The 2020 Tokyo Olympics came to a close on Sunday, August 8 at the Olympic Stadium, Tokyo after more than a fortnight of competition in 33 sports across 46 disciplines staged in 43 locations, all for a total of 339 medal events.
It is safe to say the Games lived up to their hype, with new champions emerging and records being broken and set.
Kenyan athletes flew our flag high at Tokyo and at the closing ceremony, no other national anthem rang loud as the Kenyan one, as our star men and women came to collect their medals.
Eliud Kipchoge and Peres Jepchirchir each got a gold medal, with compatriot Brigid Kosgei picking silver. As Kenya’s anthem played in Tokyo, it was difficult not to catch a glimpse of the jubilation on our athletes’ faces.
Kipchoge, the world record holder, broke from the rest of the field after 30km and went on to win a gold medal at the Men’s marathon, clocking 2:08:38. This was his second consecutive gold medal at the Games having won one at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
Two-time world half marathon champion Jepchirchir clocked an impressive 2:27:20 to claim Gold in the Women’s marathon, 16 seconds ahead of compatriot Brigid Kosgei.
The ceremony kicked off with the arrival of The Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach. The Japanese flag was then carried into the stadium, on the backdrop of a lovely violin theme.
The Takarazuka Revue performed the Japanese national anthem.
Athletes from the different countries and disciplines began entering the stadium starting with Greece, led by Ioannis Fountoulis, who won silver in the Men’s Water Polo event.
The Refugee Olympic Team followed, with the flag hoisted high by Hamoon Derafshipour. He missed out on a karate medal after finishing fifth in the Men’ 67kg category.
Ireland followed, with Natalya Coyle carrying the Irish flag. Natalya finished 24th in the Women’s modern pentathlon.
Wrestler Haji Aliyev, who grabbed the Silver medal in the Men’s Freestyle Wrestling carries Azerbaijan’s flag.
Algeria’s flag came next, with 22-year-old boxer Imane Khelif appearing at the stadium. Algeria failed to get a single medal at this year’s Olympics.
Argentina was represented next – hockey player Pedro Ibarra carries the country’s flag.
Next, it’s Armenia, with Armenia boxer Hovhannes Bachkov carrying their national flag after winning bronze in the men’s light division.
After representing Antigua and Barbuda in the Men’s 100m sprint, Cejhae Greene carried the country’s flag at the closing ceremony.
Pol Moya respresented Andorra. He ran in the men’s 800m last week in only his second Olympic Games.
The flag was Israel’s, with gymnast Linoy Ashram carrying it. She gold in the individual all-around in just her first Olympics appearance.
Lamont Marcell Jacobs, the Men’s 100m sprint gold medal winner then entered the stadium carrying Italy’s flag.
Carrying the Islamic Republic of Iran’s flag is Amir Hossein Zare, a 20-year-old who won bronze in Men’s freestyle wrestling enters the stadium.
Bajrang Bajrang carried India’s flag entering the stadium. Bajrang won bronze in Men’s freestyle Wrestling.
Uganda’s flag bearer was Peruth Chemutai, who won gold in the Women’s 3000m steeplechase.
Ukraine was next, with Canoe sprinter Liudmyla Luzan being the flag bearer. Luzan won two medals: a bronze in the Women’s 200m singles and Silver in the 500m doubles.
Uzbekistan came next, the flag being held by 21-year-old weightlifter Akbar Djuraev who won gold.
Maria Pia Fernandez carried Uruguay’s flag at the closing ceremony.
For Great Britain cycler Laura Kenny carried the flag. She won gold and silver.
Ecuador followed and Glenda Morejon carried their flag. Morejon participated in the Women’s 20km race but failed to finish.
Giana Lotfy carried Egypt’s flag after winning bronze in the Women’s Kumite.
Maicel Uibo was next as Estonia’s flagbearer after finishing 17th in this year’s decathlon.
Estwatini’s flag carrier was by Sibusiso Matsenjwa. He ran is the Men’s 200m and made it to the semi-final.
Ethiopia’s flag was next, with 10,000 meters’ gold medal winner Selemon Barega carrying their flag.
Then came Eritrea. Marathoner Nazret Weldu carried the nation’s flag after finishing 43rd.
The music being played by the Olympic parade was the Olympic march, written particularly for the Tokyo Games by composer, Yuji Koseki.
El Salvador’s flag came out next, with Yamileth Solorzano as the flag bearer. She finished 17th in the Women’s Featherweight.
