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Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Naomi Osaka lights Olympic cauldron as Games open
Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Manpreet Singh and Mary Kom led India's contingent out during a colourful opening ceremony in Tokyo. After the nations parade, Naomi Osaka brought the ceremony to a close by lighting up the Olympic Cauldron.
Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony Highlights: Manpreet Singh and Mary Kom led India's contingent out during a colourful opening ceremony in Tokyo. The nations parade was concluded by country no. 206, Japan. Next, the Olympic Oath was followed by speeches from Seiko Hashimoto, the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee president, and the IOC President Thomas Bach. Eventually, the Olympic flag was hoisted and the Olympic torch relay was used to light up the Olympic Cauldron by Naomi Osaka.
...Read MoreThat's it! The 32nd Games have begun!
That's all we have from the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony! It all started with dance and flair, moved on to the nations parade and ended with Japanese tennis sensation Noami Osaka lighting up the Olympic Cauldron!
Thank you so much for joining us on this coverage. We will be back with live coverage of day 2 of the Olympics. See you in the morning. Until then, goodnight! CIAO!
WE HAVE FIREWORKS NOW
The various colours and hues of yellow, the colour of the sunflower, light up the stadium.
OFFICIALLY! THE TOKYO 2020 GAMES HAVE BEGUN
OLYMPIC CAULDRO
One step at a time, the world recovers. Osaka goes up the steps, she turns around to look at everyone and then lights the Cauldron.
THE OLYMPIC CAULDRON HAS BEEN LIT!
GOOSEBUMPS!
NAOMI OSAKA
Olympic flame now passed on to students, who hold aloft the torch one by one before running up and passing it to Naomi Osaka.
Time to light the Olympic cauldron
Time to light the Olympic cauldron. The flame is passed to a Doctor and nurse.
It is now being passed to Paralympic athlete TSUCHIDA Wakako.
THE OLYMPIC FLAME ENTERS THE STADIUM
THE OLYMPIC FLAME ENTERS THE STADIUM.
It is passed by Judo Olympic champion and Olympic champion in wrestling NOMURA Tadahiro and YOSHIDA Saori, respectively.
The Olympic flame is passed on to the former Baseball players NAGASHIMA Shigeo, OH Sadaharu, and MATSUI Hideki.
NEXT UP: THE OLYMPIC FLAME
We are first taken through a montage of Olympic Torch relays from the past editions and from around the world. We are in the final lap of this opening ceremony
Next up: A kabuki performance.
Next up: A kabuki performance Ebizo Ichikawa and a piano masterclass from Grammy winner HIROMI.
A quick tour through all the venues
We now have a video skit, featuring ARAKAWA Shizuka – Torino 2006 figure skating champion.
We're being taken around the venues and landmarks in Tokyo to say: "Tokyo is ready".
THIS IS SO INTERESTING
We currently have a Japanese silent comedy pantomime duo, MASA and hitoshi, taking us through all 50 sports pictograms being used for the Games. HOW GOOD!
And the Doves go flying!
The symbolic release of the Doves to Acknowledge the peaceful intent of the Games.
Time for the Olympic National Anthem
The Olympic flag is being hosted while the Olympic anthem is being played.
The Olympic flag is being hosted next to the Japanese national flag.
Olympic flag brought on, passed on to essential workers of Tokyo
The Olympic flag is brought on to the field of play.
The Olympic Flag is now making its entrance into the stadium.
The flagbearers are:
Asia: MOMOTA Kento, JPN, badminton
Oceania: Elena Galiabovitch, AUS, shooting
IOC Refugee Olympic Team: Cyrille Tchatchet II, EOR, weightlifting
Americas: Paula Pareto, ARG, judo
Africa: Mehdi Essadiq, MAR, triathlon
Europa: Paola Ogechi Egonu, ITA, volleyball
They hand the flag off to essential and front-line workers from Tokyo who have worked hard to fight the pandemic.
It is being raised to the Olympic Anthem, sung by a choir made up of students from Tokyo and Fukushima.
Emperor declares the Games open
His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito declares the 32nd Olympic Games Open.
"I declare open the Games of Tokyo, celebrating the XXXII Olympiad of the modern era."
And with that, fireworks.
The new Olympic Motto
Bach welcomes the IOC refugee team
Bach welcomes the IOC refugee team, who are taking part in the Games for the second time.
He welcomes them with open arms and offers them a peaceful home
"The World is one"
Drones make the Olympics symbol followed by the Globe.
Next up, we have Thomas Bach
Next up, Thomas Bach walks up to address the dignitaries and the athletes.
"Today is a moment of hope.
"Let us cherish this moment, because finally we are here, all together. Athletes from 205 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, living under one roof together in the Olympic Village.
"This is the unifying power of sport.
"We can only be all together here because of you, our gracious hosts – the Japanese people, to whom we would like to express all our appreciation and support.
Message of Unity
Olympic legend Cathy Freeman with a message of unity
IMAGINE
Wonderful image of the earth being shown via drone cameras followed by a rendition of multiple Grammy award winner John Lennon's classic, Imagine. It is being performed by the Suginami Junior Chorus.
Angelique Kidjo, Alejandro Sanz, John Legend, and Keith Urban join in with the other parts of the song, pre-recorded in various locations around the world.
Drones form Olympic emblem
What a sight this is!1824 drones are being used to form the Tokyo 2020 emblem. This is the Olympics. This is the true spirit of the game.
Adding more flavour
Peformance of the TV crew, adding a new flavour to this opening ceremony
Now, the Olympic oath is being taken
Now, the Olympic oath is being taken.
For the athletes, YAMAGATA Ryota (athletics) and ISHIKAWA Kasumi (table tennis) read the oath.
THEME DISPLAYED
Faster
Higher
Stronger
Together
The words are now displayed on the FOP- The theme of the Olympics
AT LAST- COUNTRY NO. 206
We have Team Japan. 552 athletes. top honours in 37 sports.
The hosts of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Japan are here.
The Emperor and IOC president welcome the J
