Sports on My Radar for the Summer Olympics 2024

Believe it or not, it’s almost time for the Summer Olympics in Paris. Marketing was pretty low key for this year’s Olympics. Regardless, I always have a list of sports on my watch list. Here are the sports I will most likely view the most. 

Artistic Gymnastics
This discipline is always the highlight of every Summer Olympics for me. I really enjoy watching the tumbling, flips, dismounts, and occasional crashes. It also helps because the USA usually has an excellent women’s team. I’m not sure if Simone Biles can dominate the medal count this year, but it should be an exciting event. 

Athletics 
Most people call this discipline track and field. I’m not sure why it’s called athletics, especially because every participant in the Olympics is obviously an athlete. Anyway, track and field has a ton of events, ranging from races, long jumps, javelin throws, the discus, and more. Again, the USA typically wins many medals in this category. I’m not sure why it’s so entertaining to watch people run at high speeds, but it’s definitely a good time. 

Basketball
I never know what to expect from Olympic basketball. One would think the USA would dominate in this sport. Sometimes our teams are pretty disappointing, but it depends. The USA definitely had plenty of success in Olympic basketball during past events. It’s hard to say if we’ll be particularly strong this year. Many of the NBA’s most successful athletes are getting older and many countries have rising talent. Olympic basketball events tend to be shorter than NBA games, so it’s a breezy watch. 

Breaking
It seems like France chose break dancing for a new discipline. That’s an interesting choice. I enjoy watching competitive dancing, so this event might be quite exciting. There was a time when the USA had world class break dancers, but I don’t know who dominates in the modern era. I just hope the breaking events are flashy enough. In my opinion, flashy moves are the entire point of watching break dancing. 

Boxing
Usually, I prefer MMA style fighting, but Olympic boxing is fine too. Yeah, boxing is barbaric. Viewers are watching athletes punch each other relentlessly. Blood sports have been part of human entertainment for centuries. It’s in our nature. Again, rounds tend to be shorter at the Olympics, so it doesn’t take forever to watch a fight. The USA had great boxers in the past, but other countries seem to be more dominant today. One day, I want to see MMA fighting at the Olympics!

Cycling BMX Freestyle
The Olympic are constantly adding more X Games disciplines. These types of sports are dangerous and quite exciting to watch. I’m surprised the USA doesn’t perform better in this category. BMX freestyle includes all kinds of tricks and jumps. Hopefully, no one gets hurt at this event. Falling down the wrong way can be catastrophic. 

Equestrian
This discipline can be slow, but it’s a relaxing watch. Basically, you’re going to see riders and their horses go through various obstacle courses. To be clear, it doesn’t involve racing like the horse tracks. Equestrian sports are completely different than competitive horse racing. I don’t remember seeing major accidents during previous equestrian events, so this year will probably be fine as well. The UK and a few other countries tend to be the frontrunners for medals. 

Fencing
I imagine France will be strong in this discipline, but you never know. Don’t be fooled by movies. Olympic fencing doesn’t resemble anything in cinema. Fencing is very stylized with specific techniques. Movement is lighting fast and rounds are brief. Don’t blink or you’ll miss it, literally. This sports isn’t for every viewer, but I find it unique and fun. 

Diving
I enjoy viewing some of the water sports. Maybe I like diving because it shares similarities with gymnastics. Diving has multiple categories, including the platform, springboard, and synchronized pairs. It’s pretty interesting and a decent thrill. Once in a while, one of the divers botches a dive and totally falls in the water. China and a few other countries tend to be stronger than the USA, but diving remains one of my favorite disciplines anyway. 

​Rowing
It’s hard to explain why I bother to watch rowing. It’s literally the same rowing motion continuously. Regardless, I seem to enjoy watching this form of racing. I don’t recall all of the categories, but some examples are individuals, pairs, and a much larger group. Some viewers find rowing quite boring, but you should check it out. You might actually like it. 

Rugby Sevens
Technically, there isn’t a very good reason for me to watch Olympic rugby because the USA is awful at this discipline. In fact, I don’t even know if the USA is sending a team this year. However, I’m a big fan of rugby in general and it’s hard to find decent opportunities to watch this sport in my territory. Olympic rugby is pretty short and breezy. If you like American football, rugby might be worth viewing. 

Skateboarding
This discipline is relatively new to the Summer Olympics. Basically, you need to enjoy X Games to appreciate skateboarding. I enjoy watching the tricks, jumps, and spills. During the previous Summer Olympics, the USA underperformed in this discipline. Hopefully, they’ll win some medals this year. Granted, I don’t know the front runners. Win or lose, I’m sure it will be an entertaining watch. 

Surfing
Even something like surfing is becoming an Olympic sport. I don’t remember when it was added, but surfing is another recent discipline. It’s probably less exciting than skateboarding and BMX freestyle, but I found it pleasant during the previous Summer Olympics. The waves can be unpredictable, which makes the experience challenging. Some countries tend to be strong in this discipline, including Australia, Japan, Brazil, and the USA. 

Swimming
In a way, swimming reminds me of track and field. It’s a large discipline with many categories and the USA tends to earn many medals. Events are usually very short, fast, and exhilarating. Olympic swimming even has a relay event like track and field. There was a time when Michael Phelps won a ton of medals for the USA, but that’s a bygone era. Overall, it should include multiple days of entertainment. 

Volleyball
During the last Summer Olympics, I got a kick out of the women’s volleyball games. It’s a fun and surprisingly scrappy event. Sometimes the USA performs well in this discipline, but it depends on the team. A lot of college players tend to play well in team volleyball. Like the other team sports, this version of volleyball is relatively short with quick pacing. I’m not sure why, but women’s volleyball tends to be a more entertaining watch than the men’s category. Sorry, guys. 

Weightlifting
Yeah, weightlifting might be slow and boring for many viewers, but I like it. The entire discipline only has a certain number of weight categories and events. So, it goes much quicker than you would think. Also, I can’t believe how people are able to lift those gigantic weights. It’s just crazy. As expected, some participants can’t even pick up the heaviest weights. 

Wrestling
It’s fun to watch traditional wrestling at the Summer Olympics. Naturally, it’s completely different than the WWE and AEW. Only certain moves are allowed in this discipline, but it can still look surprisingly brutal. I suppose these athletes are used to being slammed on the ground all the time. Sometimes it’s nice to watch sports that emphasize strength over speed. 

That’s the end of my list. What sports do you enjoy watching during the Olympics? Do you care about the Olympics at all? Leave a comment. The Summer Olympics will take place in Paris from July 26 through August 11. You can watch live coverage on NBC and Peacock. Thanks a lot for supporting my blog. Stay tuned for more topics and have a good week.