “park” courses (smooth bowls).

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