The second and final stop of the Olympic Qualifier Series (OQS) concluded this weekend in Budapest with more than 150 athletes clinching their Paris Olympics berths in BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing. Over 450 athletes from more than 120 national federations competed in the popular urban sports to crowds of young spectators in the four-day, festival-style event.

Thomas Bach emphasised the importance of urban sports for the future of the Olympics as he kicked off the second stop of the Olympic Qualifying Series yesterday in Budapest. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) president has been impressed with the inaugural series of the OQS so far, with the Olympic trials which determine which athletes will compete in the Paris 2024 attracting thousands of spectators to watch over 450 athletes from more than 120 National Federations compete in breaking, BMX freestyle, skateboarding and sport climbing in a festival-like event fusing sport, art, music and culture in a festival atmosphere.

Former kindergarten teacher Ayumi Fukushima will likely represent Japan in the debuting breaking discipline at the Paris Summer Games after winning the pre-qualifier in Shanghai this past weekend. One last dance in Hungary might seal the deal, and dream, of a lifetime.

With the kickoff in China’s hippest city just a day away, Australian Logan Martin and Britain’s Charlotte Worthington headline the BMX freestyle competition, while Leonardo Veddriq, of Indonesia and Nonaka Miho, of Japan, are sport climbing’s main attraction for this inaugural two-part-series event.

The ECA met in Belgrade this Saturday for the first time in 2024. They discussed the venues for major canoeing events in the coming years, including the Senior European Championships in France and the Junior and U23 European Championships in Slovenia, both in 2025.

Jordan clinched the men’s team kumite title after beating Egypt in a gripping final on the concluding day of the Karate World Championships here.

Multiple world champions Antonio Diaz of Venezuela and Douglas Brose of Brazil have been re-elected on to the World Karate Federation Athletes’ Commission following a vote here.