Learning From Tokyo 2020

As many Huskies are aware, the postponed Olympics in Tokyo took place this past summer in the midst of a global pandemic. Because of this, TOKYO 2020 was very different from previous Olympic games. Huskies can learn a lot from the games about having fun, while still respecting guidelines and being COVID safe.

The opening ceremony truly set the tone for the games. It opened with an athlete in an empty stadium void of spectators, struggling to run on a treadmill under a bright light. This opening tableau recognized how hard it was for athletes to train and perform at their highest level while being isolated. This was reinforced later in the program, as they projected the motto for the games onto the ground. It read: “Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together.” It made for a striking visual that truly fortified the themes of perseverance and community that were introduced at the beginning of the ceremony.

TOKYO 2020 was a success for the Canadian team with many athletes winning medals in several high profile events. On August 6th, the Canadian Women's National Soccer Team managed to beat Sweden 3-2 in overtime, gaining a historic gold medal for Canada. Just a few days before, on July 30th, the Women's Eight Rowing team won gold as well. Also in rowing, Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens won bronze in the “Coxless Pair” event. Canada finished the games with 24 medals across 10 sports. Together, Canadians have been able to gain recognition in their sport by taking the motto of the Olympics to heart.

Throughout TOKYO 2020, the themes of togetherness and unity rang true. However, the decision to run the games created controversy within Tokyo and abroad. Tokyo was in a state of emergency due to high COVID-19 case counts long before the games had even begun. This caused many Edokkos (citizens of Tokyo) to be concerned about the influx of foreign visitors. Several protests were held outside the Olympic Village. Fortunately for participating athletes, the IOC and the Japanese government worked together to help mitigate fears by enforcing a strict set of rules. These precautions included mandatory COVID-19 tests, no in-person spectators at events, and athletes needing to leave the country no more than 48 hours after their last event had finished. These rules led to minimal contact between athletes and the general public. These rules may have seemed restrictive, but in retrospect, they were necessary for the Olympics to take place.

Overall, the games showed us that though adhering to COVID guidelines can be isolating, a feeling of togetherness was able to permeate through the athletes. I hope that all Huskies, new or returning, can embody that same sense of community, no matter how the year progresses.

Article by: Nicholas Skene

Other Articles: