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MONday, AUGUST 9, 2021 Tokyo Olympics of ‘hope’ come to a close with Paris 2024 up next DPA Tokyo

The Tokyo Olympics closed on Sunday behind closed doors with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president calling them “Games of hope, solidarity and peace” amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to tradition, Bach closed the July 23-Au- gust 8 Summer Games in the presence of Japanese crown prince Akishino and speaking French invited the youth of the world to the Games of the 33rd Olympiad in Paris 2024. Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo received the Olympic flag in the Tokyo stadium, a giant flag was shown at the Eiffel Tower while French astronaut Thomas Pesquet played the fi- nal chords of the national an- Fireworks light up the sky over the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 French aerial patrol ‘Patrouille de France’ fly over the fan village of The Trocadero set in front of The Eiffel Tower, them on a saxophone from the Olympic Games, in Tokyo, on Sunday. (AFP) in Paris on Sunday upon the transmission of the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (AFP) International Space Station. The French capital already staged the Games twice, in 1900 and 1924. Breakdancers showed off their skills ahead of the sport joining the Olympic pro- gramme in three years and French president Emmanuel Macron presented the modi- fied Olympic motto “faster, higher, stronger, together.” The French will hope that that the pandemic has disap- peared by then, after the To- kyo Games were postponed last year and after long doubts and big reservations within took place amid a strict hygiene concept. “In these difficult times A combination of pictures created on Sunday shows the Olympic you give the world the most flame burning (L) in the cauldron at the Olympic Stadium during the precious of gifts: hope,” Bach opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 23, said in his closing speech sur- 2021 and another of the Olympic cauldron as it closes (R) after the rounded by athletes from all was extinguished during the closing ceremony at the continents. Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday. (AFP) “For the first time since the pandemic began, the entire of volunteers for an “unprec- Athletes from more than world came together. Sport re- edented Olympic Games” and 60 of the 206 nations and A general view shows the Olympic stadium and the word “Arigato”, Japanese for “Thank You”, displayed at the end of the closing ceremony of turned to centre stage. Billions added: “You, the Japanese teams competing at the Games the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, on Sunday at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo. (AFP) of people around the globe were people, can be extremely proud were no longer present for the united by emotion, sharing mo- of what you have achieved.” ceremony, according to the Dutch three-time running laxing environment in which the marathons held in Sap- plause from the athletes. ments of joy and inspiration. Organizing committee presi- IOC - mainly because corona- medallist Sifan Hassan, Brit- the athletes can unwind” after poro were part of it all, a ska The ceremony concluded “This gives us hope. This dent Seiko Hashimoto thanked virus rules made athletes leave ish cyclist Laura Kenny and “we had to overcome countless band and a DJ recreated an af- after the extinguishing of the gives us faith in the future,” everyone involved in making within 48 hours after their Italian shock 100 metre cham- obstacles and resolve many ternoon in a Tokyo park before Olympic flame with fireworks Bach said, speaking of “Games the Games possible and “our competition. pion Lamont Marcell Jacobs. conflicts to hold and open dances from different regions and the word Arigato (Thank of hope, solidarity and peace.” journey isn’t finished yet” be- Those left arrived in the Organizers said the con- these Games amid the COV- of the country and the original You) displayed on the screen Bach thanked the Japanese cause the Paralympics follow stadium socially distanced cept of the ceremony in a park- ID-19 pandemic.” dance from the 1964 Games in using the same font as in the organizers and the thousands from August 24. with flagbearers including like setting was to create “a re- The victory ceremony for Tokyo which received big ap- 1964 closing ceremony. Hashimoto satisfied with Tokyo Games without major hitches

DPA Tokyo

Tokyo Olympics organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto is satisfied with the staging of the Games that end Sunday and believes they can be a blueprint for further events under coornavirus con- ditions. “Safety was our num- ber one priority and overall I believe that we were able to reach the closing day without any major challenges,” she told a news conference. “There are many large sporting events around the world that will be organized in the coming years, and they can learn from us with regard to Covid countermeasures.” The Games postponed from last year took place with a strict safety protocol amid Athletes celebrate next to Olympic Cauldron and the Olympic flame during the closing ceremony of the President of The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Seiko Hashimoto (R) surging infection rates in To- Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on Sunday. (AFP) delivers a speech next to President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach during the kyo which was under a state of closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, at the Olympic Stadium, in Tokyo, on Sunday. (AFP) emergency. cult situations and how we de- people appreciated our efforts. ing themselves in the bubbles, “The Tokyo 2020 Games livered the Games was under “Whatever the situation according to the playbook. more mixed events and, and Games,” she said. her most impressive moments have been designed to be a the attention of the world. is, we can overcome, that is Unfortunately there were that new sports like surfing “Teenage athletes were included “many smiles on safe and secure event for all “It is very, very difficult something we wanted to show some violations of the play- and skateboarding helped at- shown jumping into the blue the faces of the people at the participants as well as Tokyo for me to use any words to to the world.” Director general book, that is a fact, but we tract a young audience. urban sky on skateboards and venues: those working hard, and the nation as a whole,” describe how we had to over- Toshiro Muto said: “Overall took very strict actions against “The engagement of young BMX. A new Japan and a new those who are supporting the Hashimoto said. come this situation and dif- we think the bubbles were those violations.” Hashimoto people has been strongly rec- Tokyo was impressively dis- athletes, and it’s their smiles “Under the global pan- ficulties. Not everything was maintained. also highlighted that gender- ognised and added better played through these inspira- - many, many smiles - that im- demic we all faced such diffi- perfect, but overall I believe “Most athletes were keep- equality got a boost through value to the Tokyo Olympic tional images.” She added that pressed me the most.”