Martial Arts at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

This page provides details on the martial arts events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Martial arts such as Boxing, Karate, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Judo and Fencing are participating as Olympic sports in 2020. The 2020 Summer Olympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan and will run from July 24 to August 09, 2020.

Karate was not part of the 2016 Rio Olympics. However luckily, 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.

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".

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

Competition Rules & Regulations at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

• Boxing
• Fencing
• Judo
• Karate
• Taekwondo
• Wrestling

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

References

1. Rio 2016 Olympic Games, http://www.rio2016.com/en, Added - 01/29/14
2. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Karate, https://tokyo2020.jp/en/games/sport/olympic/karate/, Added - 12/26/16