A year after their scheduled start date, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are set to begin.
The Games officially kick off tonight Japan time with the Opening Ceremony, putting an end to months of speculation over whether the event would even be able to go ahead as Japan struggles to control COVID-19.
Yesterday there were a Tokyo record 1,979 new COVID cases, the highest daily number since 15th January. As of yesterday, there have been 110 positive cases linked to the Games as those arriving in Tokyo undergo a rigorous testing program.
A handful of athletes have seen their dreams dashed after testing positive for the virus, forcing them to withdraw from competition.
According to the longest-serving member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dick Pound, most competitors spend years, if not most of their lives, training to reach the Olympics and only about 70% of them get the opportunity once.
French President, Emmanuel Macron, whose country will host the next Summer Games in 2024, has arrived in Tokyo for the opening ceremony. First Lady Jill Biden is also traveling to the Japanese capital.
However, the number of dignitaries in attendance will be much smaller than previous years. Organisers said that only 950 VIPs will be present in a stadium that can seat nearly 70,000 people.
While athletes normally enter the stadium to a crowd of roaring fans, they’ll instead be greeted by mostly empty seats, a stark, visual reminder of the pandemic’s toll.
Today’s schedule of events is pretty light. There are no medals up for grabs, but archery and rowing have preliminary competitions.
The Games kick off in earnest tomorrow morning Japan time, which is Friday night Eastern Caribbean time.
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