The Youth Olympics are providing a showcase not only for the world’s best teenage athletes, but also a few sports that would like to one day be part of the Olympic program.
Wushu, sports climbing, roller skating and skateboarding are not being officially contested in Nanjing, but they are on display at what’s called the Sports Lab in the Chinese city.
All have a ways to go to be considered on the Olympic program. Last year, wrestling won a vote for one open spot in the 2020 and 2024 Olympics over baseball and softball and squash.
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach paid a visit to the Sports Lab this week and called wushu a sport with “dynamism and grace.” Wushu originated in China as a practice of self defense and physical training and developed into competitive martial arts.
The sport includes swords, which made it right up Bach’s alley. Bach won 1976 Olympic fencing gold. Here are photos of Bach and Wushu performers in Nanjing, via Getty Images:
NANJING, CHINA - AUGUST 21: (CHINA OUT) IOC President Thomas Bach visits the Nanjing 2014 Sports Lab, which includes four non-Olympic sports: Rock Climbing, Roller Skating, Skateboarding and Wushu, on day five of the Nanjing 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games at Fishmouth Wetland Park on August 21, 2014 in Nanjing, China. (Photo by ChinaFotoPress/ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
ChinaFotoPress
Wushu fighters perform during a show at the Sports Lab of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on August 17, 2014. More than 3,700 competitors aged 15 to 18 were expected to participate in the games, with many hoping to build towards a place at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Wushu fighters perform during a show at the Sports Lab of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on August 17, 2014. More than 3,700 competitors aged 15 to 18 were expected to participate in the games, with many hoping to build towards a place at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
A Wushu fighter performs during a show at the Sports Lab of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on August 17, 2014. More than 3,700 competitors aged 15 to 18 were expected to participate in the games, with many hoping to build towards a place at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Wushu fighters perform during a show at the Sports Lab of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on August 17, 2014. More than 3,700 competitors aged 15 to 18 were expected to participate in the games, with many hoping to build towards a place at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Wushu fighters perform during a show at the Sports Lab of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province on August 17, 2014. More than 3,700 competitors aged 15 to 18 were expected to participate in the games, with many hoping to build towards a place at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. AFP PHOTO / JOHANNES EISELE (Photo credit should read JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images)
AFP/Getty Images
Wushu #flying #Nanjing2014 #yog pic.twitter.com/Rvv2GhsOZQ
— alex huot (@alexhuot) August 23, 2014
NBCSN and NBC Sports Live Extra‘s coverage of the Youth Olympics continues Saturday from 9-11 p.m. ET. NBC has coverage Sunday from noon-1 p.m. ET, followed by NBCSN from 9-10.
