Karate at the Olympics: GB team and rules
Karate is ready to make its debut at the Olympic Games in Japan, its original home, and we've rounded up everything you need to know.
Karate becomes an Olympic sport for the first time in 2021 and what a fitting location to introduce the martial arts event to the world on such a stage. The event will feature both a combat competition (kumite) and a subjectively judged demonstration of technique (kata) with a number of elite superstars in pursuit of the first gold medals in karate. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about karate at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. When is karate at the Olympics? Karate runs between Thursday 5th August until Friday 7th August. It's one of the last events to begin at the Games, but karate's Olympic debut – in its homeland – should be a sight to behold. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Olympic karate rules Men and women have three weight categories each: -67kg, -75kg and +75kg for the men, and -55kg, -61kg and +61kg for the women. Participants are known as karateka, and will face each other on an 8 x 8 matt. Competitors are awarded one, two or three points per successful strike on the target areas of their opponents body. The winner of the match is decided either by a karateka taking an 8-point lead over their opponent, or by having the highest score at the end of the three minute match. In the event of a draw, the match is awarded to the karateka who scored the first point. In the event of a scoreless draw, the panel of five judges will decide the winner. In kata, competitors are allowed to choose one of the 102 approved sequences of movements used by karateka to practice. These sequences are known as kata and give this competition its name. Judges will assess the competitors based on their technical skill, with factors including their stance, transitions between moves, breathing and accuracy. They will also be assessed on their athletic attributes: strength, speed and balance. The two highest and lowest scores of the judges are discarded, and the remaining three scorecards are added up to give a score, with a particular weighting put on the technical aspects of the performance. In the event of a draw, competitors will pick another kata and perform again. Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic karate? Unfortunately, Team GB just missed out on a place in Tokyo after a COVID-embattled qualification period. Carla Burkitt was our closest competitor, finishing fifth in the qualifying event in Paris. In the kata competition the hot favourites in the men's and women's categories are both Spanish, Sandar Sánchez and Damián Quintero, who are both ranked No.1 in the world. Their most likely rivals will be the Japanese pair Kiyou Shimizu and Ryo Kiyuna. In the more broadly contested kumite category, France's world champion Steve DaCosta and Brazil's Vinicius Figueira are ones to look out fo in the -67kg class. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Also competing will be Ukranian karateka Anzhelika Terliuga, a three-time world champion and current world No.1. Also in her category will be Serbian karateka Jovana Prekovic, who won gold at the 2018 world championships. Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Canoeing at the Olympics: GB team, rules, sprint and slalom explained
Your complete guide to the rules, terminology and competitors in the Olympic's canoeing events.
Canoeing is rip-roaring back onto our TV screens at the Olympic Games with a stack of medals to be won across multiple disciplines and we're on hand to help you make the most of it all. There are 16 medals to be won in total, with plenty of top candidates gunning for glory. Whether you prefer the speed of the sprint or swerving of the slalom, there's something for everyone in the canoeing events. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about canoeing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is canoeing at the Olympics? Canoe slalom runs between Sunday 25th July until Friday 30th July. Once that wraps up, canoe sprint runs between Monday 2nd August until Saturday 7th August. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. What are the categories for Olympic canoeing? The Olympic canoeing events break down into a number of different disciplines. To start with, there's a distinction between canoeing (kneeling in the boat with a single-bladed paddle) and kayaking (sitting in the boat with a double-bladed paddle). Next there's the number of people in the boat – single, double or four in a kayak, single or double in a canoe. Events are given labels such as C-1, K-2 which translate as 'Canoe, one person' and 'Kayak, two person'. There are 12 medals to be won in the canoe sprint events: Men: K-1 200m, K-1 1000m, K-2 1000m and K-4 500m. Plus C-1 1000m and C-2 1000m. Women: K-1 200m, K-1 500m, K-2 500m and K-4 500m. Plus C-1 200m and C-2 500m. What is the Olympic canoe sprint? The canoe sprints, meanwhile, take place on a calm, flatwater course that's about 9 metres wide. Boats race each other down the course in a series of heats, with the top eight canoeists eventually contesting the final. Sprint canoeists hit their top speed really quickly, making the race starts incredibly exciting. The shorter distance events can be over in as little as 30 seconds, making them primarily a display of speed. Over longer distances, however, the ability to synchronise the work of everybody in the boat becomes more important, as does the tactical ability to judge when to make the strongest efforts. