Martial Arts at the Olympics – Tokyo Olympics 2020

This page provides details for the Olympic martial arts events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Olympic martial arts include BoxingKarateTaekwondoWrestlingJudo and Fencing.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Olympics have been postponed and “the new dates for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are 23 July to 8 August 2021”.

Karate at the Olympics

Karate is a Japanese martial arts. Historically, Karate has not been part of recent Olympics. However, Karate was approved for the 2020 Olympics because the events are being hosted by Japan. At the 2020 Olympics, the Karate events will include kumite (sparring) and kata.

Karate participants at the Tokyo Olympics will be able to participate in kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) events. According to the Tokyo Olympic website, for the Karate kata segment, athletes can choose from “75 types designated by the WKF. At the tournament, competitors are required to demonstrate a different kata for each match, including the final”. In addition, the Karate kumite at the 2020 Olympics will be non-contact. “Competitors send tsuki, or punches, and keri, or kicks, with explosive force at the prescribed regions of their opponent’s body. However, a tsuki or keri never actually hits the opponent because competitors perform every tsuki and keri with absolute control, enabling them to stop the motion suddenly only millimetres before coming into contact with their opponent”.

Taekwondo at the Olympics

Taekwondo is a Korean martial arts. It has participated in many of the recent Olympics. The Taekwondo sparring weight classes include men’s under 58 kg, 58-68 kg, 68-80 kg, 80+ kg and women’s under 49 kg, 49-57 kg, 57-67 kg, 67+kg. Unlike Olympic Karate, Taekwondo participants in the Olympics only compete via sparring matches and do not compete via Taekwondo forms or Taekwondo patterns.

According to the Tokyo Olympic website, “Points are awarded for landing an attack to the protector. Three points are awarded for a straight kick to the head, and five points for a spinning kick to the head; two points are awarded for a straight kick to the torso, and four points for a spinning kick to the torso; and one point is awarded for a punch to the torso”. Unlike Olympic Karate (where strikes do not hit an opponent), Olympic Taekwondo participants must hit their opponent in order to score points.

Boxing at the Olympics

Boxing is a martial arts focused on punches and doesn’t allow kicks or grappling techniques. Boxing has been part of the Olympic games since 1904. This Olympic martial arts has men’s and women’s matches.

According to the Tokyo Olympic website, “An Olympic Boxing match for both men and women lasts three rounds, each of three minutes. Five judges sit at the side of the ring. They watch the bout and individually award points for what they deem to be successful hits”.

Judo at the Olympics

Judo is a Japanese martial arts that focuses on grappling and throwing techniques. It does not use punches or kicks in the Olympics. Judo has been part of the Olympics since 1964. Weight classes range from under 60 kg to 100+ kg for men and under 48 kg to 78+ for women. Unlike Olympic Karate, Judo participants in the Olympics only compete via sparring matches and do not compete via Judo kata.

According to the Tokyo Olympic website, “The objective of Judo is to throw or takedown an opponent to the ground; subdue them with a pinning hold, or force them to submit with a joint lock or a choke… The highest score a judoka can earn is “Ippon”, it is the ultimate way to claim victory in the match and is the highest score in judo. After Ippon is scored, the match is over. A judgment of Ippon for a throwing technique puts the opponent on their back with strength, speed and control. If a throw or other technique is successfully executed but all the requirements for ippon are not met, waza-ari (a half-point) is awarded. Two waza-ari’s in one match is the equivalent of Ippon. Penalties can also be awarded for passivity or behaviour deemed contrary to the spirit of Judo”.

Wrestling at the Olympics

Wrestling is a martial arts focused on grappling and throwing techniques. Judo is the “oldest” Olympic martial arts because it appeared in the first Olympics in 708 BC and returned to the modern Olympics in 1896.

According to the Tokyo Olympic website, wrestling “bouts last for two periods of three minutes with a 30-second interval. To win, a wrestler has to hold down both shoulders of their opponent to the mat for one second, after which the match ends. This is called a ‘fall’”.

If no fall is made, a winner is decided on points. Point examples include “one point is awarded for moving the opponent’s legs outside the mat; two points for setting the opponent up on their belly and turning them by 90 degrees or more; four points for throwing an opponent while standing; and five points for lifting and throwing an opponent from the ground”.

Fencing at the Olympics

Fencing is a weapons-based martial arts that focuses on using a sword to attack an opponent. In the Olympics, athletes compete with a foil (lightest of the three Olympic sword types), epee or sabre (heaviest of the three sword types). According to the Tokyo Olympic Website, “Individual matches are contested over three three-minute rounds, with the winner being either the first to 15 points or whoever has the most points after the three rounds”. Points are awarded for hitting an opponent with the tip of the weapon (foil and epee) or tip and/or blade of the weapon (sabre).

Archery at the Olympics

Currently, we are not listing Archery as an Olympic martial arts because it does not compete as a combative one-on-one Olympic event.

Martial Arts – 2021 Olympic Schedules & ResultsThese links go to the Olympics.com website 

Competition Rules & Regulations at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Martial Arts Gold Medal Results at Past Olympics

Boxing Gold Medals

  • 2016 Olympics – Uzbekistan – 3, Cuba – 3, France – 2, Kazakhstan – 1, Russia – 1, UK – 1, USA – 1 and Brazil – 1.
  • 2012 Olympics – UK – 3, Ukraine – 2, Cuba – 2, Russia – 1, Ireland – 1, Kazakhstan – 1, China – 1, Japan – 1 and USA – 1.

Fencing Gold Medals

  • 2016 Olympics – Russia – 4, Hungary – 2, Italy – 1, France -1, S. Korea – 1 and Romania – 1.
  • 2012 Olympics – Italy – 3, S. Korea – 2, China – 2, Ukraine – 1, Hungry – 1 and Venezuela – 1.

Judo Gold Medals

  • 2016 Olympics – Japan – 3, France – 2, Russia – 2, Italy – 1, USA – 1, Brazil – 1, Slovenia – 1, Argentina – 1, Czech Republic – 1 and Kosovo – 1.
  • 2012 Olympics – Russia – 3, France – 2, S. Korea – 2, Japan -1, Cuba – 1, Brazil – 1, USA – 1, Georgia – 1, N. Korea – 1 and Slovenia – 1.

Taekwondo Gold Medals

  • 2016 Olympics – S. Korea – 2, China – 2, UK – 1, Azerbaijan – 1, Ivory Coast – 1 and Jordan – 1.
  • 2012 Olympics – Spain – 1, China – 1, S. Korea – 1, Turkey – 1, UK – 1, Italy – 1, Argentina – 1 and Serbia – 1.

Wrestling Gold Medals

  • 2016 Olympics – Russia – 4, Japan – 4, Cuba – 2, USA – 2, Turkey – 1, Iran – 1, Armenia – 1, Georgia – 1, Canada – 1 and Serbia – 1.
  • 2012 Olympics – Russia – 4, Japan – 4, Iran – 3, Azerbaijan – 2, United States – 2, Cuba – 1, Uzbekistan – 1, South Korea – 1

Olympic Martial Arts – Taekwondo

Olympic Martial Arts

Image provided by Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Boxing, https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/boxing/
  2. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Judo, https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/judo/
  3. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Karate, https://tokyo2020.jp/en/games/sport/olympic/karate
  4. Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Taekwondo, https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/taekwondo
  5. Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, Wrestling, https://tokyo2020.org/en/games/sport/olympic/wrestling/
  6. Rio 2016 Olympic Games, http://www.rio2016.com/en
  7. Olympics.com, Fencing, https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/en/sports/fencing/