Four years after the fear and controversy of the Corona Games, Japan Embraces the World Athletics Championships. The Stadium in Tokyo Cheers, As the Negative Memories of 2021 Fade Away. “At the games, he would have made it to the finish, but now he did.”
Bang, Falls. Shunsuke Izumiya had started the semi-finals of the 110-meter Hurdles with the Highest Expectations, But It Goes Wrong at the Second Hurdle. Lying on the track, he sees the competition running Towards the finish.
The Japanese Athlete Puts His Hands in Front of his Face, Until Heers The Audience Cheering Him On. Hey feels a Painful Knee, gets up and decides to finish his racing after all. After 29 Seconds, HeytaLally Reaches the Finish Line.
A Standing Ovation from 60,000 Spectators Follows. And Izumiya shows his gratitude with a bow to each side of the Japan National Stadium.
On the top ring of the stage, a Japanese man from the media Department of the World Championships Applauds. “Do you know what is so special about this?”, He says. “Four years ago, Duration the Games, Izumiya Probable wouldnn’t have made it to the finish. In an Empty Stadium, there was no one to pull him through. Now there is. This is Exactly What More More GoldiFze’, Sild Cup sovere GOLD COPER “, Sild Cup sover”,, Sild Cup sover. “
The 25-year-old man stands next to the press stand through the world championships. From Early Morning to Late Evening, he is in the Japan National Stadium to Provide Journalists with Everything They Need. Smiling, he holds up three fingers, that’s how many hours he slag last night. “But that’s okay. At Such an event I want to work hard and not miss anything. I’m happy to be there.”
Laughing After Three Hours of Sleep
Four years ago, he was also invaded in the Olympic Games, but then he had a very different task. He had to ensure that people kept at Least 1.5 meters away from each other and from the athletes. “I think you understand that I like this a lot more.”
He was one of the few Japanese who was present live at the games, while it should have leg a celebration for the whole country. And a Milestone in the Reconstruction After the Tsunami of 2011, the subfrebent Fukushima Nuclear Disaster and Years of Economic Crisis.
But Due to the Corona Pandemic, The Games Became an 11.3 Billion Euro Event That Did Little To Move the Japanese People. Exception for the fear that would Become a so-called super spreader event .
Tribunes Remained Empty. Athletes, coaches and journalists moved through the city shielded from the Japanese people and did not go beyond hotel, bus and stage. Mouth Masks Were only Allowed Off During Sleeping, Eating and Exercising. And – After a Long Argument – also Thirty Seconds on the Podium. This Allowed An Olympic Champion to Letterly Show His Emotion Duration the Highlight of His Career.
‘It has always remained a controversial event’
Four Years later, pole Vaulter Armand Duplantis Waves with Gold around his Neck to a Few Thousand Japanese at Medal Plaza, A Large Square Next to Entrance F of the Japan National Stadium.
He is back at the stage where he Became Olympic Champion in 2021. He also Jumped a World Record then. “But this is so much nicer,” Says the Swede. “Away with the ghostly atmosphere of the time. After all these years, I was still able to experience a world record with all those Japanese fans who could be there at the time. This feels very special.”
Duplantis’ words mean a lot to Tokyo and Japan, Says Kazuki Suzuki, journalist of the Newspaper Sankei Sports . “The Wish of the Japanese was that this world cup would be a success. And that seems to be the case. A Tournament needs iconic Moments, Such as duplantis’ World record.”
Suzuki Grew Up With The Stories of Old Generations about the First Olympic Games in Tokyo, in 1964. “You as a Dutchman also know this, the games of Anton Geesink’s Judo Gold. Those Games TOK AS JAPAN WAS HASHAS GONE GONNOVOTING Symbol of that development. “
That is different with the 2021 games. “It has always remained a controversial event. Due to the circumstances, it has not brought us what we had hoped for. That seems to be happening now. More than half a Million tickets have Been Sold. This Tournam.
‘My Memory of this Stadium Will Forever Be Different’
There are not many Japanese athletes who speak English. In The Press Room of the Stadium, Suzuki Grabs A List of Participants and Lingers on the Name Shota Iizuka. “He has been around for years,” Says the journalist. “And speaks good English.”
A little later, the 34-year-old Iizuka is in the mixed zone, after his elimination in the series of the 200 meters. “In Terms of Performance I had Hoped For More,” He admits. “But I Enjoyed Every Second That I was on the track.”
Iizuka was Already there at the games in London (2012), Rio (2016) and also at the Corona Games in Tokyo. “I remember that I Found it Difficult at the Time to Experience the Olympic Feeling in An Empty Stadium. While it should have Been So Beautiful, The Games in our Own Country. But’s Everything Rightertent. My Memory of this Stadium
That is exactly what the organization had hoped for. A day before the start of the world championships, the head of the Japanese Athletics Federation Yuko Arimori Told a Press Conference about the importance of the tournament, also on an emotional level. “This World Cup Will Help Japan Erase Some of the Negative Memories of the Games,” She Said With Tears in Her Eyes. “Yes, this World Cup is an opportunity to show how beautiful a sporting event can be in Tokyo.”