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport, direct to your inbox" description="For details on how we use your data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] What is the Olympic canoe slalom? Fortunately, the canoe slalom makes it simpler than the sprint, with just four events, and four chances at gold: Men: K-1 and C-1 Women: K-1 and C-1 Competitors in the slalom race down a whitewater course that features between 18 and 25 hanging gates they must navigate through in the fastest time possible. Two-second penalties are given for touching a gate, and there's a 50 second penalty for missing a gate entirely. The gates themselves are divided into downstream (green) and upstream (red). Upstream gates force the competitors to go against the flow of the water, and require them to have a keen eye for slower currents or calmer water which will make it easier for them to manoeuvre into the gates. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. Which Team GB athletes will compete in the Olympic canoeing? Team GB will be sending five canoeing athletes to Tokyo, including the reigning Olympic 200m kayak champion Liam Heath MBE. Heath will be competing in the sprint category and will be joined on the team by four slalom athletes: Mallory Franklin in the single canoe, Kimberley Woods in the single kayak, Bradley Forbes-Cryans in the men's single kayak and Adam Burgess in the single canoe. Mallory Franklin is ranked 2nd in the world and is a strong contender for gold along with Australia's Jessica Fox, while Heath is hotly tipped to win back-to-back gold medals. The canoe slalom events will begin on 25th of July, while the canoe sprint events start on 2nd of August. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Badminton | Equestrian | Fencing | Handball | Sailing | Swimming | Volleyball Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Judo, also known as "the gentle way", is a combat sport which features throws, pins and holds rather than punches and kicks. Here's everything you need to know about the Olympic judo competition.
Judo returns to the Nippon Budokan, where the sport made its Olympic debut in 1964, in the summer of 2021 as competitors from across the globe head to Tokyo. A grand total of 386 judoka from 129 countries will compete across the sport's 14 weight classes – seven for each gender – and a new mixed team format will also make its debut. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about judo at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. When is judo at the Olympics? Judo runs from Saturday 24th July until Saturday 31st July. Medal finals will take place on every single day of the eight days of judo contests so don't blink or you'll miss one! Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ Olympic judo rules The objective of judo is to subdue your opponent without striking them, using a variety of throws, pins or joint locks. Competitors face each other on a 10x10 padded mat and begin by making grabs at each other in an attempt to unbalance their opponent or achieve a firm hold with which to throw. The sport allows 68 different throwing techniques, known as nagewaza, and 32 grappling techniques, called katamewaza. Competitors are awarded a half-point called a waza-ari for successful moves, but a perfectly executed throw will receive ippon, a full point, which automatically wins the match. Ippon can also be awarded for holds that keep the opponent pinned for 20 seconds, or choke holds that force the opponent to submit. Since 2016, judo rules have been revised to make men's and women's matches of equal length at four minutes, and the judging time for waza-ari was reduced from 15 seconds to ten, in order to make matches faster and more aggressive. Competitors who achieve ippon outright or through two waza-ari will win the match, and tied scores are resolved by a "golden score" system which awards the match to the next scoring player. The new mixed team event will use competitors drawn from the individual competition, with each team composed of an under 73kg, under 90kg and over 90kg male competitor, and an under 57kg, under 70kg and over 70kg female competitor. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic judo? Team GB is sending six judoka to Tokyo. Reigning commonwealth champion Ashley McKenzie competes in his third Olympics in the -60kg class. Natalie Powell and Gemma Howes will compete in their second Olympics in the -78 and -70kg categories. The rest of the Team GB squad is composed of judoka making their Olympic debut, including Lucy Renshall, who had to defeat three other fighters competing for her -63kg qualification spot. Also on the team are 8th seed Chelsie Giles (-52kg) and commonwealth games champion Sarah Adlington. Other competitors to look out for include Japan's Shohei Ono (-73kg), a Rio gold medallist who has gone undefeated since 2015, Noel van't End, (-90kg), a Dutch competitor fresh from winning gold at the 20210 Doha IJF world masters, and Naohisa Takato, who is the top ranked fighter in Ashley McKenzie's -60kg division. The judo events take place between 24th and 31st July. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Baseball and Softball | Canoeing | Gymnastics | Shooting | Swimming | Table Tennis | Weightlifting Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Boxing at the Olympics: Who will fight in Tokyo?
