By Rachelle Anthony
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo begins this week, July 23 through August 8. The original date in 2020 was postponed and rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic. With just days away from the event, a few athletes scheduled to compete in the Olympics have tested positive for the Delta variant of Covid-19 before departing to Tokyo, and a few tested positive after their arrival while in their Tokyo Olympic village and have been isolated.
Japan National Stadium in Tokyo where ceremonies and the athletics events will be held. (Arne Müseler )
For the safety of everyone, spectators are not allowed at the event. The International Olympic committee released a video via twitter from the I.O.C’s Olympic Games Executive Director, Christophe Dubi who said, “We have designed and implemented very precise rules for every participant, and they work…We have playbooks which establish what has to be done from the 14 days prior to coming into Japan, when arriving in Japan, and then the behavior that is expected every single day, every single minute once we are here in Japan. It starts with very rigorous testing, maintaining distance, using a mask, being simply a perfect games participant.”
The Olympics will be televised on NBC stations and streaming services. The Paralympic games begins August 24 through September 5.
Athletes from 205 counties will compete for their chance to win and take home the Olympic gold, silver and bronze metals. Over 600 athletes are expected to participate from the United States, nearly 30 are from New York State, and at least nine are from four of the five boroughs of New York City, (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens):
New York, NY:
Kate Douglass (Swimming)
Nicole Ross (Fencing)
Juan Liu (Table Tennis)
Bronx, NY:
Daryl Homer (Fencing)
Brooklyn, NY:
Yassimer Ramariez (Fencing)
Queens, NY:
Crystal Dunn (Soccer)
Dalilah Muhammad (Track & Field)
Tina Charles (Women’s Basketball)
Curtis McDowald (Fencing)
A total of 34 sports have been included in the Tokyo Olympics. Some fan favorites are: aquatics, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, skateboarding, fencing, athletics, (track and field, & long jump and more), cycling, canoeing/kayaking, tennis, soccer, among others. Dalilah Muhammad, (track and field), from Queens, NY posted via Instagram, “I am so extremely grateful to be representing team USA in my second Olympics!”
The physical and mental strength of the athletes will be on display and tested as they all compete in the biggest and most anticipated sport event – the Olympics and Paralympic Games.
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