Opening Ceremony has just been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The fashion label has found itself in hot water for an insensitive joke by its Creative Director Humberto Leon, who tweeted a link to an article about the Holocaust with the comment: “Never forget what the Holocaust is. There’s no excuse for it.”
In 2007, Dennis van der Schyff, the creative director of Opening Ceremony, was approached by New York-based dadaist artist Lars Burningham. The artist asked him to create a partnership with him by designing a collection of clothing. As a result, van der Schyff launched a brand called The Opening Ceremony. The clothing line was initially inspired by Burningham’s work, and over time it became more and more elaborate.
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Despite being dismissed, Kentaro Kobayashi’s planned opening ceremony will go place at the Olympic Stadium as planned. Credit… The New York Times/Hiroko Masuike
TOKYO, JAPAN — Thursday was another Olympic warm-up day, with softball getting its second day in the limelight and men’s soccer getting its first.
On the field, the United States of America of America of America of America, who beat Italy 2-0 on Wednesday, won an even tighter game against Canada, 1-0, to stay undefeated. Japan defeated Mexico in extra innings, 3-2, and looks to be heading for a clash with the United States in the gold medal game on Tuesday.
Mexico looked good in soccer, winning 4-1 over France, while Spain, a pre-tournament favorite, could only manage a draw against Egypt, a team they were generally anticipated to beat.
In a 4-1 victory against Germany, Richarlison scored a hat trick in the first half for Brazil, the reigning champion.
Off the field, Olympic officials fired Kentaro Kobayashi, the opening ceremony’s artistic director, when footage surfaced of him mocking the Holocaust. The ceremony he planned will go place as planned.
Kentaro Kobayashi is the second opening ceremony artistic director to resign. Credit… Shutterstock/Kimimasa Mayama/EPA
[A complete guide to live-streaming the Opening Ceremony.]TOKYO, JAPAN — The artistic director of the delayed Tokyo Olympics, Kentaro Kobayashi, was fired only one day before the opening ceremony when video evidence of him making light of the Holocaust in a comedy performance in the 1990s surfaced.
Seiko Hashimoto, Japan’s Olympics minister, said she heard about the routine on Wednesday, sounding weary following a slew of controversies involving the Games and the creative team behind the opening ceremony in particular. Kobayashi made a remark about “massacring Jews” while miming the process of cutting up paper human figures in the comedy. According to her, the organizing committee decided to fire him “immediately.”
Kobayashi stated in a statement that he regretted the routine after filming it and “began trying to produce comedy that don’t harm people.”
“I recognize that my choice of words was incorrect and regret it,” he stated in a statement. “I apologize to anybody who was offended.”
Kobayashi had “made a mockery of a terrible historic event in the past,” according to the organizing committee, and apologized “for having caused difficulties and worries to many stakeholders, including citizens of Tokyo and Japan.”
In contrast to Kobayashi’s quick dismissal, Keigo Oyamada, a composer who wrote music for the opening ceremony, resigned last week after snippets from interviews he gave in the 1990s admitting to serious bullying and mistreatment of handicapped students emerged on social media.
Oyamada apologized at first, and it seemed that he would retain his position, but a massive social media campaign forced him to leave. Mr. Oyamada should have been fired sooner, according to Hashimoto.
Kobayashi is the second opening ceremony artistic director to resign. Hiroshi Sasaki resigned in March when a magazine reported that while suggesting her participation in the event, he likened a famous comedian and plus-size fashion designer to a pig. Sasaki’s departure occurred only weeks after Yoshiro Mori, the previous head of the Tokyo organizing committee, quit over inappropriate remarks regarding women.
Some on Twitter questioned why Kobayashi was dismissed over an outdated routine, while others argued that his firing was insufficient. One user commented, “Kentaro Kobayashi’s removal after the Holocaust skit was discovered in the past is a fast measure.” “But, during tomorrow’s opening ceremony, will they do what this man directed?” Is the issue resolved just because he was fired?”
