THE Olympics has officially BEGUN after a spectacular opening ceremony in Tokyo.
Japan is determined to bounce back despite the Covid pandemic ripping through the country at an alarming rate.
Over 1,800 drones were flown in unison forming the shape of a globe before Team GB and all the Olympic teams walked out of the main stadium.
More than 11,300 athletes from 207 will be going for gold over the next two weeks and the first gold medal is awarded on Saturday.
But this time they have the added issue of extra restrictions like face masks, saliva tests – and cardboard beds designed to discourage them from having sex.
The organisers are ploughing ahead with the Games despite huge protests locally, as cases are rising in Japan.
There will be a record 339 medal events held across 33 sports, and 34 new events like skateboarding and climbing.
There'll be no spectators in the stadiums and the usual atmosphere will be diluted, but the glitz and glamour will remain.
So sit tight, buckle in and get ready for today's extravaganza, as the Tokyo Olympics FINALLY get underway.
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? WHAT'S ON TODAY? Best bits to watch at the Olympics and UK times for your favourite stars
Stay up to date with all the updates from Tokyo in our live blog…
- sstreet
LUCK OF THE IRISH
Ireland have sneaked through to the Men's Double Skulls semi-finals.
Philip Doyle and Ronan Byrne disappointed in their heat yesterday, finishing last despite being sixth favourites to win the event.
And they were barely any better today but did manage to edge out the Czech boat to go through.
- sstreet
FIELD OF DREAMS
Field hockey is set to get underway at the Olympic Games and, as ever, Team GB will harbour hopes of medals.
First up is the men, who take on South Africa at the Oi Hockey Stadium.
You can watch all the action from 10.30am UK time.
- Joshua Jones
ANKLE SHAMBLES
Andy Murray has had a fashion shocker here… with his very short trousers revealing way too much ankle.
The two-time defending singles tennis gold medallist posed for a photo with British sailing champ Hannah Mills.
She captioned the post on Instagram: "So that happened."
And then added: "Cracking trousers Andy Murray".
Muzza shared the picture on his social media, saying: “Sorry for ruining the photo… trousers a total shambles.”
Andy Murray apologises for 'ruining photo' with fellow Olympian Hannah Mills
- sstreet
A BRIT SPECIAL
The Team GB Women will be back in action in football today as they look to book a quarter-final place.
They face host nation Japan as they look to avenge their 2015 Women's World Cup semi-final defeat.
The Brits beat Chile 2-0 in their opening game but will be keen to earn their place in the last eight before a tough final group game against Canada.
- Tom Sheen
GOOD MORNING OLYMPICS FANS
The Tokyo 2020 Games kicked off in style with a stunning opening ceremony on Friday.
Athletes looked to be in top spirits despite coronavirus restrictions in Japan.
And the action will get underway with badminton, beach volleyball and table tennis.
Meanwhile, Chelsea star Fran Kirby has been ruled out of Team GB’s group clash against Japan – but SHOULD return for the final clash with Canada.
Women’s footballer of the year Kirby missed the opening win over Chile with a knock sustained in pre-tournament training at Loughborough.
Coach Hege Riise, set to make changes on the left side with Demi Stokes replacing Rachel Daly at the back and Nikita Parris coming in for Lauren Hemp, said: “Fran is back in training, slowly but we have to be sure we don’t push her.
“We don’t want to risk her when there are so many games left to play.”
Finally, Tom Daley would love to leave Tokyo with Olympic gold – but his son means more.
Daley told SunSport: “I think any athlete would be lying if they said they didn’t want to win an Olympic gold medal.
“But at the end of the day, I am a father, I am a husband and I think a massive shift in perspective has happened for me over these last couple of years.
“With Robbie being born, then the pandemic, you realise what matters most. I think that is something that is really important knowing, going into the Olympic Games.
“Previously I used to define myself by how well I did in the diving pool.
“But there are other things to life and in my life that I find equally important.”
- sstreet
GOING FOR GOLD
The Opening Ceremony is done and now the Games can begin.
And it's just over three hours until the first gold medal will be won.
This will come in the 10m Women's Air Rifle Shooting final, which begins at 2.45am UK time.
American Virginia Thrasher took the gold in this event in Rio in 2016.
- Anthony Chapman
WHAT A DJOKER
Novak Djokovic looked ace as he limbered up with the Belgian gymnastics team.
The Serbian tennis superstar was beaming as he posed in the splits alongside Nina Derwael and Maellyse Brassart.
He has been balancing his time between tennis training – hitting with Team GB hero Andy Murray – and stretching in the Tokyo Olympics Village as he vies for his first-ever gold medal.
Derwael said: “When Djokovic asks for a picture, you can’t refuse…”
- Anthony Chapman
EXCLUSIVE BY MARTIN LIPTON
Tom Daley would love to leave Tokyo with Olympic gold – but his son means more.
Daley told SunSport: “I think any athlete would be lying if they said they didn’t want to win an Olympic gold medal.
“But at the end of the day, I am a father, I am a husband and I think a massive shift in perspective has happened for me over these last couple of years.
“With Robbie being born, then the pandemic, you realise what matters most. I think that is something that is really important knowing, going into the Olympic Games.
“Previously I used to define myself by how well I did in the diving pool.
“But there are other things to life and in my life that I find equally important.”
- Anthony Chapman
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Russian archer Svetland Gomboeva lost consciousness during a qualifying Olympic round after collapsing in the brutal Tokyo heat.
The 23-year-old was checking her final scores before she fainted in the blistering 33 degrees Celsius sun, with medics and team-mates rushing to her aid.
