We are in the countdown for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. From July 23rd we will see the world’s best athletes competing in different sports and disciplines to aim for the gold. It is a different Olympic event, since due to the pandemic it had to be postponed. We invite you to know a bit more about them, so you can live this amazing event in the best possible way.
For Chileans that want to organize the schedule, it must be considered that Japan is 13 hours ahead of Santiago, so you will need to plan ahead to watch your favorite competitions and not miss anything.
These Games will have a world record of 33 sports with 339 events that will be developed in 43 different competition venues, where an impressive number of around 11.000 athletes from all over the world will participate and compete.
“To reach the best personal version”, “Accept one another”, and “Transmit the legacy to the future” are the three fundamental concepts on which the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are being based and developed upon.
To get to know more about the Host City, the Greater Tokyo Area is the largest metropolitan area of the world in terms of population, with over 37 million residents in 2020. Apart from this population number, it is established that the stadiums will have a spectator limit of 50% of their original capacity, up to 10.000 people. Among the pandemic safety and control considerations, masks must be used at all times; shouting or loud speaking is forbidden and spectators will be asked to arrive directly from home to the venues, and back to their homes with no stops in between, to reduce the risk of contagion.
Some of the novelties of this version of the Games are the five new sports: Karate, Sports Climbing, Surf, Skateboarding and Baseball/Softball; the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch was inspired by the shape of the Sakura, or cherry blossom; a delicate flower truly embraced and loved by the Japanese people, and the mascots of the games are named MIRAITOWA, word that arises from the word mirai, meaning future, and towa, meaning eternity. SOMEITY, the mascot of the Paralympic Games is a character with mighty super powers and tactile sensors. It’s name arises from the expression “So Mighty”
From the sustainability point of view, Japan has exposed the new actions, such as the 26.000 beds in the Olympic Village, that for the first time in Olympic and Paralympic history, they are practically made from renewable materials; the medals are also considered, with around 5.000 of them are created from old mobile phones or small recycled electronic appliances.
We hope to live together this massive sports event and to get ready for the next great sports meet-up which will be our own Santiago 2023 Pan American and Parapan American Games.