When asked whether she regretted continuing with the Games despite the unfolding controversies and increasing coronavirus infections in the Olympic Village, Hashimoto said that the Tokyo organizers are “facing every single conceivable issue.” “We want you to remember Tokyo for overcoming a lot of difficulties and succeeding,” she added.
During the game against Mexico, France’s Paul Bernardoni makes a save. Credit… Getty Images/Dan Mullan
CHOFU, JAPAN (Japan) — Mexico, the 2012 Olympic men’s soccer gold champion, started its defense of that title by beating France 4-1 at Tokyo Stadium on Thursday.
Mexico overpowered a French squad including two Liga MX players, with Alexis Vega scoring a first-half header and Sebastian Cordova, Uriel Antuna, and Erick Aguirre adding goals after halftime.
After Randal Kolo Muani was scythed down in the Mexican box, one of them, André-Pierre Gignac, scored on a penalty kick in the 69th minute.
Gignac, a 35-year-old striker who has appeared in more than 200 games for Tigres de Mexico since 2015, is one of France’s three overage players at the Olympics. On Thursday, he was a gloomy, loud, but under-supplied presence, conversing in Spanish with Mexico’s players, confronting his teammates in French, and, at one point, excoriating the Australian referee in English for a perceived injustice.
He told reporters last week, “This will be a special game for me since my boys are Mexican, so I’m looking forward to it.” In the end, it was a game he’d like to forget fast; his side can still progress if it performs better against South Africa is a country in Africa. is a country in Africa. and hosts Japan in its last two group games.
Mexico’s thrashing of France, a country known for its strong youth teams, was not the only surprise on Thursday: Australia defeated Argentina 2-0 in Sapporo, and Spain, which had called in a handful of players from the senior team that had advanced to the European Championship semifinals only a few weeks ago, was held to a scoreless draw by a defensive-minded Egypt.
In Yokohama, Brazil, the defending Olympic men’s champion, defeated an out-of-sorts Germany 4-2, in the same venue where it had defeated the same opponent to win its fifth and most recent World Cup title in 2002. The game was played in front of empty stands and without any competitive intensity, unlike on that hot night two decades earlier.
The game’s standout performance was Richarlison, one of Brazil’s three overage players. The Everton striker scored the team’s first three goals within the first 30 minutes, as Germany collapsed in the face of the early assault, despite having a squad of mostly unknown players. Only a penalty save by goalkeeper Florian Mueller kept them from going into halftime with a four-goal deficit.
Monica Abbott joined her colleagues in celebrating the United States’ victory. Credit… Associated Press/Jae C. Hong
TOKYO, JAPAN — The top-ranked United States softball team beat third-ranked Canada 1-0 on Thursday at Fukushima Azuma Baseball Stadium, thanks to Monica Abbott’s strong left arm.
Abbott pitched a perfect game, allowing just one hit while striking out nine batters. Cat Osterman, another American ace, had pitched six shutout innings the day before, striking out nine and allowing just one hit to Italy. Abbott pitched the last inning to seal the 2-0 victory.
So far, Osterman, 38, and Abbott, 35, who both competed in the 2008 Olympic softball competition, have combined to allow just two hits, three walks, and strike out a total of 21 hitters in two games.
Abbott tormented Canada’s offense all game on Thursday, throwing fastballs at 70 miles per hour. In the sixth inning, when she did give up a single, her teammates rushed to her aid.
Sara Groenewegen, Canada’s opening pitcher, hit a double into the right-center field gap with a runner on first base. Haylie McCleney, though, tracked down the ball and threw it to second baseman Ali Aguilar, who passed it to catcher Aubree Munro just in time to grab a diving Joey Lye at home.
Abbott’s gem was saved by the defensive play, and the team’s head coach, Ken Eriksen, stayed with her for the last inning.