Boxing has a rich history of giving some of the world's top fighters their big breakthrough. RadioTimes.com rounds up everything you need to know about boxing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Boxing at the Olympic Games has paved the way for numerous fighters to earn a name for themselves and move into the big leagues, with Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor and Amir Khan all scrapping their way into the public eye with sparkling Olympic displays. This year looks set to offer a fresh batch of fighters the chance to impress on the biggest stage of all, but who will feature at the Games? And will they take their chance? RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about boxing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is boxing at the Olympics? Boxing runs between Saturday 24th July until Sunday 8th August. Medal finals begin from Saturday 31st July and run until the competition ends. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Team GB Olympic boxers GB Boxing will send a team of eleven boxers to Tokyo, including European gold medallists Pat McCormack and Lauren Price, fighting at welterweight and middleweight respectively. Among the big hitters, Frazer and Cheavon Clarke will be fighting at superheavyweight, while comparative newcomer Caroline Dubois qualified for the Olympics in only her fifth senior fight. How do you qualify for Olympic boxing? Traditionally, boxers qualify for a place at the Olympics by winning multiple bouts at regional qualifying events for Asia & Oceania, Europe, Pan-America and Africa. The coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of the Pan-American tournaments, forcing the IOC to allocate places according to the rankings compiled by the IOC’s newly created Boxing Task Force. GB Boxing had a particularly good European qualifier, earning places for 11 fighters and at one point winning a clean sweep of the day’s bouts. Why are there no professional boxers in Olympic boxing? Traditionally, only amateur boxers could compete at the Olympics, a rule that was changed by the Amateur International Boxing Association in 2016. Optimists believed this was an attempt to bring the big names of professional boxing into the Olympics, while cynics saw it as an attempt by the AIBA to muscle into the lucrative world of professional pugilism by signing contracts with fighters that normally fall under the jurisdiction of traditional sanctioning bodies such as the WBC and WBA. In either case, only three professionals took part in 2016, and while there will be at least four this time, the pros at the Olympics are mostly beginners to professional prizefighting who only turned pro when the pandemic put their amateur careers on ice. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t see Saul Alvarez or Anthony Joshua on the bill! The AIBA, meanwhile, has been stripped of the right to organise Olympic boxing after reports suggested that the organisation posed a “legal, financial and reputational risk” to the IOC. In its place, an ad hoc Boxing Task Force led by the head of the International Gymnastics Federation, Morinari Watanabe, has been supervising the qualifying tournaments and will oversee the Olympic boxing. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Who is the best Olympic boxer? Cuba has traditionally dominated amateur boxing, largely because its ban on “professional” sports in that country means that Cuban fighters stay in the amateur ranks long after other nation’s fighters turn professional. It’s not uncommon for the Cuban team to field veterans of multiple Olympics – the great Teófilo Stevenson’s heavyweight gold medals spanned three Olympiads. Twenty-five-year-old light-welterweight Andy Cruz will be Havana’s biggest hope in Tokyo – he already has four gold medals from the World Championships and Pan-American games, and looks set to hang the Olympic variety next to them in his trophy cabinet due to his speedy counterpunching. The other great force in Olympic boxing is Uzbekistan, who dominated in Rio and brings an even stronger squad this time around. The most notable squad member is Shakhobidin Zoirov, one of the Olympic “professionals” who won a gold medal in Rio and currently has a 3-0 professional record as a bantamweight. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. In the women’s events, six-time world champion Mary Kom of India will draw lots of attention in her final Olympics, while the Chinese team boasts a raft of talented fighters including Huang Hsiao-wen, a likely flyweight rival for Kom, and Wu Shih-yi in the lightweights. The Olympic boxing schedule runs from the 24th of July to the 8th of August. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Athletics | Basketball | Diving | Football | Judo | Rugby | Surfing | Triathlon Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Basketball at the Olympics: Rules and which NBA stars will feature
Basketball always draws in crowds at the Olympic Games and Tokyo 2020 will be no different.
