Diaz: Tokyo Olympics, the memories we nearly missed

They may remain as the pandemic games for ages to come, but the slightly over two weeks have lived up to the billing despite the large dark crowds hanging over the Games.

Potentially, 2020 may never have happened and it nearly was the case for months running up to the end of July 2021.

Just hours before the Games’ opening ceremony, the Japanese public took to streets protests calling for the Games stoppage.

This is as the country came under the weight of fresh new Covid-19 infections while the host city Tokyo remained under the State of Emergency.

‘Lives over the Olympics’ and ‘Cancel Tokyo Olympics’ were some of the standout banners carried by the deranged protesters.

For many, the Japanese government could have as well employed the billions used in preparing for the games for more pressing needs, terming plans to go ahead with the Olympics as a circus.

From non-compliance to Covid-19 restrictions among its populations and low-vaccination rates, the Olympic Games were ushered in at one of the lowest points for the country.

Needless to say, Tokyo 2020 has represented one of the most controversial summer games since the boycotted Olympics of the late 70s and 80s.

Speed, agility & focus

The Olympic athletes would take centre stage under the negative undertone, but as it has turned out, the gloom start was just but a bump on the road.

The 16 days of competitions beamed around the world by impeccable broadcasting has been exhilarating.

This despite an extra year of preparations by the gladiators, empty arenas and complex logistics that have included quarantine, strict social distancing rules and the wearing of facial coverings.

In my humble view, and honestly, put across simply, the Olympics have been a show of speed, agility and focus by the athletes who have shrugged the external factors to deliver a masterclass performance.

While greats such as Usain Bold and Michael Phelps have vacated centre stage, more world records have come tumbling at the 32nd Olympiad.

Record-breaking memories

Tens of records have been torn apart, so many that I cannot put them on a shortlist.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon definitely features big time in this records list with her masterclass performance that saw her smash the 1500 metres record.

US’s Caeleb Dessel tore apart the 100-meters butterfly swimming world record set the tone for more shatters in swimming to include the 4 by 100 men’s swimming medley by the US, the 4 by 100 mixed record by Great Britain, the 4 by 200 women record by China and the 4 by 100 by the Australian women.

Among the record is South Africa’s Tatyna Schoemaker who run with the best time in the 200 metres breaststroke.

Norwegian Karsten Warholm took the world’s leading time in the men’s 400 metres hurdles before Sydney McLaughlin repeated the fete on the women’s front.

Venezuela’s Yulimar Rojas put on a show to end with the longest jump in the triple as the Chinese and German women broke the best times in cycling team sprints and team pursuits respectively.

Botswana earned Africa’s first-ever medal with bronze in the 4 by 100 men’s relay while Kenyan Ferdinand Omurwa was an unlikely hero having nearly dipped us into the 100 metres men’s final – first Kenya to go deep in the sprints at the global stage.

The moment of the Games may however be Qatari’s Mutaz Barshim sharing gold with Italy’s Granmarco Tamberi in the men’s high jump moments before the Italian Lamont Jacobs powered to take the men’s 100 metres sprint.

Many more personal, national and Olympic records were smashed in the two weeks period.

Tokyo also saw the entry of new disciplines including surfing, boulder climbing and skateboarding with the latter seeing the youngest of winners.

GOATS

Even as all the athletes put their best feet forward, some athletes stood out shoulders above the rest – Greatest Of All Times.

For some, they reached new territories while for others it was the climax of their respective Olympic runs through the years, many closing with highlight reels.

Eliud Kipchoge’s prospects on the final day may just be it. Kipchoge cemented his legendary status by retaining gold in the marathon to leave doubters and naysayers in awe as he finished nearly a minute and a half up on the rest of the field.

He becomes the greatest marathoner, hands down and extends his run in the competition to 16 years having made his debut in the Olympics at Athens in 2004.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon can’t miss this list as she destroys her field to defend her women’s 1500m title in an Olympic record.

The Jamaican women’s sprint team put the competition to the sword taking the 100 and 200 metres dashes and the 4 by 100 sprint.

It was however Elaine Thompson-Herah doing the Olympic double by taking gold again in the 100 and 200 metres after Rio before backing her team mates to take her third gold in the relay.

Following closely behind was Shelly-Ann Fraizer Pryce as she ends her Olympic run with Silver in the 100 to go with the team’s relay gold.

She remains the fastest woman alive and walks away at the top of her game. Following closely is behind is the American Allyson Felix who now becomes the most decorated Olympian on the track, man or woman with 11 medals.

She closed with solo bronze in the 200 metres finals before pushing her team-mates to retain gold in the 4 by 400 relay.

Mental health

The importance of mental health in sports and competition would be the unlikely topic of the Olympics but never missed the mark.

At the start, it was tennis star Naomi Osaka’s return to competition after pulling out of the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.

She too proved doubters and critics as she took the mantle by lighting up the games to life. Despite not making it to the medals shootout, Osaka proved she could get over her own fears and spring back to action.

Barely days later, United States star in gymnastics Simon Biles would once again put mental health in focus as she pulled out of individual finals to take care of her mental well-being.

Despite heavy criticism especially back home including a torrent of online abuse, Biles returned to take bronze in the balanced beam-medley, in what is likely the last Olympics for the 24-year-old.

The lows

Out of the several lows is the mixed performance by Team Kenya which collected its least amount of medals since Athens in 2004.

The team performance will be the subject of analysis and post-mortems back home when the entire camp returns.

Kenya’s blemishless run in the men’s 3000 metres ended in tears as the country came into terms with increased competition at the global stage.

A lot of soul searching and investments in sports are needed and will be required as Team Kenya moves to build back better for the next games. I would love to see our hockey team excel in the next few years, as the patron of the Kenya Hockey Union both Holland and India are ready to support our men and women teams too.

Even so, there was plenty to celebrate as Kenya continued its run of medals at the Olympics which goes back to Los Angeles in 1984.

The 10 medals earned deserve as much praise as the criticism will not be acceptable, as just being able to compete in an Olympic games does our countries big honours. Next time we will invest and prepare even better, and See you in Paris in 2024.

I call upon more private sector and government sectors to sponsor our sports teams as we have great talent in Kenya and Africa at large.

Chris Diaz

Brand Africa Trustee and sports supporter