These Chicago-Area Athletes Will Be Competing in Sports Never-Before-Played in an Olympics

The Tokyo Olympics will be bigger than ever before as organizers introduce 15 new medal events for 339 in total.

The new events will feature a number of athletes with local ties, allowing Midwest Olympic Games fans more competitions to look forward to and cheer on. 

New to the Tokyo Olympics are baseball, softball, skateboarding, surfing, climbing, karate, basketball 3x3, cycling: freestyle BMX and seven mixed team events. 

Here's a look at the Chicago-area competitors already making Olympic history:

Baseball: 

• After being removed from the Olympic Games in 2008, baseball returns to Tokyo.  Six countries, including the United States, will participate in the popular Japanese sport. 
• Local athletes include:
  • Tim Federowicz, Former Chicago Cubs catcher
  • Todd Frazier, Former Chicago White Sox third baseman
  • Edwin Jackson, Former Cubs and White Sox pitcher
  • David Robertson, Former White Sox pitcher

Softball:

• Much like baseball, softball was removed from the Olympic Games in 2008 and will only be contested during the Tokyo Games. Joining the U.S. in the tournament will be Japan, Australia, Italy, Mexico and Canada. 
• Local athletes include: 
  • Amanda Chidester of Allen Park, Michigan and Chicago Bandits catcher

Basketball 3x3:

• Both men and women Olympic 3-on-3 basketball will be introduced this year. Different from traditional 5x5 basketball games, 3x3 is played on a half-court and scoring consists of 1-pointers and 2-pointers. Each game ends in 10 minutes or once one team reaches 21 points. The full roster size is four players for a team, with one substitute player on the bench. 
• Local athletes include: 
  • Stefanie Dolson, Chicago Sky basketball player

Cycling: freestyle BMX:

• Freestyle BMX was added to the cycling program, making its debut in the Tokyo Games. Riders will be scored on execution and difficulty of their tricks. There will be a men's and women’s race. 
• Local athletes include: 
  • Hannah Roberts of South Bend, Indiana 

Mixed team events: Seven sports will be debuting new mixed team events with men and women. The newly mixed sports include swimming, track and field, archery, judo, shooting, table tennis and triathlon. 

• Swimming: The 4x100m medley relay will feature teams of two men and two women from each country competing in a relay. 
  • The U.S. mixed team has not yet been named, but could feature several local swimmers.
• Triathlon: A mixed team relay will feature teams of four (female-male-female-male in that order) with each athlete completing a shorter version of a triathlon known as a super sprint before tagging their next teammate
  • Local triathletes who could compete on the team include: 
    • Kevin McDowell from Geneva, Illinois