Mathew Belcher carried the Australian flag as he entered the stadium. He brought home Gold along with partner Will Ryan in the men’s 470 sailing class.
Andreas Mueller carried Austria’s flag. He competed in both the men’s Omnium and Madison in cycling.
Netherlands’ flag comes out, Sifan Hassan, as expected, carrying it. Sifan won bronze in the Women’s 1500m, Gold in the 5000m and another Gold in the 10,000m.
Timothy Cheruiyot was Kenya’s flag bearer at the closing ceremony. Cheruiyot won Silver in the men’s 1500m.
It is important to note the order in which the athletes’ parade came was based on the Japanese alphabet.
All other nations come out in order including Canada, Gambia, North Macedonia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Cuba, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Guatemala, Guam, Grenada, Croatia, Cote d’Ivoire, Costa Rica, Kosovo, Comoros, Colombia, Congo, Samoa, Zambia, San Marino, Russian Olympic Committee, Djibouti, Jamaica, Georgia, Singapore, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Sri Lanka, Slovakia, Slovenia, Seychelles, Senegal, Serbia, Sain lucia, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Czech republic, People’s Republic of China, Tunisia, Chile, Tuvalu, Denmark, Togo, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Nigeria, Nauru, Namibia, new Zealand, Norway, Bahrain, Haiti, Pakistan, Panama, Vanuatu, Bahamas, Paraguay, Barbados, Hungary, Fiji, Phillipines, Finlad, Bhutan, Puerto rico, Brazil, Bulgaria, American Samoa, Virgin island, Venezuela, Belarus, Belize, Peru, Belgium, Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bolivia, Portugal, Hong Kong, Honduras, Malaysia, South Africa, South Africa, Mexico, Republic of Moldova, Morocco, Mongolia, Montegegro, Jordan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Libya, Liechtenstein, Romania, Luxembourg, Rwanda, Lesotho, USA, France and the host nation Japan.
Japan’s Karate gold medallist Ryo Kiyuna carried their flag. The 31-year-old won his first-ever Olympic gold just two days ago in the men’s Kata final.
The closing ceremony did not have flag bearers from Mnyanmar, Mauritius, Mauritania, Mozambique, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Miconesia, Burkina Faso, Brunei Darussalam, Burundi, Vietnam, Benin, Papua New Guinea, Bermuda, Palau, Palestine, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Timor- Leste, Turkmenistan, Tonga, Nicaragua, Niger, and Nepal since they had already left the event.
ALL ATHLETES COME OUT:
All athletes who participated in the Games emerge from all corners of the Stadium.
The flag parade went, with Ghana next. Samuel Takyi, who won bronze in Men’s Featherweight boxing carrying their flag.
Daniel David Varela de Pina then enters the stadium carrying Cape Verde’s flag.
Guyana is represented by Emmanual Archibald, who ran the men’s 100 metres.
Kazakhstan’s flag is carried by Kamshybek Kunkabayev. — who won bronze in men’s Super-Heavyweight boxing.
KENYAN MARATHON RUNNERS GET MEDALS
Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir, gold medal winner in the Women’s marathon was awarded at the closing ceremony, with compatriot Brigid Kosgei getting her silver at the podium. The beautiful Kenyan national anthem is played.
Eliud Kipchoge, the record-breaker, was also given his Gold medal at the podium at the Olympic Stadium. Kipchoge made light work of other athletes in the Men’s marathon. As the Kenyan national anthem plays, jubilation can be seen in Kipchoge’s eyes, pride and satisfaction of representing a whole nation.
The Kenyan national anthem rang through the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, as the world witnessed another show of Kenyan dominance at the Olympics.
IOC Athlete’s Commission new members get awards
Kenya rugby sevens star Humphrey, Spanish basketballer Pau Gasol, Italian swimmer Frederica Pellegrini, Japan fencer Yuki Ota and Poland cyclist Maja Wloszczowska all got awards of recognition.
Traditional dances close the ceremony:
Japanese drummers got on stage led by the Aoi Yamada dancers. A series of traditional dances ensue including the Ainu, followed by the Ryukyu Eisa, featuring barefoot performers in outfits resembling those of monks. Other traditional dance performers include the Nishimonai Bon and the Gujo Odori.
An orchestra takes over, with beautiful tunes at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
The Olympic flag is lowered
The Olympic anthem played as the Olympic flag was lowered, signifying an end to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Olympic flag is handed to the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo from the Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike.
International Olympics Committee president Thomas Bach concluded with a speech, thanking everyone who made sure the pandemic was not a hindrance to holding the Games, having been postponed last year.
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