Tokyo 2020 Highlights!

Although the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are not over yet, we have seen lots of memorable moments so far. After being delayed for a year and being celebrated under special circumstances, the Games have been deeply affected by the pandemic. However, this did not stop the athletes from enjoying and making history.

After Olympic gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the competition, Sunisa Lee took her place on the American team. Her outstanding uneven bars routine led her to victory in the all-around category. Thanks to her unexpected participation, Lee won her first gold medal and Team USA’s fifth straight in the event. With her win, Lee made history as the first Asian-American Olympic all-around champion in gymnastics. This accomplishment meant a lot for the Hmong community in her hometown, who sees Lee as a source of pride and inspiration.

On Sunday 1st, two Olympic high jumpers also received a lot of attention for sharing the gold medal. After Mutaz-Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi tied with high jumps of 2.37 meters, they had to decide what they would do next. Instead of choosing to go into a jump-off and compete for the victory, Barshim asked if they could share the medal and Tamberi agreed. “He is one of my best friends, not only on the track but outside the track. We work together,” Barshim told reporters after the event. “This is a dream come true. It is the true spirit, the sportsman spirit, and we are here delivering this message.”

Another highlight of the event was when Japan’s Momiji Nishiya won the first women’s street skateboarding Olympic gold medal at 13. Nishiya shared the podium with Rayssa Leal from Brazil, who is also 13, and the Japanese 16-year-old Funa Nakayama. The final stage of this competition was a monumental moment for the Games, as some of the youngest competitors, most under 18, gave impressive performances and mastered complicated tricks.

The Philippines won its first gold medal at the Olympics thanks to Hidilyn Diaz, who proudly represented her country in weightlifting. Setting an Olympic record, Diaz lifted a combined weight of 224 kilograms. This placed her at the top spot of the women’s 55-kg class. After completing the lift, the athlete burst into tears and joyfully hugged her coaches. As she stood on the podium, Diaz clutched her medal and pointed to her country’s flag on her jersey, expressing her happiness.

Germany’s gymnastics uniform created another unforgettable moment in the Tokyo Olympics. The team showed up for the competition wearing unitards instead of the classic attire for women’s gymnastics. By changing their clothing, the gymnasts pointed out the substantial differences between female and male uniforms in their sport. Their choice for a less revealing outfit was a statement that spoke out against the sexist regulations in sports and the sexualization of female athletes.

Finally, Tom Daley’s speech after winning in Men’s Synchronised Swimming 10m Platform Final became a significant occurrence for the LGBTQ+ community. Although other openly LGBTQ+ athletes have competed before, more out athletes have taken part in the 2020 edition of the Games than ever before. In recognition of this, Daley expressed in a press conference the empowerment of being an openly gay Olympic champion. He also spoke out to the public giving an important message. “I hope that any young LGBT person out there can see that no matter how alone you feel right now, you are not alone and that you can achieve anything.”

Bibliography

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