Basketball is characterised by frenetic end-to-end action as the five-person teams switch from offence to defence and back again. If you've ever wondered why basketball looks so frantic, it's simply because it's designed that way, to thrill with end-to-end pace. While some sports don't feature mainstream stars, basketball is truly an exception with a strong clutch of NBA players ready to shine on the global stage. The US team is the favourite to seize the crown once again – but can anyone stop them? RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about basketball at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is basketball at the Olympics? Basketball runs between Sunday 25th July until Sunday 8th August. Medal finals will take place on the last two days of the competitions. 3x3 Basketball goes from Saturday 24th July until Wednesday 28th July. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Olympic basketball rules Teams are under constant time pressure from the rules, which demand that teams take a shot within 24 seconds of taking possession of the ball, can't remain in the goal area for more than three seconds, and have to advance the ball beyond the halfway line within ten seconds of receiving it. Points are scored by putting the ball through the hoop, either by throwing or via the famous dunk (see 'Michael Jordan' for more). Three points are awarded for a successful shot from outside the three point line, which is an arc of 6.25 metres from the centre of the basket. Two points are awarded for a successful shot from inside the line, and one for scoring from a free throw, the basketball equivalent of a penalty kick. The teams compete on a 28m x 15m court over the course of four 10-minute periods. A new 3x3 format has also been introduced for the Tokyo Olympics, meaning that there will be four separate tournaments – two in each discipline for the men's and women's teams. The main tournaments will be contested by 12 teams split into four groups of three for an initial round-robin stage. The top two teams in each group, and the two best third-placed teams will be seeded into a traditional knockout system. Does Team GB have an Olympic basketball team? Sadly, Team GB didn't qualify in any of the four basketball events. The men's event will be contested by teams from the United States, Spain, Australia, Argentina, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Nigeria, Iran and Japan. The United States are usually the team to beat, having won gold at the last three Olympics. Despite a surprise loss to Nigeria in their last exhibition match, they remain the hot favourites, although the Australian team is packed with NBA professionals and should mount a strong challenge, as will Spain, the current basketball world cup gold medal holders. The US women's team has an even more enviable record than the men, having won six consecutive gold medals. Competition for their seventh will come from Canada, France, Australia, Spain, Belgium, Serbia, China, Japan, Nigeria, South Korea and Puerto Rico. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Which NBA players will play at the Olympics? The US team is jam-packed with superstars. The list includes: Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard and Kevin Love among others. The US is a traditional powerhouse of Olympic basketball and is considered favourite to claim the men's crown once more. It's not just American NBA players involved at the Olympics. Numerous other stars will feature for their homelands including Luka Doncic with Slovenia. What is 3x3 basketball? The inclusion of 3x3 (pronounced three-ex-three) has been championed by the sports governing body, FIBA. The game is played on half a court, with only one net, by teams of three players. It has its origins in casual games on public courts, where teams are small and changeable and space for multiple games is at a premium. This type of play is so commonplace that an IOC study suggested that it's the largest urban team sport in the world. Because the sport takes place on half a traditional five-a-side court there are some incongruities, most notably the fact that the three point line is still used, despite the fact that shots from outside it are only worth two points. The pace of play is even more hectic than traditional basketball, with no breaks in play after a point is scored, and only 12 seconds allowed between taking possession and taking a shot. Unlike traditional basketball, the US isn't the hot favourite for the 3x3. Serbia embraced the sport, building teams separately from its five-a-side squads and becoming the hot favourites for Olympic gold. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Archery | Cycling | Field Hockey | Gymnastics | Rowing | Skateboarding | Taekwondo | Water Polo Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Badminton at the Olympics: GB team, rules and net height
Your complete guide to badminton at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games including the events involved and the Team GB hopefuls to watch
Badminton serves up bewildering changes of pace that tax the mental and physical reactions of even the most seasoned player, as gentle drop shots alternate with 400kph smashes. Traditionally, the sport has been dominated by the Chinese, who have won 18 of the of the 34 gold medals that have been contested since the sport made its debut in 1972. We take a look into the sport to help you make sense of it all as the Games arrive with a fresh batch of contenders determined to dominate. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about badminton at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is badminton at the Olympics? Badminton runs between Saturday 24th July until Monday 2nd August. Medal finals will take place on the final four days of the contests, starting on Friday 30th July. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. What badminton events are at the Olympics? The Olympic competition will be held at Tokyo's newly constructed Musashino Forest Sport Plaza and will consist of five medal tournaments: Men: Singles and Doubles Women: Singles and Doubles Mixed: Doubles The tournaments start with a round-robin group stage, with three or four players in each group. The highest scoring player from each group will then progress to the knockout phase of the competition. A badminton match consists of three games, with the first player to reach 21 points winning the game. If the score reaches 20 all, then the winner will be the first player to take a two point lead, and if the match reaches 29-all then the first player to 30 wins. What height is the badminton net? The players, or shuttlers, will compete on a 44ft long court, which will be either 17ft or 20ft wide (for singles and doubles matches, respectively.) The net stands 5ft 1in high at the ends, dipping to 5ft in the middle. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic badminton? There will be seven British athletes taking part in the badminton events. The mixed doubles will be contested by Lauren Smith and former Olympic medallist Marcus Ellis. Smith will also play in the women's double alongside Chloe Burch. Toby Penty and Kirsty Gilmour will compete in the singles, while Ben Lane and Sean Vendy will play in the men's doubles. Competition for the women's title should be especially hot, as the reigning Olympic champion, Spain's Carolina Marin, is out with a knee injury. India's P.V Sindha is the current world champion and won the silver medal in Rio and is looking to take an extra step up the podium. For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides. There will be stiff competition from Chen Yufei and Yamaguchi Akane, Olympic debutants from China and Japan, who look capable of taking the fight to their elders. The reigning men's Olympic champion, China's Chen Long, is expected to be challenged by home favourite Kento Momota, a two-time world champion . The Olympic badminton events will be held between the 24th of July and the 2nd of August. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Boxing | Diving | Judo | Rowing | Sailing | Tennis | Volleyball | Weightlifting Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Field hockey at the Olympics: GB Team, rules, countries involved
Field hockey kicks off at the 2020 Olympic Games this summer and we've rounded up all the details you need to know including Team GB stars to look out for, basic rules and countries involved.
One of the oldest and most global sports in the world, versions of field hockey were played in Iran as far back as 2000BC, and now we're gearing up to watch the very same action at Tokyo 2020. The popular version of the game in British public schools spread to India and Pakistan before blasting worldwide, proven by the fact that the world rankings contain at least one team from every continent in the top 20. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about field hockey at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is field hockey at the Olympics? The field hockey tournament runs from Saturday 24th July until Friday 6th August. The men's medal final takes place on 5th August, with the women's gold medal match rounding off the contests on 6th August. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Which countries play field hockey? There will be a men's and a women's tournament at the Olympics, each with teams from 12 countries. The men's competition was historically dominated by India and the Netherlands, with 10 gold medals between them. The current defending champions are Argentina, who are ranked 3rd in the world behind Australia and the Netherlands. These top contenders will be joined in the competition by Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain and South Africa. In the women's competition, Team GB will be hoping to defend the gold medal they won in Rio, although they'll face strong competition from the Netherlands, who are currently ranked No.1 in the world, as they have been every year since 2012. Other teams in the women's tournament will include Germany, India, Ireland, South Africa, Argentina, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Spain. Read more: How to watch Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony What are the rules for field hockey? Teams of 11 play on a 91m x 54m pitch and attempt to score goals by shooting into the net from inside the opposition's shooting circle, a 16-metre semi-circle in front of their goal. Outfield players can only touch the ball with