TOKYO (Japan): Tokyo marked six months countdown of the 2020 Olympic Games at a special ceremony on Friday that included fireworks at Tokyo Bay.
After a decade of planning, Tokyo 2020 organizers have entered the final stretch ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony on July 24.
“With the Olympic year finally here, everything is coming together. We’ve spent the last seven years working toward this, and now with just six months to go we’re excited to see the pieces falling into place. From venues to volunteers to ticketing, preparations are exactly where we want them to be at the six-month mark,” said Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Masa Takaya.
Tokyo venues
A total of 43 venues — eight new permanent venues, 25 existing sites and 10 temporary venues—will be used at Games.
All but one of the new permanent venues are already complete and the overall preparation of all venues is progressing on schedule.
Last month, the new Olympic Stadium – a state-of-the-art venue that will serve generations of athletes and spectators to come – was officially opened to the public and on New Year’s Day hosted its first official sporting competition.
Organizers have overcome most of the major wobbles that plagued the early years of preparation and are now concentrating on fine-tuning the remaining details.
Tokyo was certainly in a celebratory mood on Friday as a vibrant performance, including fireworks in the shape and color of the five Olympic rings, briefly lit up the skyline of the city of over 14 million people.
“The torch relay will start in March so we need to start building momentum and excitement for the Games,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said at a ceremony to mark the landmark.
The Games run from July 24-August 9. Tokyo previously held the Summer Olympics in 1964.
