What you need to know about Olympic Karate

⚙️How it works: Eight gold medals are up for grabs — four for the women, four for men — in the latest martial arts Olympic event. Karate has two disciplines: Kumite and Kata. Kumite has three weight categories, and focuses on fighting or sparring, while Kata (meaning “form” in Japanese) is judged solely on technique.

• Kumite: During a three-minute fight, points are awarded for kicks and punches, and the first to gain an eight-point advantage, or the top scorer by the end of the three minutes, wins. Karatekas will participate in an elimination round, the semifinal and the final.

• Kata: Athletes are judged on their technique correctness and overall athletic performance. After the preliminary scoring round, the top performers move on to a ranking round and from there move to the final or bronze medal event.

👀Who to watch: Just one Canadian karateka to cheer on: Daniel Gaysinsky, who will compete in the men’s +75kg (+165-pound) Kumite event. With a 2019 Pan American Games silver medal under his belt, he’s a top contender.

👀Who to cheer for: On the women’s side, sole American Sakura Kokumai will compete in the women’s Kata event, while three men — Tom Scott, Brian Irr and Ariel Torres — will compete in the men’s -75kg Kumite, +75kg Kumite and Kata, respectively.

⏰When to watch:

• August 5th: Women’s Kata, women’s -55kg Kumite, men’s -67kg Kumite

• August 6th: Women’s -61kg Kumite, men’s Kata, men’s -75kg Kumite

August 7th: Women’s +61kg Kumite, Men’s +75kg Kumite