Tokyo 2020

    It’s almost that time again. For two weeks in July and August, the fastest, strongest, most athletic humans on Earth will be gathering in Tokyo, Japan. They’ll come from more than 200 countries to sweat it out on the basketball court, flip through flawless gymnastics routines, and more. But even if you aren’t a sports fan, you still may want to pay attention to what’s happening at this year’s Games. Here are five things that might just set these Olympics apart from the rest.

    It’s almost that time again. For two weeks in July and August, the best athletes in the world will gather in Tokyo, Japan. They’ll come from more than 200 countries. They’ll sweat it out on the basketball court. They’ll flip through gymnastics routines. They’ll do much more. Even if you aren’t a sports fan, you might find these Games interesting. Here are   five things that might just set these Olympics apart from the rest.

    It’s nearly that time again. For two weeks in July and August, the fastest, strongest, most athletic humans on Earth will be gathering in Tokyo, Japan. They’ll come from more than 200 countries to sweat it out on the basketball court, flip through flawless gymnastics routines, and more. Even if you’re not a sports fan, what’s happening at this year’s Games may still be of interest to you. Here are five things that might just set these Olympics apart from the rest.

4- Serious Planet Protection

    Hosting the Olympics is a big job. Tokyo needs stadiums for the events. It needs beds for the athletes. It needs medals for the winners. What happens to all that stuff when the Games are over? 

    In the past, a lot of stuff has been thrown away. The people planning the Tokyo Games are making them more sustainable. They’re building 18,000 beds out of cardboard for the athletes. After the Games, the beds will be recycled. And they’re making the medals from pieces of old electronics!

4- Serious Planet Protection

    Hosting the Olympics is a huge job. The events require stadiums, athletes need beds, and, of course, the winners are awarded medals. But what happens to all that stuff made just for the Games after they end? 

    In previous years, the Olympics have created a lot of waste. So this time, officials are making them more sustainable. For example, they’re building 18,000 beds out of cardboard that can be recycled after the athletes have headed home. And they’re using pieces of old electronics to create the winners’ medals!

5- An Equal Playing Field

    In Tokyo, for the first time, nearly half the athletes will be women. That’s a big step from the first Olympics in 1896, when only men were allowed to compete. Since then, women’s sports have been added one by one—golf in 1900, figure skating in 1908, swimming in 1912. (Fun fact: American women didn’t compete in the pool that year. Why? The U.S. team had a rule. It said women could only take part in the Games if they were wearing long skirts!)

    Today, there are no male-only sports left in the Olympics. And more and more sports are putting men and women on the same playing field. This year they’ll play together in table tennis.

5- An Equal Playing Field

    In the Tokyo Games, nearly half the athletes will be women. This is the first time that’s happened. It’s a big change from the first Olympics in 1896. Back then, only men could compete. Later, women’s sports were added. Golf was added in 1900, figure skating in 1908, and swimming in 1912. (American female swimmers didn’t compete that year. Why? The U.S. team had a rule: Women had to swim wearing long skirts!) 

    Today, the Games have no male-only sports. And more sports let men and women play on the same teams. In Tokyo, they’ll team up for table tennis. For the first time, they’ll run and swim relays together.

5- An Equal Playing Field

    For the first time, at the Tokyo Games, nearly half the athletes will be women. That’s a big leap from the first Olympics in 1896, which were open only to male competitors. Since then, women’s sports have been added one by one—golf in 1900, figure skating in 1908, swimming in 1912. (Fun fact: American women swimmers didn’t compete that year. Why? The U.S. team had a rule that women could only participate in the Games if they were wearing long skirts!)

    The Olympics no longer have male-only sports, and more and more sports are putting men and women on the same playing field. This year, they’ll play together in table tennis and, for the first time, men and women will team up for relays in swimming and track.