Fukuoka: Parkour World Championships Leaping by Kokura Castle Backdrop

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:34 JST, November 30, 2024

KITAKYUSHU — The parkour world championships, in which athletes compete through speed and techniques to jump and climb over obstacles, were held in Kitakyushu on Nov. 16-17.

With Kokura Castle in the background, leading traceurs, or parkour athletes, performed acrobatic techniques and captivated spectators.

Parkour is an urban sport that originated in France. This is the sport’s second world championships after Tokyo hosted the inaugural event in 2022. A total of 150 athletes from more than 40 countries, including junior traceurs, participated this time, in two events. In the speed event, athletes vied to be the fastest, while in the freestyle event, judgments were made on elements such as the difficulty and execution of movements.

At the competition venue, spectators applauded when athletes executed dynamic tricks, such as landing spinning jumps from a high platform.

“This is the first I’ve learned about parkour. It’s so impressive,” said a 76-year-old local man who watched the competition.

Kitakyushu, which has been plagued by an exodus of young people, is aiming to become a “mecca for urban sports.” In February last year, the city hosted Japan’s first breaking world championship.