India’s flag bearer Chungneijang Mery Kom Hmangte and India’s flag bearer Manpreet Singh and their delegation parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP) (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)
INDIAN male hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and Olympic medal-winning boxer Mary Kom led the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony of a pandemic-plagued Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Friday (23). The Indian squad at the ceremony saw a limited participation because of the pandemic. The Olympics, which are being held after a year, will take place behind closed doors.
The event, which lacked the regular fanfare, took place in a nearly empty Olympic Stadium. Representatives of more than 200 participating nations took part in the march past. A video showing athletes training at home during the coronavirus pandemic was shown on the occasion while pink fireworks burst into the air after the countdown.
The ceremony in the 68,000-capacity stadium saw only a few hundred officials and dignitaries, including Japanese emperor Naruhito, French president Emmanuel Macron and US first lady Jill Biden. The emperor officially declared the Games open. More than 11,000 athletes are taking part in the Tokyo Games where 339 events in 33 sporting disciplines will take place.
There were, however, some unusual moments at the opening ceremony. For example, Hend Zaza, a 12-year-old table tennis player, jointly carried the flag for the Syrian contingent with equestrian Ahmad Saber Hamcho. The girl from the war-torn nation is the youngest participant in this Olympic.
Here are some pictures from the opening ceremony of the quadrennial event which will continue till August 8.
A general view outside the stadium as fireworks are let off during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)Fireworks explode during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)Flag bearers Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi of Team Great Britain lead their team during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)President of France Emmanuel Macron is seen during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)Flag bearers Mahoor Shahzad and Muhammad Khalil Akhtar of Team Pakistan during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)Flag bearers of Team Belarus during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)US First Lady, Jill Biden is seen during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)Flag bearers Yeon Koung Kim and Sunwoo Hwang of South Korea lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah McKay – Pool/Getty Images)Flag bearers Milka Gehani Elpitiya Badaldge Dona and Chamara Repiyallage of Team Sri Lanka during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)Flag bearers Mireia Belmonte and Saul Craviotto of Team Spain lead their team out during the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Syria’s flag bearers Hend Zaza (L) and Ahmad Saber Hamcho lead their delegation as they parade during the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on July 23, 2021. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