On offense, the US threatened with base runners throughout the game, but failed to capitalize on its opportunities. The team’s lone run came in the fifth inning, when McCleney reached on a one-out single and advanced to second on Janie Reed’s sacrifice bunt.
Amanda Chidester faced Jenna Caira and smacked a single to right field, scoring McCleney. Chidester pumped her arms and screamed to her teammates from first base.
There will be no softball games on Friday as the event moves to Yokohama Baseball Stadium, which is closer to Tokyo. The United States will face Mexico on Saturday. The top two teams in the six-team competition progress to the gold medal game after each team has played five games.
After a 3-0 defeat to Sweden on Wednesday, the US women’s soccer team. Credit… The New York Times/David Mills
TOKYO, JAPAN — The United States women’s soccer team went into the Olympics on a two-year undefeated run. It awoke on Thursday morning, perplexed as to how things had gone so wrong in its first game, a 3-0 loss to Sweden.
Megan Rapinoe of the United States remarked, “I don’t even know how many goals we’ve given up this year.” (In 12 matches, the answer is one.)
She went on to say, “I don’t recall the last time we let up a goal.” “It’s not ideal to give up three.”
So, what’s next? The good news for the US is that all is not lost, as many experienced players pointed out on Wednesday night. The squad will play New Zealand on Saturday and Australia on Tuesday in their final two group-stage games.
Improved performance in those areas will guarantee a spot among the eight teams that progress to the medal round, a knockout stage when fitness, experience, and skill can erase even the most vexing slip.
The winner of the group that contains the Netherlands (who hanged 10 goals on Zambia on Wednesday) or Brazil (which hung 10 goals on Zambia on Wednesday) may face the runner-up in the Americans’ group (and the former United States coach Pia Sundhage). But those are concerns for the next week.
Coach Vlatko Andonovski of the United States stated, “We placed ourselves in a huge hole.” “However, we are the only ones who can save ourselves.”
For the time being, the American players are preaching patience, either with wise advice or wishful thinking.
“No matter what, we weren’t going to glide through six games,” said forward Christen Press. “And here we are,” says the narrator.
Rapinoe appeared to speak to her team, its supporters, and everyone else preaching doom after witnessing Wednesday’s collapse when she remarked, “You want to put a mirror in front of everyone and say: ‘Relax.’” ‘We’re OK.’
Everyone will know whether she is correct by next week.
On the seas near Enoshima, southwest of Tokyo, where the sailing competition will take place, sailors practiced on Thursday. Credit… The New York Times’ James Hill
At Ibaraki Kashima Stadium, volunteers are preparing the pitch for the men’s soccer match between New Zealand and South Korea. Credit… The New York Times/David Mills
This weekend, Naomi Osaka will begin her quest for a gold medal with a first-round encounter. Credit… The New York Times/Hiroko Masuike
The opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is less than a day away, and the city of Tokyo is buzzing. Athletes are at training facilities making last-minute adjustments before their events begin, authorities are checking to ensure everything is safe and secure, and volunteers are rushing about to ensure everything runs well. Our photographers give you a firsthand account of what it’s like to be on the ground.
At the Shiokaze Park Beach Volleyball training site on Monday, officials hosed off the scorching sand while Canadian beach volleyball player Brandie Wilkerson and her partner Heather Bansley practiced. Credit: The New York Times/Doug Mills Security guards at Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium, where the opening ceremony will take place on Friday. Credit: The New York Times/Doug Mills On Monday, the Romanian women’s 3×3 basketball team practiced at the Chuo Sports Center. Credit… The New York Times/Chang W. Lee
On Wednesday, skateboarders in the men’s street competition practiced at the Ariake Urban Sports Park. Credit… The New York Times’ James Hill
Italo Ferreira, a Brazilian surfer, trained at Tsurigasaki Surfing Beach on Tuesday. Credit… The New York Times/Alexandra Garcia
Except for a few players engaging in a training session, Ariake Tennis Park was silent. Credit… The New York Times/Chang W. Lee
Athletes will march past a mostly empty Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, since most of the Games are closed to spectators. The performers for this year’s program have yet to be revealed. Credit… The New York Times/Chang W. Lee
The opening ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is nearly here, after a year of waiting. However, due to social distance and a lack of spectators, the ceremony, like the Games, will be quite different.
