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As the eyes of the world will soon be upon Paris and the Sports competitionWe take a look back at the last Summer Olympics, which took place in the Japanese capital Tokyo and marked the second time the city acted as host after The first Asian Olympic Games in 1964.
The Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for 24 July and 9 August 2020, were, like other major sporting events, marred by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to push back the dates by a year. This was an unprecedented move. Previous Games over the years had been cancelled but never rescheduled.
The postponed Games officially began on July 23, 2021, and concluded on August 8. Despite the delay, the event retained the Tokyo 2020 branding for marketing purposes.
The impact of the pandemic on the Olympic Games
Undoubtedly, The pandemic had an immense impact Firstly, athletes were massively affected. Restrictions made training difficult and some had to try to maintain their usual training routine from home without the necessary equipment, facilities and support team. Some turned to virtual training sessions where athletes trained together via Zoom. Not to mention the mental challenges they had to face in isolation, like the majority of the population. It was a very different experience preparing for an Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games are a huge tourist attraction, drawing spectators from all corners of the world. London 2012 saw massive attendances, with up to 180,000 spectators entering the Olympic Park each day of the Games, giving the stadiums an unrivalled atmosphere.
At Tokyo 2020, that atmosphere was non-existent. Spectators were barred from the event due to the pandemic, and for the first time in Olympic history, world-class athletes had to perform in front of empty stadiums and in eerie silence. All that could be heard were pre-recorded dystopian cheers and the amplified sounds of the athletes competing.
One reporter reported how “a lonely-looking volunteer” dropped her clipboard during a handball game and that the noise was the loudest thing in the Yoyogi National Gymnasium.
The absence of noise was said to have a polarising effect on athletes: some performed better and said the silence helped concentration, but others said it increased stress.
The lack of spectators and tourism has caused Japan to suffer huge economic losses. The amount of investment required to host the Games is astronomical (the average cost since 1960 is £4.2bn), but is usually offset by the boost in tourism and ticket sales.
Japan spent around ¥1.4 trillion ($13 billion or £10.5 billion) to host the Games, double what was originally planned when Tokyo was awarded the Games in 2013.
United States dominates medals again
For the third consecutive Olympics, the United States topped the medal table, although its overall total was slightly down from five years earlier in Rio. American athletes won 113 medals in all: 39 gold, 41 silver and 33 bronze.
China came in second with 89 medals, of which 38 were gold, and hosts Japan came in third for the third time in history (after 1964 and 1968).
Tokyo 2020 Medal Table
American swimmer Caeleb Dressel emerged from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with the most medals, taking gold in five different races, three individual and two relays. He also set a new world record of 49.45 seconds in the men’s 100-meter butterfly final.
Gymnast Simone Biles was aiming for six gold medals at the Games. She ultimately won a silver and a bronze on the beam team, but decided to prioritize her mental health and withdrew from the women’s team final after suffering “sprains,” which attracted wide attention.
Former Italian long jumper Marcell Jacobs shocked everyone when he took gold in the men’s 100m final, beating American Fred Kerley to silver and becoming the first European to win the race since Linford Christie in 1992. Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, meanwhile, became the first person to win medals at 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000m, including gold at the latter two, while Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah completed the 100m and 200m double before adding a third gold in the women’s 4x100m relay.
Skateboarding became an Olympic sport at Tokyo 2020, with Japan taking gold in three of the four events. Australia’s Keegan Palmer prevented the hosts from sweeping the men’s park event. But by winning the women’s street competition, 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya became Japan’s youngest ever gold medallist.
Japan’s Ryo Kiyuna also made history as one of the new champions crowned in karate’s Olympic debut. Surfing and sport climbing also had first-time gold medallists, including five-time world surfing champion Carissa Moore, who became the first female champion.
‘The greatest achievement in British Olympic history’
Despite the difficult circumstances brought on by the pandemic, Team GB did the nation proud and achieved a a whopping 64 medals, one less than in London 2012. They were also their second best Olympics abroad, surpassed by Rio 2016, where the team took home 67 medals.
With 22 gold, 20 silver and 22 bronze medals, it’s safe to say they delivered a brilliant performance. Tokyo 2020 was also Team GB’s best Games for women, with female athletes contributing 28 medals to the total. Amid all the challenges posed by the pandemic, Chef de Mission Mark England called the Games a “the greatest achievement in British Olympic history.”
Highlights included Matty Lee and Tom Daley’s gold-winning performance in the 10m synchro final, Adam Peaty’s ridiculously fast win in the men’s 100m breaststroke and the most swimming medals in Olympic history, to name just a few in the pool.
Gymnast Max Whitlock retained gold in the men’s pommel horse despite nerves, while the women’s gymnastics team claimed their first medal in the event since Amsterdam 1928.
There was a first Olympic medal in women’s weightlifting for Great Britain, thanks to Emily Campbell’s silver, and skater Sky Brown, aged 13 years and 28 days, became the The youngest British Olympian to win a medalDame Laura Kenny took her personal tally to five golds and one silver, becoming the most decorated British Olympian and the most decorated Olympic cyclist of any nation.