Swimmer Rikako Ikee will deliver messages to aspiring Olympic athletes and those supporting the Tokyo Games on July 23, one year before the scheduled start of the Olympics.
The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games announced Saturday that it will hold an event at the National Stadium. At 8 p.m. that day a video will be sent out globally of Ikee, who is currently recovering from leukemia.
The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics is also set to start at 8 p.m. on July 23 next year.
A similar event was held last year, with participants including International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, and top athletes.
Last year, the medal designs for the Games were unveiled in a grand ceremony, but this month's event will have no spectators to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. The performances involved will also be toned down.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
