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Shanghai in China and the Hungarian capital of Budapest have been selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to serve as hosts of the new Olympic Qualifier Series.
The two-part series, part of the IOC’s Olympic Agenda 2020+5 roadmap, will feature a series of festival-style events combining sport with urban culture in the months leading up to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The events will include qualifying competitions for the Games in BMX freestyle, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing, with 464 athletes set to compete.
The four sports will be featured in a single urban park alongside art, music and culture over four days.
The Shanghai event will be held at the Huangpu Riverside from May 16-19, 2024, while the Budapest event will take place at the Ludovika Campus from June 20-23.
“Shanghai and Budapest perfectly align with the concept of the Olympic Qualifier Series, serving as the ideal backdrop for an exciting new chapter in the Olympic movement,” IOC president Thomas Bach said.
“This series of Olympic qualification events represents a key milestone in enhancing and promoting the road to the Olympic Games. By bringing together the best athletes from these four sports in iconic urban environments, we aim to give them more visibility and highlight their remarkable achievements on the road to Paris.”
Xie Dong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, said: “It is a remarkable opportunity for our city, known for its rich sports history and talents, growing industry and strong sports atmosphere, as it strives to build itself into a world-renowned sports city.
“The event will be held on the banks of our beloved Huangpu River, adding to the beauty of the surrounding scenery as it comes alive with the energy of the most talented athletes. This top-tier event, celebrated for its youthful and urban atmosphere, will undoubtedly ignite the passion of Chinese youth for BMX, breaking, skateboarding and sport climbing.”
Balázs Fürjes, co-chairman of the Budapest Local Organising Committee, added: “We will be ready – again – to host the world’s best urban sport athletes following on from the highly successful and trend-setting Budapest 2019 World Urban Games.”
Image: Shanghai Administration of Sport, via International Olympic Committee
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