DECADES OF STRUGGLE. WEEKS OF TRIUMPH
Overwhelming. Scintillating. Inspiring.
Amidst a ceaseless pandemic and an approaching typhoon the exhilarating Tokyo Olympics ended this Sunday witnessing pride and passion with an unparalleled show of hope and persistence.
Olympics?
The Olympic Games, a series of events which are truly the pinnacle of sporting glory, originated in ancient Greece between 776 BC and 393 AD. The initial rendition of the now evolved modern Games were held in 1859. The Games have come to represent the ideal of sporting eminence– the “Olympian spirit” of pure athletic competition, untrammeled by worldly considerations. With the virus creating havoc around us, how has it affected the course of Olympics?
Olympics amid a global pandemic
The highly debated dilemma which kept propelling was, whether Japan should have waited another year after postponing the Olympics once before. With the pandemic still going strong and the cases rising in Japan, it is in a way dangerous to bring a boatload of athletes into a small country to compete together.
On the other hand, Japan spent a huge amount of money for the Olympics and would’ve lost a fortune if they cancelled or kept postponing the games.
Hence, it looks like going ahead with the Olympic games in Tokyo has its own roses and thrones. This situation is of course not ideal by any means, but the athletes have worked tirelessly and deserve a chance to prove themselves in the most glorious of all stages.
Should Covid-19 not exist, the venues would be brimming with crowds ranging from Tokyo to other parts of Japan to all over the world, encouraging and applauding the athletes for their impeccable portrayal of their respective sport. The pictures of athletes on the podium with their trophies and masks will be a remembrance of these unprecedented times for years to come.
Let’s dive into few aspects that made the Tokyo Olympics an everlasting memory.
What made the Tokyo Olympics unique?
After a topsy-turvy 2020, the infamously postponed Tokyo Olympics are now finally underway. Japan has had a long history with the Olympic Games; It is the only Asian country to host the Summer Games twice in its history. The official motto for the Tokyo Olympics is “United by Emotion”, which echoes a universal call for diversity and inclusion.
Let’s investigate some interesting facts and trivia about Japan’s participation and its contribution to the Olympic Games.
1) Launch of new sports
Four new Olympic sports make their debut at the Tokyo 2020 games: karate, skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing. Baseball and softball, which have not been played since the 2008 edition, are making a comeback at this year’s Games.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) now allows the organizing committees of each game to propose new events for the Olympics. This flexibility is outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020 and is viewed as a road map for the IOC. The Tokyo Games were the first to take advantage of this change.
2) Stadium like a living tree
The stadium features wood on both the exterior and interior. As an ode to Japan, the wood is sourced from all of Japan’s 47 prefectures. The architect Kengo Kuma has described the structure as a ‘living tree’, built in a way to optimally maximize the breeze flowing through the stadium to rely less on the air conditioning.
3) Usage of recycled resources
To inculcate optimal environmental standards, podiums, uniforms, and medals are all fashioned from recycled materials. Even the beds at the Olympic Village are made from cardboard, which shall be recycled after the Games.
People across Japan dropped off plastic waste at collection bins placed at retailers and schools, contributing to 13 tons of material. This, along with another 11.5 tons procured by organizations and businesses, was ultimately transformed into 98 medal podiums, all constructed using 3-D printers.
4) Medals from electronics
Old electronic devices have been recycled in a nationwide effort to produce the Olympic medals for the Tokyo Olympics. The project aims to set a precedent for future Olympic Games.
For the people of Japan, this project offered a unique opportunity to play a passive part in the whole event.
5) Mascots by children
Miraitowa and Someity, the mascots for the Olympics, were designed by Japan’s Taniguchi Ryo, who drew inspiration from Manga which is a style of comics popular in Japan.
More than 2000 possible designs for mascots were submitted to the organizing committee which were narrowed down to three pairs of mascots and then the school children chose Miraitowa and Someity with a huge vote difference. It is the first time Olympic mascots have been chosen by children.
6) Participation of the locals
Japan has produced 5000 Olympic medals from 78,985 tons of recycled electronic devices. To produce medals that embody the emotions of all those who partook in the events, Tokyo 2020 launched a medal design competition, inviting the public to submit design ideas for the medals.
The gold, silver and bronze medals presented to the best of athletes at the Olympic and Paralympics Games not only represent the highest of honor to the athletes but also the culture and charm of Japan to the rest of the world.
7) Immersive Technology
Automation- Japan has, for the past several decades, styled itself as a culture embracing the future through technological advancements. The 2020 Games will be no exception, featuring facial recognition on a broad scale, cameras and microphones installed in mass to cut down on potential criminal activity, robotic baggage assistants at the airports, and even fleets of driver less cars designed to serve the massive influx of conditionally challenged tourists.
Optimizing experience-
Using advanced virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), this year’s event will be the first with its own COVID-inspired Olympic Virtual Series. Spectators in specific seats at swimming competitions will be provided with wearable AR devices which will display detailed race information during events.
As the pandemic is still looming over the Tokyo Olympic Games, technological innovations help bring spectators and athletes closer to the action effectively.
Ultra-Realistic communication technology-
Spectators at sailing events have traditionally watched from nearby piers, often using binoculars. However, at the Tokyo 2020 Games, they will experience the ultra-realistic communication technology, giving spectators the sensation of the races being held right in front of their eyes
Reminiscing the sporting spectacle
Along with the astonishing winning moments, the inspiring journeys, the tears and boundless joy, Tokyo also witnessed few of the beautiful moments that make people love sports and here are a few.
The Italian high jumper GianmarcoTamaberi and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar tied in the event, and instead of having a jump-off to decide for the first place, they agreed to share the gold medal.
Team USA’s Isaiah Jewett and Botswana’s Nijel Amos were competing in the 800-meter semi-finals when they got tangled up and fell. The runners didn’t get angry at the ruined race. Instead, they got up, wrapped their arms around each other and walked to the finish line together.
Along with all these adorable moments, Indian athletes and players have displayed tremendous talent and bagged many medals. This year in the Tokyo Olympics India has achieved 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.
Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic gold medal for India in Javelin throw. He fulfilled India’s dream and inspired a billion hearts with a breath-taking display of determination and grit. Ravi Dahiya made India proud by winning a silver medal in men’s freestyle wrestling and has promised to aim for the gold in the Paris Olympics. Mirabai Chanu, who gave India a perfect start at the Tokyo Olympics by winning the country’s first weightlifting silver, said that it was a dream come true for her and she would like to dedicate this medal to her country. The long wait is finally over as Indian Hockey Men’s team wins Olympic bronze. India’s badminton ace P V Sindhu bags her second Olympic medal and becomes the first Indian to bag two Olympic medals.
As the Tokyo Olympics come to an end leaving us with wonderful memories, we realize the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to have conquered but to have fought well. Indian athletes’ achievements get etched in history as they bring home what India has been thriving for so long. The medals and memories will remain in the hearts of Indians forever. Thank you, Japan, for yet another timeless sporting spectacle.
What are your favorite moments from the Tokyo Olympics 2020?
Let us know!
