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An opening ceremony like no other as Japan welcomes the world

Published

3 years ago

July 23, 2021

Performances and pyrotechnics still featured prominently, but these are unusual times and Tokyo staged an opening ceremony like no other as it welcomed the Olympic Games back to Japan after 57 years on Friday night (July 23).

Most conspicuous were the empty seats in the cavernous, 68,000-capacity Tokyo Olympic Stadium, a stark reminder of the invisible enemy the world continues to battle.

The Covid-19 pandemic had already meant the stadium’s big unveiling – refurbishment works were completed in late 2019 – was held back by a year, after the Olympics were postponed for the only time in its history.

A continued struggle against the virus then moved organisers to bar spectators from all events earlier this month. This resulted in the absence of the frenetic energy from the stands that usually accompanies the opening ceremony.

In a nod to gender and racial diversity, tennis star Naomi Osaka lit the cauldron to a muted reception after Emperor Naruhito formally opened the Olympics – as his grandfather Hirohito did in 1964 – with only 15 other global leaders in attendance which included United States First Lady Jill Biden.

It was sobering, but necessary.

On Friday, 19 new Covid-19 cases were reported in the Olympic Village, a daily record rise in cases since organisers began disclosing data this month. A total of 110 cases linked to the Olympics have been recorded since July 2, when the organisers started offering daily updates.

There were protests even on the day of the ceremony, most notably in front of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building as the Olympic torch reached its final stop before it made its way to the stadium. Tokyo is also in a fourth state of emergency – declared earlier this month – and reported 1,979 new infections on Thursday, which is the highest daily count since mid-January.

But there has also been evidence that other segments of its residents have taken a more welcoming stance.

As buses ferried athletes, officials, journalists and delegates to the opening ceremony, locals were seen lining the barricaded streets leading to the stadium – many with cameras in hand, some with encouraging signs. They also thronged a park next to Japan’s Olympic Museum, with a monument of the Olympic Rings a particularly popular spot.

The city might be a little deflated, but it is not entirely dispirited.

The thousands of unfilled seats inside the stadium, however, remained an unusual, uneasy sight all night.

Despite this, the Team Singapore contingent, who looked snappy in their blazers and Japan-inspired ties and scarfs, were all smiles as they waved around the empty arena along with the approximately 6,000 athletes and team officials.

The Republic will be represented by 23 athletes across 12 sports in Tokyo but only six were in the 12-strong contingent that marched. Some have yet to arrive in the country as they adhere to strict travel schedules tied to their events, while others – like shooter Adele Tan and fencer Kiria Tikanah Abdul Rahman – preferred to rest in preparation for early battles on Saturday.

Shuttler Loh Kean Yew, who was Singapore’s joint-flag bearer with table tennis player Yu Mengyu, said he was living his “childhood dream” being at the Olympics.

“Being here in Tokyo finally, after one year of postponement and the uncertainties, feels very surreal,” said Mr Loh, 24. “Even though the stadium is empty, being here fills me with plenty of excitement. I’m extremely honoured to carry the Singapore flag tonight, and will do my very best at the Olympic Games.”

Ms Yu, meanwhile, called being a flag bearer a “major landmark” in her life.

Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also the Singapore National Olympic Council president, flew into Tokyo on the eve of the ceremony, and wrote in a Facebook post that it was a “pity there is no audience” in a “beautiful stadium”.

“But we are living in extraordinary times and some things can’t be helped,” said Mr Tan. “The organisers are doing what they can to keep us all safe and to keep things moving smoothly. I hope that the sportsmen and women will be able to inspire us through their performances and contests as they have done through the ages.”

Even without spectators, elaborate choreography and large groups of dancers still entertained in performances that showcased Japan’s culture and history.

In one segment, a wooden installation of the Olympic Rings was erected in the middle of the stadium – the rings were crafted with wood grown from trees planted by athletes when the Olympics came to Tokyo in 1964.

History, however, largely took a back seat at Friday night’s ceremony, which is tied to the concept of “Moving Forward”, a reference to recovering from the pandemic.

On Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee amended its motto to “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together”, with the last word an addition made to “adapt it to our times”, explained its president Thomas Bach. And what novel times they are.

-The Strait Times

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All’s well that ends well at Lagos International Badminton Classic

Published

3 weeks ago

September 1, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU

As the curtain fell on the 7^th edition of the Lagos International Badminton Classic, Vietnam’s Le Duc Phat won the topmost prize, the men’s single final after beating India’s Samarveer in a thrilling clash.

He becomes the only non-Indian that clinched gold in the classic, the biggest and best in Africa.

The allure of the Vietnamese is the fact he was just one of the trio from his country and featured at the tournament without a coach.

