2020 Tokyo Olympics: The Successful End of a Hard Fought Games of the XXXII Olympiad
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Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony
The Tokyo Olympics have been 16 days of excitement, anticipation and glory, uniting the world during uncertain times. The Tokyo Olympics got off to a rocky start with the coronavirus pandemic raging all over the world. The organisers had a tough situation on their hands, as they had to take care of the health and safety of the Olympic participants, all while hosting a successful Olympics. This was the second time Tokyo would host the Games, after the 1964 Olympics.
The Tokyo Games which were originally expected to be held in 2020, were postponed due to the seriousness of the situation, and finally took place from 23rd July to 8th August 2021. The excitement was no less however, as teams made their way to Tokyo, Japan and the Games were off with a beautiful opening ceremony.
Tokyo Olympics: The Venue and Infrastructure
The Venues for the events to be held at Tokyo Olympics were very well constructed along with the Olympic village, where the athletes would be staying. Of the 42 venues that would be a part of the Games, the National stadium would be the place where the opening and closing ceremonies would be held.
The Musashino Forest Sports Plaza would be a big attraction, with badminton and modern pentathlon taking place. The Ariarke Gymnastics centre saw rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnasts and trampoline events take place, while the Tokyo Aquatics Centre would see the much anticipated swimming events take place. Of the 33 competition venues in Tokyo, 28 are within 8 km of the Olympic Village, and eleven new venues were constructed.
Miraitowa and Someity were the official mascots of the Tokyo Olympics and 2020 Paralympic Games and the volunteers played a big part in making the Games successful and safe for the athletes.
Tokyo Olympics: The Year of Firsts
The Tokyo Olympics were off with a bang, as Yang Qian of China bagged the first gold medal of the Games in 10m air rifle shooting. It was the year of firsts for several athletes and countries, as history was created more times than ever. The Tokyo Olympic Games saw new sports take centre stage, as Skateboarding, Karate, Surfing, Sport Climbing and Baseball/Softball made their debut at the Tokyo Olympics.
While Australia’s Andrew Hoy became the oldest medallist at the Games at the age of 62, winning a silver in equestrian, skateboarding saw the youngest medallist of the Tokyo Olympics, Kokona Hiraki at just 12 years old. Hidilyn Diaz of Philippines, Flora Duffy of Bermuda and Fares El-Bakh and Mutaz Bashrim of Qatar became heroes, bringing home the first gold medal for their countries ever. Burkina Faso, Turkmenistan and San Marino celebrated, as they won their first medals ever at the Olympics.
India’s Neeraj Chopra won India its first ever medal in athletics, and to add to that it was gold in the men’s javelin. For the first time, India clinched a medal on the opening day of the Olympics, as Mirabai Chanu won silver in weightlifting. Anna Kiesenhofer of Austria won the women’s road race to capture her nation’s first Olympic cycling gold medal in 125 years. These are just some of the firsts and glorious moments that took place over the course of 16 days at the Tokyo Olympics.
The Glorius End of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
The end of the fast paced Tokyo Olympic Games saw the men’s and women’s marathon winners being crowned at the closing ceremony. USA topped the medal tally once again, with a total medal count of 113, of which 39 were gold, 41 silver and 33 bronze. China came in second, with 33 gold medals, 32 silver medal and 18 bronze medals to bring their total to 88.
Japan had its best ever Olympic finish, with 27 gold medals, 14 silver and 17 bronze, finishing their total with an impressive 58 medals. India sent its largest ever contingent to the Olympics, and came back with its largest ever medal tally with a total of 7 medals that included 1 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze.
India took a silver medal on the very first day of the Tokyo Olympic Games, and won its most historic gold medal on the last day, ending India’s campaign on a high. The closing ceremony saw heart touching performances and videos, at the athletes celebrated for one last time before they returned home.
Looking Forward, The 2024 Paris Olympics
The 2020 Olympics united the world during these tough and uncertain times, bringing relief and joy to millions of people all over the world. The glorious Olympics came to an end, as the Olympic flag was passed on to the successors, as the 2024 Paris Olympics are now just 3 years away.
The Olympics are all set to be held in July 2024, in Paris, France, with 329 events over 32 sports. The Stade de France is all set to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the event, while L’Île-Saint-Denis is set to be the Olympic village. The athletes have reset all over again, as they prepare to make their way to the next Olympics, and achieve glory once more, all while being united and faster, higher and stronger.
Also read: Which athlete won the most medals at Tokyo Olympics?
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Saivee Phatak
(1164 Articles Published)