When will the opening ceremony take place?
The Olympics’ opening ceremony will take place in Tokyo on Friday night. However, because of the 13-hour time difference with Tokyo, it will be Friday morning in the United States’ Eastern time zone.
What is the best way for me to view it?
The ceremony will be aired live on NBC beginning at 6:55 a.m. Eastern time, marking the first time the network has ever broadcast the event live in the morning. NBC’s coverage will be hosted by Savannah Guthrie of “Today” and Mike Tirico of NBC Sports. The ceremony will be broadcast live on NBC Sports App and NBCOlympics.com.
Following that, NBC will air a special edition of “Today” with athlete interviews and an Olympic midday program.
The network will broadcast a packaged prime time version of the event on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, as it has done in previous years. For those who missed the previous broadcasts, the coverage will be repeated overnight.
In the Parade of Nations, who is heading Team USA?
The Parade of Nations is one of the highlights of the opening ceremony. Sue Bird, a four-time gold medalist in women’s basketball, and baseball player Eddy Alvarez, a 2014 silver medallist in speedskating, will be the flag bearers for the United States, leading a group of more than 230 athletes. (Team USA has a total of 613 athletes.)
Bird stated in a statement, “It’s a tremendous pleasure to be chosen as Team USA’s flag bearer.”
Alvarez, too, expressed his gratitude for the honor. “It is an honor and a pleasure to be chosen as one of the flag carriers for the opening ceremony by my fellow Team USA athletes. As a first-generation Cuban-American, my experience exemplifies the American ideal, according to Alvarez.
What are some of this year’s modifications to the ceremony?
Athletes will march past a mostly empty Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, since most of the Games are closed to spectators. The performers for this year’s program have yet to be revealed. NBC Olympics executive producer Molly Solomon stated during a teleconference last week that there are no plans to add background noise that resembles the spectators in the stands during the Games. This is a change from last year, when most broadcasters used pre-recorded fans throughout pandemic games.
The opening ceremony takes place at a time when the games have already begun in Tokyo, and there are widespread fears about the virus. The infection rate in Tokyo has reached a six-month high. The rush of news of Olympic athletes testing positive, even some within the Olympic Village, is adding to the concern.
Is there anything more I should know?
In recent days, other news has also eclipsed the incident.
The Games’ organizers fired Kentaro Kobayashi, the ceremony’s artistic director, on Thursday after video evidence surfaced of him mocking the Holocaust in a 1990s comedy performance.
Mr. Kobayashi’s expulsion came after the composer who composed the opening ceremony’s music resigned when clips from interviews he gave in the 1990s admitting to serious bullying and mistreatment of handicapped students emerged on social media.
Premier of Queensland, Australia, Annastacia Palaszczuk, speaks during a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. Credit… EPA/Franck Robichon/Shutterstock
The male Australian Olympic official who won the 2032 games for his nation chastised a prominent female politician and demanded that she attend the opening ceremony in Tokyo, causing shock and anger in Australia.
The uncomfortable conversation took place in front of television cameras during a press conference on Wednesday night after Brisbane, Queensland’s capital, was announced as the host city for the 2032 Games.
The head of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, warned Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk that she couldn’t spend her time “hiding” in her room.
Palaszczuk, 51, had flown to Japan to obtain the proposal, drawing criticism at home because to coronavirus border restrictions that prevent most Australians from leaving or returning to the country. She had already said that she will not participate in any Tokyo Olympics activities.