Gomboeva, who qualified 45th of 64 archers in the women's event on Friday, had to be taken out of the arena on a stretcher.
Ice bags were given to the female athlete in an attempt to cool her down, with Gomboeva quickly regaining consciousness.
She is said to now be recovering well, with the 2021 Archery World Cup recurve gold medallist to compete in the individual and team events later in the Games.
- Anthony Chapman
TAE IN THE SKY
Taekwondo ace Jade Jones will be in action on the first day of the Olympics.
But will she become the first British woman to win three back-to-back golds at successive Games?
- Anthony Chapman
KNEE BOTHER
British athletics star Dina Asher-Smith believes Olympians should be allowed to take the knee if they wish.
She said: "If you were to penalise someone for standing up against racial inequality how on earth would that go, how on earth are you going to enforce that?
"Would you revoke someone's medal for saying racism is wrong?
"How would you police that, particularly when people feel so strongly about that right now? How would that go optically?
"I see it as completely unenforceable."
- Anthony Chapman
BAD TO THE BONE
Badminton kicks off the Olympics action at 1am.
But how much do you know about the sport?
- Anthony Chapman
BEHIND THE SCENES
Tokyo 2020’s young stars are giving fans exclusive access behind the scenes at the Olympic Village – via TikTok.
Team GB hopefuls Tom Daley and Jazmin Sawyers are just two of the athletes using the popular video platform to detail their exploits in Japan.
These includes daily coronavirus tests and testing out the 'sturdy beds' as they get to grips with the athletes' accommodation.
CHECK OUT OLYMPIC VILLAGE LIFE HERE
- Anthony Chapman
OLY MOLY
A tropical storm is heading towards Japan and threatens to delay some events just as the Olympics kicks off.
According to AccuWeather, Storm Nepartak is heading towards mainland Japan with winds of 40 mph.
A tropical depression first formed north of Guam, before strengthening into a storm by Friday (local time).
AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said: "While it’s still too early to have high confidence in the exact track and intensity of this system, there are early indications that it could threaten Tokyo later Monday or Tuesday, local time."
- Anthony Chapman
JUDO EXIT
A Judo athlete set to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has quit the Games after being drawn against an Israeli opponent.
Fethi Nourine, of Algeria, was set to face Israeli competitor Tohar Butbul in the second round, had he won his first match.
But he has withdrawn before facing Sudan's Mohamed Abdalarasool in the 73kg competition, in the second such move of his career.
Nourine is quoted by Sky News as telling Algerian media: "We worked a lot to reach the Olympics. The news came as a shock, a thunder."
He added that his 'decision was final' due to his political support for Palestine, the partially-recognised state engaged in a long conflict with Israel.
- Anthony Chapman
KIR BLIMEY
Chelsea star Fran Kirby has been ruled out of Team GB’s group clash against Japan – but SHOULD return for the final clash with Canada.
Women’s footballer of the year Kirby missed the opening win over Chile with a knock sustained in pre-tournament training at Loughborough.
Coach Hege Riise, set to make changes on the left side with Demi Stokes replacing Rachel Daly at the back and Nikita Parris coming in for Lauren Hemp, said: “Fran is back in training, slowly but we have to be sure we don’t push her.
“We don’t want to risk her when there are so many games left to play.”
- Alex Terrell
SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT
Here are some things to look out for overnight at the Olympics.
Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas is in action in the men's road race – and don't worry if you miss the 3am start, the race won't heat up until at least 6am.
Meanwhile Team GB men take to the field in the hockey looking to match the women's gold medal triumph five years ago.
Here's a comprehensive list of what's on:
- Badminton (1am)
- Beach volleyball (1am)
- Table tennis (1am)
- Archery mixed teams (1.30am)
- Weightlifting (1.50am)
- 3×3 basketball (2am)
- Men's gymnastics (2am)
- Softball (2am)
- Fencing (2am)
- Handball (2am)
- Taekwondo (2am)
- Volleyball (2am)
- Boxing (3am)
- Cycling men's road race (3am)
- Judo (3am)
- Tennis (3am)
- Water polo (4am)
- Archery mix team final (6.15am)
- Women's football (8.30am)
- Equestrian dressage (9am)
- Men's hockey (10.30am)
- Women's hockey (11am)
- Surfing (11pm)
CAPTURING THE MOE-MENT
Olympic rower Moe Sbihi captured his memorable moment with a selfie when leading out Team GB.
IMAGINE
John Lennon's 'Imagine' is in danger of becoming the anthem of the Olympics.
It has appeared in several summer and winter games in recent years.
'ENJOY THE SHOW'
Rebecca Adlington said she is most excited by the prospect of seeing Adam Peaty in action.
And the Olympic and World champion has a good chance of becoming Britain's first gold medalist in Tokyo.
He kick-starts his Games in the heats, which begin just after midnight.
INSPIRED BY 2012
The Men's Olympic Road Race offers Team GB a good opportunity to pick up an early medal.
Geraint Thomas, twins Adam and Simon Yates, as well as Tao Geoghegan Hart are our best chances of glory.
And the latter has spoken about what it means to be an Olympic athlete.
- Kealan Hughes
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Osaka lighting the torch brings the ceremony to a close.
It may have been different, but it was certainly eventful. Now we cannot wait for the sport to get started.
- Kealan Hughes
MORE OF THE TORCH BEING LIT
- Kealan Hughes
PICTOGRAM BRINGS GAME TO LIFE
- Kealan Hughes
TORCH HAS BEEN LIT
Naomi Osaka is the final torchbearer!
She does a light jog before ascending to the top of a makeshift pyramid to light the main torch, which opens up like a blossoming flower.
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