5 Reasons To Be Excited About 2020 Tokyo Olympics
Apr 29, 2021, 8:01 PM | Updated: 9:39 pm
A police boat passes the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Rings on March 25, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan. Following yesterdays announcement that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed to 2021 because of the ongoing Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, IOC officials have said they hope to confirm a new Olympics date as soon as possible. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
(Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The 2020 Tokyo Summer Games won’t be your normal Olympics. It won’t even be held in 2020 after being postponed over concerns of the coronavirus. No international fans, but the gamed will go on.
The torch has already begun making its way to Japan’s capitol city, but without crowds and the normal fanfare. Even with the delays, changes and different feel to this Olympics, there are still reasons why you should be excited about Tokyo.
Here are five:
1) New Sports
Several new sports will make their Olympic debut, including freestyle BMX, 3-on-3 basketball, karate, sport climbing, surfing and skateboarding. It will also see the return of softball and baseball.
2) Star Power
Gymnast Simone Biles is back after winning four gold medals in Rio de Janeiro. Katie Ledecky has a shot at winning four gold medals in distance swimming to add to her previous five. Simone Manuel is also back for gold in the pool, as well.
Four-time gold medalist Serena Williams is in search of her first singles medal since 2012.
The US Women’s National Soccer Team is loaded with stars who are determined to win gold after the disappointment of 2016.
There will also be new starts, like swimmer Caeleb Dressel and track star Noah Lyles.
3) Basketball
If you’re a Utah Jazz fan, and/or an NBC fan, the best players in the world will be in Tokyo. Will LeBron James play in his fourth Olympics?
For the Jazz, Rudy Gobert and France, and Joe Ingles and Australia have already qualified for the games.
Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley and Damian Lillard are in a pool of players who could be selected for Team USA. That decision will be made in early July.
Preliminary Round play begins July 25.
4) Opening Ceremony
Japan is promising an opening unlike anything ever seen on July 23, and for the first time, NBC will air it live in the morning in the United States.
5) Innovation & Technology
If you’re not a sports fan, but you’re into technology, the Olympics will be a showcase for the latest and greatest. It will feature a Maglev floating train robot assistance, robot taxis, instant translation technology, 8K broadcasts and manmade meteor showers.