He lived up to his calling as the number one seed, beating Samarveer 2-1 even though the Indian had two coaches behind him providing him with technical support.

The game started with the Vietnamese winning the first game by 21-10, but things turned around in the second game as the Indian won by 21-18 to drag the Vietnamese into a third game which was filled with thriller as there was tension packed rising and falling of both players.

Though Le Duc Phat took a lead by 21-20, he could still not be declared winner by the umpire because he needed to win by two point’s difference just as the rule states.

A masterly final stroke from the Vietnamese did the magic after he added the final point to win the third game at 22-20.

The victory did not just deny the Indians an opportunity to cart away all the other gold medals available at the tournament, but it also made Le Duc Phat the second Vietnamese to win the men’s single of the Lagos Badminton Classic since Nguyen Tien Minh first won the championship in the 2019 edition.

In the women singles, women doubles, men doubles and mixed doubles, it was an all India affair, as the Asians who are the only foreign country to come to the championship with the highest number of players cleared all gold available in those categories.

In the women’s singles final, Indian’s Shreya Lele feasted on her fellow compatriot Kavipriya Selvam with two straight wins, to become women’s champion from wins of 21-11 and 21-16.

The women’s doubles and men doubles was also an all Indian affair, as a combination of Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi beat the duo of Vaishnavi Khadkekar and Alisha Khan 2-0 (21-11, 21-16 ) to emerge women double champions.

In the men double final, Pruthvi Krishnamurthy Roy and Vishnuvardhan Goud PANJALA beat the duo of P.S Ravikrishna and Akshan Shetty with 2-0 (21-17,21-19) to win the gold, while the host, Nigeria’s duo of Alhaji Aliyu Shehu and Uchechukwu Deborah Ukeh, who lost in the final of the mixed doubles bowed to Indians duo of Sathwik Reddy Kanapururam and Vaishnavi Khadkehar by 2-0 (21-12,21-14).

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Amusan lost to conservation of strength, says Falilat Ogunkoya

Published

1 month ago

August 11, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s first athlete to win an individual track and field medal at the Olympic Games, Falilat Ogunkoya has offered explanations on why Nigeria’s biggest hope for a medal at Paris 2024, Tobi Amusan failed to make the mark.

Falilat who was Nigeria’s first medallist at the Atlanta ‘96 Games won a bronze medal in the women’s 400 m and a silver in the 4x400m.

“I think Tobi Amusan was tensed up. She was restless. I don’t know what really happened to her. She probably was trying to conserve her energy for the medal race and overdid it”, remarked Falilat while trying to explain the third position that the Nigerian brightest prospect had in the Heat 1 of the women’s 100m hurdles race.

Her chance of qualifying was hit a decisive blow when the third and fourth place in the last heat returned better time than the 12.55 seconds of Amusan.

For most of the Nigerian athletes, Falilat is of the opinion that they were probably over confident and in some instances failed to heed to instructions from their Team Nigeria coaches.

“Most prefer to listen only to their foreign coaches. I am not saying they should discard them, but when they come to Team Nigeria, the coaches should be listened to.”

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Next federations’ elections will change the face of Nigerian sports, says minister, Enoh

Published

1 month ago

August 10, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s sports minister, John Owan Enoh has stated that a scrutiny of the sports’ federations’ constitution will be conducted, ostensibly to ensure round pegs in round holes.

This is coming on the heels of the glaring zero medal outing Nigeria is about to record as the curtain falls on Paris 2024.

“There will be stiffer scrutiny of the constitutions governing Nigeria’s sporting federations in advance of the forthcoming elections”, the minister remarked in a press statement issued by Diana-Mary Nsan, his special assistant on media.

“We did everything as a Ministry to prepare the athletes adequately and provide them with every financial support but unfortunately the performance has not produced any podium finish.”

He continued, “As we go back home we must do everything to prevent future occurrence of the Paris disaster and if this will entail the review of how people are elected to lead our sporting Federations, it will be done.”

Emphasizing the importance of upcoming federations’ elections, Senator Enoh noted, “I know that elections into the Federations are coming and it will be the perfect platform to get only those who have something to offer to lead the various sports.”

Reflecting on the complexity of these elections, he added, “I am aware that the Sports Federations Elections in Nigeria are even tougher than our National Elections and you will begin to ask yourself why is it so.”

The Minister concluded, “So for me as a Minister it is important I supervise an Elections where only the best hands will lead the various Federations and I also understand that in some of the Federations their constitutions will need to be reviewed for better inclusion.”

This call for reform aims to enhance the leadership and effectiveness of Nigeria’s sports federations, paving the way for improved performance on the global stage.