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The Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee commemorated the 100-day countdown to the Opening Ceremony with a series of events on Wednesday, April 14.
Olympic organizers marked the occasions with special activities at their Tokyo headquarters and at Mount Takao, which is west of the city.
Among the day’s notable events, swimmer Junichi Miyashita, a 2008 Beijing Games bronze medalist, took part in festivities at Mount Takao, where 2-meter tall Olympic rings were put on display.
Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said organizers are determined to host a successful Olympic Games without wasting any time for preparations.
“We will make every moment left until the Games count,” Hashimoto said in a statement. “Together, the world has faced an unprecedented crisis and Tokyo 2020 is committed to offering a light of hope and solace this summer. The Games will be a celebration of resilience, of solidarity, and of our shared humanity.”
Haruka Hirota, a trampoline gymnast at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics, carries the Olympic torch on April 13 in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.
Elsewhere, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay made its journey through Osaka Prefecture on April 14, the second of two days for the torch in the prefecture (and Day 21 of the 121-day national trip) before heading to Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku Island on Thursday, April 15.
With the global pandemic far from finished, Hashimoto recognizes the need for flexibility and ingenuity in preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
“Over the next 100 days, Tokyo 2020 will continue fine-tuning its plans," Hashimoto said. "The playbooks will be updated to include even more detail and reflect the latest expert advice. All elements will be refined with the ultimate goal of ensuring a safe environment where athletes can give their very best."
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled to be held on July 23 at the New National Stadium.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed on JAPAN Forward's [Japan Sports Notebook] here on Sundays, in [Odds and Evens] here during the week, and Twitter ＠ed_odeven.