“You are going to the opening ceremony,” Coates, 71, told her during the press conference. I’m still the candidate leadership group’s deputy chair. In 2032, there will be an opening and closing ceremony, according to my understanding.”
“All of you are going to get along there and understand the traditional elements of that, what’s involved in an opening ceremony, so none of you are staying behind and hiding in your rooms, all right?” he remarked to other Queensland lawmakers who had gone with Palaszczuk.
Palaszczuk has refused to explain why she would not be attending the event. “You’ve never gone to an opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, have you?” Coates, a vice president of the International Olympic Committee, pushed her.
“You don’t know the protocols,” Coates said as Palaszczuk shook her head. Coates said Palaszczuk and other authorities should attend the Olympic opening ceremonies since they are a big duty for organizers and cost $75 million to $100 million to put on.
Palaszczuk downplayed the discussion in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday morning, saying that Brisbane was “now a member of the I.O.C. family, and I’m simply going to do what John Coates said.”
She went on to say that Brisbane would not have been chosen as the 2032 host city if it hadn’t been for John Coates. When asked explicitly whether she would attend Friday’s opening ceremony, she said she didn’t want to upset the International Olympic Committee or the Japanese government, and that she would “leave them sort that out.”
When asked whether he had “overruled” Palaszczuk in an interview on Thursday morning, Coates laughed and replied, “Yes, I did that.” He subsequently issued a statement stating Palaszczuk would attend the event, but that it was “always her choice,” and that his remarks at the press conference had been “completely misrepresented.”
Coates’ conduct was dubbed “appalling” and “arrogant” by internet critics in Australia, who said he would not have made the same remarks to a male prime minister.
“This is disgusting,” said Leigh Russell, a former chief executive of Swimming Australia, on Twitter. Another example of how women in sports are treated.”
Jane Caro, a feminist critic, tweeted, “What an arrogant, patronizing guy.” “How can he publicly chastise Queensland’s Premier as if she were a bad schoolgirl?”
A request for comment from the Australian Olympic Committee was not immediately returned.
Many Tokyo residents seemed ready to leave the city before the commencement of the Olympics, which were mostly closed to the public due to coronavirus restrictions. Credit… The New York Times’ James Hill
TOKYO, JAPAN — Seeing the Olympics is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many people. However, on the eve of the Tokyo Games’ opening ceremony, several people couldn’t get out of town fast enough.
On Thursday morning, traffic out of the city was gridlocked, and passengers were crammed into planes to popular holiday spots. Many Tokyo residents seemed ready to leave before the Games began, despite the fact that the Games had been effectively closed to the public due to stringent regulations aimed at avoiding the spread of the coronavirus.
Only 950 people will attend the opening ceremony on Friday, despite the fact that the stadium was constructed for the Olympics and can accommodate 68,000 people. Almost all events, the overwhelming majority of which will be conducted in Tokyo, are closed to spectators.
Other than that, there aren’t many good reasons to remain in Tokyo right now: The weather is hot and humid, with temperatures in the 90s and humidity levels above 50%. For weeks, the city has been under a state of emergency to combat a spike in coronavirus infections caused by the dangerous Delta strain. At 8 p.m., the majority of restaurants and bars shut. In addition, road restrictions for the Games have caused traffic congestion on several downtown streets.
Highways outside Tokyo were gridlocked for miles on Thursday. Flights to the cooler climes of the northern island of Hokkaido, a popular summer getaway, were nearly sold out despite government requests to curb travel from the capital to stop the virus’s spread.
The timing could not be better for those looking to flee. In order to ease traffic congestion prior to the Games’ planned start date last summer, the government altered the dates of two national holidays to coincide with the opening ceremony. When the Games were postponed due to the epidemic, the four-day vacation was extended to 2021, and many Japanese people were more than glad to take advantage of it.
2019 will be the year of Crabb, Taylor. Tri Bourne will take his position. Credit… Getty Images/Martin Rose
Taylor Crabb, a member of the US men’s beach volleyball team, will miss the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for the coronavirus shortly after arriving in Japan.
