Olympics-Tokyo douses Olympic flame closing pandemic Games

Tokyo 2020

By David Dolan, Mari Saito and Chang-Ran Kim

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo doused its Olympic flame on Sunday in a ceremony that echoed the restraint of a Games held without spectators and transformed by the global pandemic, dazzling sport and deeply person turmoil.

After postponing the Tokyo 2020 Games for a year, organisers said the event would serve as a symbol of world triumph over the pandemic. But with strict pandemic countermeasures and as COVID-19 variants have surged back around the world, the Olympics fell short of the triumph and financial windfall Japan had wanted.

The ceremony, although lustreless, gave athletes something of a glimpse of everyday Tokyo life as the Olympic Stadium was transformed into a park with grass, buskers and BMX riders.

The scene was meant so the visitors could "experience Tokyo", organisers said, a poignant reminder of the many restrictions of the Games.

It was a duly odd ending to an unprecedented event. Japan is now saddled with a $15 billion bill, double what it initially expected, and with no tourist boom.

The president of the International Olympic Committee thanked the Japanese people and acknowledged the difficulty of staging the Games during the pandemic.

"For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire world came together," Thomas Bach said. "Nobody has ever organised a postponed Games before."

PUBLIC ANGER

Public anger over the pandemic response and a slow-to-start vaccine roll-out have badly damaged Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's standing. Public opinion polls showed most Japanese opposed holding the Games during the pandemic.

Still, organisers appear to have prevented https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-2020-coronavirus/update-2-olympics-tokyo-feared-games-would-spread-covid-numbers-suggest-that-didnt-happen-idUSL8N2PE08S the Tokyo Games from spiralling into a COVID-19 superspreader event, notable given that some 50,000 people came together amid the pandemic.

In a sign of the measures, winners accepted their prizes from trays, putting the medals around their own necks, although social-distancing protocols such as preventing hugging were largely ignored throughout the Games.

While the bubble https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/tale-two-cities-bubble-tokyo-outside-2021-07-29 - the set of venues and hotels to which Olympic visitors were largely confined - appeared to hold, elsewhere some things fell apart. Fuelled by the Delta variant of the virus, daily infections spiked to more than 5,000 for the first time in Tokyo, threatening to overwhelm its hospitals.

Japan's record medal haul https://www.reuters.com/article/olympics-2020/olympics-japan-exceeds-its-own-record-medal-haul-at-tokyo-2020-idUSL1N2PF019 also helped to take out some of the sting for organisers. The United States finished top of the tally https://graphics.reuters.com/OLYMPICS-2020/MEDALTALLY/rlgpdynkjvo with 39 gold medals, one more than rivals China at 38 and Japan at 27.

The Games also showcased the Olympics' push for more diversity.

For the first time, a victory ceremony was held for both the women's and men's marathon event. The Kenyan anthem filled the 68,000-capacity stadium twice, for gold medallists Peres Jepchirchir and Eliud Kipchoge.

COLD WAR AND 'TWISTIES'

And when they came, the Games themselves provided plenty of high drama.

In a moment more reminiscent of the Cold War https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/major-defections-sport-2021-08-05, Belarusian sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya refused to board a flight home after she was taken to the airport against her wishes. She has since sought refugee status in Poland.

U.S. superstar gymnast Simone Biles https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/review-olympics-gymnastics-many-twisties-turns-biles-exits-games-champion-2021-08-04 shocked the world when she pulled out of five of her six events, including abruptly abandoning the women's team final after attempting just one vault, citing concerns for her mental and physical health.

Her frank admission, combined with earlier comments by Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, brought a sharp focus on issues of athletes' mental health.

In athletics, Italy provided a different kind of shock with their amazing run. Their wins included a stunning gold in the men's sprint relay https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/athletics-on-fire-italy-storm-astonishing-sprint-relay-gold-2021-08-06, taking their athletics gold tally to five.

In swimming https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/review-olympics-swimming-heroes-rivals-records-tokyo-swimming-had-it-all-2021-08-01, a United States team without 23-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps still ended the meeting on top of the medals table.

Capping five years of intense preparations for athletes, some of them stretched out on the grass laid down in the stadium. Some appeared to relax as they watched a volley of fireworks light up the Tokyo sky.

In the end, two massive screens stadium projected a retro display that called back to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics: the word "ARIGATO" or "thank you".

(Reporting by David Dolan, Mari Saito and Chang-Ran Kim; Additional reporting by Karolos Grohmann, Billy Mallard, Antoni Slodkowski, Sakura Murakami and Nick Mulvenney; additional reporting by Richard Lough in Paris; Editing by Pritha Sarkar, Peter Rutherford, Himani Sarkar, Clare Fallon and Christian Radnedge)

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks outside the stadium during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks outside the stadium during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Team members pose during the closing ceremony Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Team members pose during the closing ceremony Pool via REUTERS/Dan Mullan

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks above the stadium during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks above the stadium during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Flag bearer Ryo Kiyuna of Japan during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Flag bearer Ryo Kiyuna of Japan during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Athletes from the United States take a selfie during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Athletes from the United States take a selfie during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. The Olympic flag is lowered during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. The Olympic flag is lowered during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Toby Melville

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. People outside the stadium watch the fireworks during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Issei Kato
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. People outside the stadium watch the fireworks during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Issei Kato

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Flag bearers participate in the closing ceremony REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Flag bearers participate in the closing ceremony REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021.  Representatives carry participating nations
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Representatives carry participating nations' flags during the closing ceremony. REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Fireworks explode as a sign that says "Thank You" is displayed at the end of the closing ceremony REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh     TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Fireworks explode as a sign that says "Thank You" is displayed at the end of the closing ceremony REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Team members from Australia hold an inflatable mascot in front of the Olympic torch REUTERS/Antonio Bronic
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Team members from Australia hold an inflatable mascot in front of the Olympic torch REUTERS/Antonio Bronic

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. The word "arigato", meaning "thank you" in Japanese, is seen at the end of the ceremony. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. The word "arigato", meaning "thank you" in Japanese, is seen at the end of the ceremony. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. A view of the Olympic flame and the cauldron REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. A view of the Olympic flame and the cauldron REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. General view of fireworks during the closing ceremony REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021.  Flag bearers carry Japan
Tokyo 2020 Olympics - The Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony - Olympic Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - August 8, 2021. Flag bearers carry Japan's national flag ahead of it being raised during the closing ceremony. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

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