It is no secret that the build-up to the Tokyo Olympics was not exactly plain sailing, primarily due to the Covid pandemic. For a start it was a year late through no fault of its own, and was being held at the hottest and most humid time of the Japanese summer when sensible people retreat into air conditioning. It was not just by chance that when Tokyo hosted the Games in 1964 it was held in October, Japan's autumn.
When the creative director of the opening ceremony was fired just one day before the event it only seemed to confirm fears that it could become a very long fortnight. But the ceremony proved to be a success and praised for being appropriately subdued.
The Games have proceeded smoothly considering the circumstances, with outstanding performances by the athletes shrugging off the frustrations of Covid restraints. Now we've reached the final day and one suspects there will be a collective sigh of relief among the organisers when the Olympic flag is handed over to Paris.
Corny though it might sound, the lasting images of the Games are of the sportsmanship displayed by athletes of all disciplines despite performing in empty stadiums. It began with the youngsters on the skateboards cheering and hugging their fellow competitors, like they were at an end-of-term party. All-teen podiums became the norm. Alarmingly, when I was a kid I don't think skateboards had even been invented.
The skateboarders' refreshing attitude to their rivals set the tone and throughout the Games we have witnessed athletes showing genuine respect for one another. It was highlighted by two runners in the men's 800 metres colliding and falling to the ground. But there was no name-calling. They helped each other up and jogged together to the finish line smiling. A touch of class.
Izzy tizzy
Every Olympics is obliged to come up with mascots, most of which prove to be highly forgettable. Tokyo's representatives are Miraitowa and Someity. In all honesty I'm not exactly sure what they are but they look cute and were chosen by kids so they must be OK.
They are an improvement on the Atlanta 1996 mascot called Izzy. It was the first mascot made by a computer and looked like it. Nobody really knew how to describe it although the word "hideous" put in an appearance. The Los Angeles Times called it "a little mutant monstrosity that was born on the toxic dump of someone's imagination". One critic claimed Izzy resembled a "two-headed toad" while another viewed it as "A genetic experiment gone horribly wrong".
Naturally Izzy proved to be one of the most popular mascots ever.
Stretching the imagination
At least the Covid lockdown has spared us the customary outbreak of "Running Feet" in Bangkok when totally unfit citizens, after watching the Olympics on television, suddenly decide they would like to be champions. At this time the parks are normally full of people thundering around with visions of standing on podiums with medals dangling from their necks.
Admittedly such enthusiasm doesn't last long as many of the budding Olympians end up in hospital with blisters, groin strains, ruptures and jogger's nipple. In the end the only meaningful exercise they get is running up a bill.
However, within the confines of their home they can still indulge in a taste of the Olympic spirit by throwing tantrums, jumping to conclusions, passing the buck, grasping at straws and chasing dreams.
The Bangkok Games
Some readers may recall that Bangkok put in a bid to host the 2008 Olympics, but fell at the first hurdle, scoring particularly badly on "general infrastructure". Maybe an afternoon sweating it out in a traditional Sukhumvit traffic jam was enough for the IOC delegates to give the City of Angels the thumbs down. Or perhaps they suffered an unscheduled ride in a tuk-tuk, not recommended for those of a nervous disposition.
Many citizens were quite relieved Bangkok didn't make the cut as it probably saved Thai taxpayers a small fortune. Others were not so happy. Just imagine all those big juicy contracts slipping from their grasp.
Hello and good morning
Those 2008 Games were eventually awarded to Beijing and I happened to visit the Chinese capital a few months before they started. The Chinese government was gearing up for the event and the local populace was under strict orders to make any visitors feel welcome. We were constantly greeted by smiling locals practising their English with "hello", "good morning", "you're welcome", and "thank you", and most pleasant it was too. Hotel staff were particularly polite and simply going to the coffee shop for breakfast you would exchange a dozen greetings of "good morning". In fact they were still saying "good morning" in the afternoon, evening and night.
Caddies' chorus
The reason I was in Beijing was to cover an international golf tournament for the Bangkok Post. Out at the course there was no let-up in friendly greetings. On the way to the first tee there were a dozen female caddies in colourful uniforms standing at attention. Every foreigner who walked past was greeted with a chirpy "good morning".
I'm surprised they didn't make it an Olympic event -- Synchronised Good Mornings. Another certain gold for China.
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