Crabb, 29, was on the verge of missing the Olympics entirely.
According to U.S.A. Volleyball, Crabb was the subject of a “code of conduct evaluation” that resulted in criteria that he needed to fulfill in order to compete. They wouldn’t say much more than that, but they did say he was in “excellent standing” with the group.
Crabb had broken a prior suspension for misbehavior with a young age girl, according to records seen by the Southern California News Group, and was banned until September 2021. His ban was reduced by an arbitrator, enabling him to compete in the Games.
Crabb said on his Instagram account, “I’ve experienced hardship before, and I will face it again, but it doesn’t take the sting off of the circumstance.”
Crabb, who claimed to be vaccinated, was scheduled to participate on Sunday with his partner, Jake Gibb. Tri Bourne will take his position. For the last three years, Bourne, 32, has worked with Crabb’s brother, Trevor.
According to a New York Times study, at least 91 individuals with Olympic credentials, including 10 competitors, have tested positive for the coronavirus in Japan thus far.
Crabb joins a growing list of Team USA players who will miss the Olympics. Samuelson, Katie Lou, a 3×3 basketball player, tested positive on July 19. Eaker, Kara, an alternate for the United States gymnastics team, tested positive on July 20.
Outside the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. The choice to conduct competitions without the presence of spectators has caused controversy. Credit… The New York Times/Chang W. Lee
After postponing the games for a year due to the pandemic, Tokyo organizers made several significant compromises in order for the event to go place this year, including excluding the majority of spectators, which has caused controversy. However, the measures have done nothing to allay people’s fears in Japan, where the number of cases is on the rise.
Athletes who have been found to be infected with the coronavirus
Positive tests are anticipated with daily testing procedures, according to scientists, even among the vaccinated. Although public reports indicate that occurrences among athletes have been minor or asymptomatic, little information on severity has been published. Some athletes who have tested positive have remained anonymous.
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According to the New York Times, 91 individuals, including 10 competitors, have tested positive for the coronavirus among participants, officials, and others working at the Games as of Thursday. Those who tested positive before arriving in Japan are not included in this number. Two members of Mexico’s baseball team tested positive for the virus before the squad’s planned flight to Tokyo, requiring the team to stay in Mexico City for quarantine. Following adverse tests, many players, including those from the United States, will be unable to compete in the Games.
On Sunday, the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo’s Chiyoda district hosted a concert. Credit… The New York Times/Hiroko Masuike
Scientists believe the finding of isolated coronavirus infections, even among vaccinated athletes, during the Tokyo Olympics is completely anticipated and not reason for concern.
Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, stated, “This isn’t really that surprising.”
Nonetheless, these instances pose difficult issues about how to establish testing systems — and how to react to test findings — at this stage of the pandemic, when the uneven deployment of vaccinations means that some individuals and areas are well protected from the virus while others remain vulnerable.
“When does a positive test truly imply that there is a problem?” said Dr. Rasmussen.
Covid-19 tests, which were previously very restricted, are now readily accessible in most industrialized countries, allowing institutions such as private companies, schools, professional sports leagues, and Olympic organizers to screen individuals for the virus on a regular basis.
Olympic competitors are not obliged to get vaccinated, and authorities in Tokyo are relying largely on testing to keep the virus at bay. According to the Olympic playbooks, or manuals, anyone going to the Games must submit two negative tests conducted on different days within 96 hours before departing for Japan, regardless of immunization status.
Within 72 hours after departure, at least one of the two exams must be completed. When the participants arrive at the airport, they are evaluated once again.
Antigen tests, which are less sensitive than P.C.R. testing but are usually faster and less expensive, are also required of athletes, coaches, and officials on a regular basis. (Depending on their degree of contact with athletes and authorities, Olympic employees and volunteers may be tested less often.) A P.C.R. test is used if the results of a test are ambiguous or positive.
