The long-awaited Tokyo Olympics finally began on 23rd July 2021 after a year-long delay due to the global pandemic. The event started with a spectacular opening ceremony, showcasing a fusion of traditional Japanese culture and National Post Today technology. With almost 11,000 athletes from 206 countries competing in over 33 sports, the Olympics have been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride with surprises and moments of inspiration. In the track and field events, USA’s Sydney McLaughlin set a new world record in the women’s 400m hurdles with a time of 51.46 seconds, edging out her compatriot and two-time Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad.
The men’s 100m sprint saw Italian athlete Marcell Jacobs stun the world by winning the gold medal in 9.80 seconds. The swimming events proved to be a fruitful hunting ground for the Americans as they claimed a massive haul of medals. Caeleb Dressel stamped his dominance in the pool, clinching five gold medals in total, including two in individual events. Dressel is now considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time.
In the women’s events, Australia’s Emma McKeon became the first woman to win seven medals in a single Olympics. In gymnastics, Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto dazzled the world with his stunning performance in the Men’s All-Around final, earning him the gold medal.