Dodger Stadium to host baseball, with surfing and cricket outside Los Angeles at 2028 Olympics

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will feature baseball at Dodger Stadium in its return to the program with surfing and cricket held outside the city as part of an updated venue plan released Tuesday by the organizing committee.

Surfing will be at Trestles Beach, a renowned collection of surfing spots between northern San Diego County and southern San Clemente in Orange County, about an hour’s drive south of downtown Los Angeles. It formerly hosted a World Surfing League competition and attracts about 2.5 million visitors every year.

“We’ve promised the world an incredible Olympic Games and today we’re proud to share the plan that will make it happen,” LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover said in a statement.

Cricket will return to the Olympics for the first time in a century in a temporary structure at the Fairgrounds in Pomona, about 35 miles from LA. Host committee chairman Casey Wasserman had initially said it was likely to be played on the East Coast, which would have better aligned with the time zone in India, home of the sport's biggest fan base.

Squash will make its Olympic debut on the Universal Studios lot, famous as the setting for movies and television shows.

Beach volleyball is going to Long Beach after negotiations fell through with the city of Santa Monica. Triathlon is moving from Long Beach to famed Venice Beach on the west side of LA.

Joining the sports in Long Beach are target shooting at a temporary indoor range at the city's convention center. Sport climbing will take place outside in the parking lot. Already planned for Long Beach is the new event of coastal rowing as well as marathon swimming.

Venice Beach will also be the starting location for the marathon and cycling road courses. The course layouts and finishing sites for both events will be announced later.

Boxing returns to the Olympic program with preliminary matches at the Peacock Theater across from Crypto.com Arena, which will host the final stages in downtown LA. Weightlifting also will be at Peacock, while artistic gymnastics and trampoline will be in Crypto.com Arena.

Volleyball will be at Honda Center in Anaheim, about 27 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

The city of Carson will host archery at Dignity Health Sports Park after the Rugby Sevens tournament. Shotgun shooting will be in South El Monte, about 14 miles from downtown LA.

Equestrian is set for Santa Anita racetrack in suburban Arcadia, which hosted the sport during the 1984 Los Angeles Games.

Rhythmic gymnastics will be at Galen Center on the University of Southern California campus, along with badminton.

The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in the San Fernando Valley north of downtown LA will host 3x3 basketball, as well as modern pentathlon, BMX freestyle, BMX racing, skateboarding and skateboarding street.

The updated plan was announced after being approved last week by the International Olympic Committee's executive board. Still to come is an updated Paralympic venue plan.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games