“Every step of filtration reduces the danger for everyone else,” Brian McCloskey, head of the International Olympic Committee’s Independent Expert Panel, told reporters this week, adding that the number of confirmed illnesses so far is “lower than we expected.”
Transmission questions remain unanswered. Vaccinated individuals with asymptomatic or breakthrough infections may still be able to spread the virus to others, although the frequency of this is unknown. Many experts believe it is better to err on the side of caution and frequent testing until the research is more conclusive or immunization rates increase.
When you search that hard for illnesses, particularly in a group of individuals who have just flown in from all over the world and have different degrees of vaccination availability, you’re almost certain to discover some.
At the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, balloons floated over the stadium. Credit… Getty Images/Donald Uhrbrock
TOKYO, JAPAN — In October 1964, Emperor Hirohito of Japan stepped before a new country under clear blue sky to proclaim the Tokyo Olympic Games open. A voice that had first been heard by the Japanese people declaring the country’s surrender in World War II suddenly reverberated throughout a full stadium.
After a year of delay due to the coronavirus epidemic, Tokyo will host another Summer Olympics on Friday. Emperor Naruhito, Hirohito’s grandson, will be in the audience for the opening ceremony, but it will be closed to spectators as the country battles yet another wave of illnesses.
The postponed 2020 Olympics may represent less of a moment of optimism for the future for both Japan and the Olympic movement than the definite prospect of deterioration. And for the generation of Japanese who remember the 1964 Olympics fondly, the idea of a reduced, mostly unwanted Olympics is a huge letdown.
“Everyone in Japan was excited about the Olympics,” said Kazuo Inoue, 69, who clearly remembers being riveted to his family’s new color television in Tokyo in 1964. “It’s a bit sad that something’s missing.”
The 1964 Tokyo Olympics are widely considered as the turning point in Japan’s economic development. In 2021, the nation will be at a fork in the road once again.
In April, Kang Chae-young, a member of South Korea’s feared national archery squad, trains in her homeland. Credit… The New York Times/Chang W. Lee
South Korean archers have won 23 of the 34 Olympic gold medals granted in the event since 1984, making it virtually a foregone conclusion.
The difficult part is getting to the Games.
Just ask Chang Hye-jin, who won two gold medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, or Ku Bon-chan, who did the same in the men’s competition. This year, neither champion made the cut.
Ask Kim Je-deok, 17, who this spring triumphed in the crucible of South Korea’s national team selection tournament, which pits the country’s top 200 archers against each other for six tickets — three men and three women — to the world’s biggest sporting event, regardless of rankings or previous performance.
Kim, who just recovered a shoulder ailment that would have kept him out of the Olympics if the event hadn’t been postponed by a year, said, “Once-in-a-lifetime luck came to me.”
Over the course of eight months, the South Korean archers shot hundreds of arrows in many rounds of rigorous competition. The difficult part may be finished for those who made it this far.
Since 1984, the South Korean archery team has won gold at every Summer Olympics. The women’s team has been especially dominating, winning gold eight consecutive times since the team event made its debut in 1988 in Seoul. The men’s and women’s teams swept the gold medals in the team and individual events at the 2016 Olympic Games.
The squad is well-known in the archery world for its meticulous preparations. Wind devices and artificial noise (crowd noises, camera shutters) are used by national coaches to mimic unfavorable environmental circumstances that athletes may face during events.
The Korea Archery Association’s vice president, Jang Young-sool, said, “Our objective is zero-defect training.”
The Creative Director of famed streetwear brand Opening Ceremony, Jason Bruges, has been let go after making a joke about the Holocaust. The joke was made in the form of a photo joke, which he posted on his instagram account. It read “Me and my new boyfriend, Holocaust.” He captioned the picture “I just bought my boyfriend a birthday present.”. Read more about what was kobayashi’s holocaust joke and let us know what you think.
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