their sticks, while the goalkeeper can also block shots with their hands and feet. Games are played over four 15-minute quarters and there will be a group stage followed by a knockout phase. There's no offside rule in field hockey, which keeps the action fast and means that the threat to the goal can shift in unexpected directions. The other element that keeps the game moving at frantic pace is the move from grass to artificial pitches that have been watered to allow smooth passage for the ball. This has increased the speed of the game, with the ball occasionally reaching 200kph, and it also looks impressive when some shots send up an explosion of mist! [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic field hockey? Team GB's women's squad will include six members of the team that won gold in 2016, including goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, and Laura Unsworth making her third Olympic appearance. Newcomers include Izzy Petter and Fiona Crackles, the youngest members of the squad at 21. The men's squad will be led by Adam Dixon who, along with David Ames, Ian Sloane and Sam Ward, will be making his second appearance at the Olympics. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Athletics | Basketball | Diving | Football | Judo | Rugby | Surfing | Triathlon Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Cycling at the Olympic Games: GB cyclists, events and categories
Your complete guide to cycling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, including the events involved from track to mountain to road and Team GB hopefuls to watch.
Cycling has become one of the nation's favourite sports when it comes to the Olympic Games. Team GB has mined gold from track cycling events like there's no tomorrow in recent editions of the Games, and fans will be hoping Tokyo 2020 is no different. Excitement is building as riders gear up to take on challenges across multiple incredibly different disciplines on two wheels. Athletes will compete on the sprawling road and mountain courses, in the pressure cooker intensity of the Izu Velodrome for track events and flash their urban creativity in the BMX events throughout the Olympics. We're on hand to bring you up to speed with some of the names to keep an eye out for during the huge couple of weeks for sport with cycling at the heart of it all. RadioTimes.com brings you the lowdown on cycling at the Olympics in 2021 with a host of Team GB stars primed to thrill across the events. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from theTokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is cycling at the Olympics? Cycling runs between Saturday 24th July until Sunday 8th August. Medal finals are spread out throughout the Games across multiple cycling disciplines. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. What cycling events are in the Olympics? There will be 22 cycling events, split across the road, track, mountain and BMX disciplines. Road and mountain cycling On the road there will be individual efforts against the clock in the Time Trials and mass-start road races – although there remains some controversy about the fact that the gruelling climbs of Mount Fuji and Mikuni Pass have been omitted from the women’s race. With maximum gradients of an agonising 20 per cent, Mikuni makes it unlikely that the traditional fast-finishing sprinters will still be in contention when the race reaches its finishing circuits on Fuji Speedway. Medals are more likely to go to lightweight climbing specialists or a “puncheur” who specialises in short, steep climbs. Fuji Speedway and its surroundings will also be home to the the men’s and women’s time trials, covering 44 and 22km respectively. The rolling hills dotted along the course should mean that the powerhouse TT specialists will face some competition from the lighter all-rounders. Track cycling On the track there will be the usual motor-paced keirin race, as well as the sprint, team-sprint and multi-discipline omnium, while the two-rider madison race, in which riders take turns to throw each other into the action, makes a welcome return. Off the boards and into the mud, the XCO (cross-country Olympic) course will feature four laps with an elevation gain of 150 metres on each lap – that’s a huge amount of grinding up muddy, bumpy hills. BMX racing and freestyle Finally, there’s the short, explosive BMX racing and the newly added BMX Freestyle, in which competitors have 60 seconds to carry out tricks and stunts on a variety of obstacles in front of a panel of judges. Which Team GB cyclists will compete in the Olympics? Recent Olympics have seen Team GB treat the cycling events as an all-you-can-eat medal buffet. The British track cycling team contains no fewer than six Olympic champions including household names such as Jason and Laura Kenny, Elinor Barker and Kate Archibald. Among the most exciting British prospects is 21-year-old Tom Pidcock, a multiple World Champion known for crossing the finish line lying on his saddle with his arms outstretched in a Superman pose. The irrepressible Yorkshireman will compete in the XCO, as will former national champion Evie Richards. On the road we’ll see three former Grand Tour winners in the shape of Geraint Thomas, Tao Geoghagen-Hart and Simon Yates, along with Simon’s equally talented brother Adam. The fierce climbing on the road route will suit the Yates brothers, who are strong on the sort of gradients that reduce other riders to wobbling uphill. Freshly bruised from the Tour de France, Thomas and Geoghagen-Hart will also be riding the Time Trial. Lizzie Deignan will be competing in the women’s event. Although primarily known for her fast finish, the former world champion also counts TT and hill climbs among her wins and is a strong all-rounder. She’ll be joined by 20-year-old Olympic debutante Anna Shackley. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Who are the top Olympic cyclists? Cycling has seen an unprecedented explosion of young talent over the past few seasons, with a number of riders who look likely to be not just the best of their generation, but among the best of all time. Aside from Tom Pidcock, it’s worth keeping an eye on Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel in the Men’s Time Trial and the Netherland’s Mathieu van der Poel – fresh from a spell leading the Tour de France – in the XCO. Rio 2016 gold medallist Anna van der Breggen is a strong contender to defend her medal in the road race, and will also ride the Time Trial alongside her Dutch compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten, who should really be better known for her many world championship wins than she is for her back-breaking crash at the last Olympics. The Olympic cycling events will take place daily between 24th and 27th July, while the track cycling events happen daily between 2nd and 8th August. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Boxing | Diving | Judo | Rowing | Sailing | Tennis | Volleyball | Weightlifting Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Baseball at the Olympics: How it works and does Britain have a team?
Baseball may not be your typical Olympic sport but Tokyo 2020 will reintroduce it to the roster and we've rounded up everything you need to know
Baseball's on again, off again relationship with the Olympics continues, as the sport returns for the first time since 2008 and will want to make an impression, having been dropped from the 2024 Olympic schedule. Often thought of solely as U.S sport, Baseball actually has a devoted following in a number of countries, including Cuba and the host nation of Japan. RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about baseball at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport in one place" description="Immediate Media Company Limited (publishers of radiotimes.com) would love to send you our sports on TV newsletters. We may also send occasional updates from our editorial team. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we hold your personal data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] When is baseball at the Olympics? Baseball runs between Wednesday 21st July until Saturday 7th August. The softball medal final takes place on Tuesday 27th July, while the baseball medal final is on Saturday 7th August. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. Olympic baseball rules Due to the very small number of qualifying teams, the rules for the Olympic baseball tournament are a little unusual. The competition will start with a round-robin group stage with two groups of three teams, which is comparatively normal, but the following round will feature a convoluted double-elimination round. Teams will play each other according to their finishing positions in the group stage (Group A winner v Group B winner and so on), with the opening match between the two lowest-placed teams being used to eliminate the loser immediately. All the other teams will then enter a repechage phase of the round, meaning that it's possible to lose a match and still potentially play for the gold medal. Does Team GB have an Olympic baseball team? There is a British baseball team, but due to the decision to cut the number of baseball teams competing at the Olympics from eight to six, Team GB won't be competing. Instead, six teams will fight it out – Israel, Japan, Dominican Republic, United States, Mexico and South Korea. Interestingly, Major League Baseball, the sports governing body in the U.S., refused to let national teams draft players from the professional clubs 40-man rosters, essentially hindering the selection of the highest level professional players in the states. Conversely, Nippon Professional Baseball, the governing body in Japan, has suspended play in both of its leagues to allow the Olympic selectors to recruit an all-star squad that will be the hot favourites to take the gold medal. The Olympic baseball matches will start in Fukushima on the 28th of July with a match between Japan and the Dominican Republic, and will move to Yokohama and continue through to the gold medal match on the 7th of August. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Athletics | Boxing | Golf | Shooting | Trampoline | Water Polo Radio Times Olympics Special issue is on sale now. If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.
Archery at the Olympics: GB team, rules, events and what the target is called
Your complete guide to the rules, terminology and competitors in the Olympic archery competitions.
Archery first appeared in the 1900 Olympics and has been a regular fixture since 1972. A total of 128 archers will feature in Tokyo – 64 men and 64 women – competing in individual, team and mixed team events. Aside from the skill necessary to hit a target from a distance of 70 metres, archers have a time limit of 40 seconds in which to shoot each arrow, meaning that Olympic Hawkeyes face immense psychological pressure in every round. You may not be well-versed in the ways of archery, but what better time to learn and soak it all up than during the Games? RadioTimes.com brings you up to speed with everything you need to know about archery at the Olympic Games 2020 in Tokyo, taking place in the summer of 2021. Viewers who are looking to watch each and every sport from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, you can tune in for full coverage via online streaming platform discovery+ When is archery at the Olympics? Archery runs between Friday 23rd July until Saturday 31st July. Medal finals will take place on five of the nine days of action, meaning there'll be a steady trickle of archery medal ceremonies throughout. Check out our guide on how to watch Olympics 2020 or see Olympics on TV today for more details, timings, and exclusive expert analysis from some of the biggest names in world sport over the coming weeks. Sir Chris Hoy, Beth Tweddle, Rebecca Adlington, Matthew Pinsent and Dame Jess Ennis-Hill are among the stars we have to being their esteemed opinions, so don't miss what they have to say. What are the rules for Olympic archery? Olympic archers use what are known as recurve bows, where the curve of the bow tips would naturally extend away from the archer if it weren't being pulled back toward them. This added tension in the bow allows it to propel the arrow more powerfully. Archers will initially shoot 72 arrows over a 70m distance to rack up a combined score that will be used to seed them in the individual event. For the team event, scores from the seeding round will be aggregated to seed the teams. After the seeding round, the knockout competition will begin, with 1st seed facing the 64th, 2nd facing the 63rd and so on. The knockout rounds consist of a best-of-five sets competition, with each archer shooting three arrows per set. The winner of each set receives two points, with a point apiece for a draw. A tie will be decided by a single arrow each, with the closest shot to the centre being the winner. The team events follow a similar format, although each team member gets two shots instead of three. What is the archery target called? Archery targets come in a variety of sizes depending on the equipment and distance in use. For the recurve bows and 70m distance used in Olympic archery, a target with a 122cm face will be used. The face will be attached to a padded boss and placed on a butt or stand. The face has ten concentric rings in five colours, with each ring being worth an additional point as they get nearer the centre. Hitting the central 10-point ring is the equivalent of shooting an apple from a distance approximate to the wingspan of a jumbo jet. [newsletter_signup title="A world of sport, direct to your inbox" description="For details on how we use your data, please see our privacy policy." layout="horizontal" environment="live-like" logged_in_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_in_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_in_preferences_hyperlink_text="To manage your email preferences, click here." logged_out_body_copy="Updates from the world of sport on TV, including news, views and how to watch it all live." logged_out_success_message="Thanks, you are now signed up to our sport on TV newsletter! We look forward to sending you our email updates." logged_out_sign_in_message="Sign in to/ register for a RadioTimes.com account to manage your email preferences" newsletter="nl_rt_newsletter5--786" /] Which Team GB athletes will compete in Olympic archery? Great Britain's archers consist of four Olympic debutants, Sarah Bettles, Tom Hall, Bryony Pitman and James Woodgate, along with experienced competitors Naomi Folkard and Patrick Huston. Folkard is a four-time Olympian, with Bronze medals from the last two world championships, while Huston also won a Bronze at the 2016 World Championships. The international competition is strong. The Republic of Korea won gold in all four archery events in 2016 and will have women's world No.1 Kang Chae Young as part of their squad, while the US will also be sending men's world No.1 Brady Ellison, who has two Olympic silver medals for the team evens and a bronze in the individual. Read more – check out our comprehensive guides to the Olympic sports: Baseball and Softball | Canoeing | Gymnastics | Shooting | Swimming | Table Tennis | Weightlifting If you’re looking for something else to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our Sport hub for all the latest news.