Tokyo Olympic Games 2020: the opening ceremony – live!

Some reader feedback: As the teams continue to pour out into the arena with commendable speed, it’s time to dip into the mailbag …

“One of the (few) benefits of interpretive dance is that it shouldn’t need to be interpreted,” writes Simon. “Doesn’t seem to have stopped the BBC commentary team from trying though. I wish they’d bloody shut up and let me enjoy the music and stuff.”

Ireland are out: The Irish delegation walk out, a vision in … you’ve guessed it, green. Boxers Kellie Harrington and Brendan Irvine wave the the tricolour proudly, their wide grins of delight all too apparent despite being covered by masks.

The athletes are in the wings: Well, those few that are attending the opening ceremony are. To an orchestral medley of assorted Japanese video game themes (Dragon Quest is first), Greece march out.

Rhythm is a dancer: Kazunori Kumagai, the Japanese Michael Flatley (except without the bouffant), does some solo tap before being re-joined by his fellow carpenters. Five giant wooden Olympic rings, hewn from the wood of pine and spruce trees planted to mark the 1964 Olympics and illuminated by paper lanterns are wheeled out in to the stadium.

The rhythms of tradition: The Japanese work song Komari Uttar is sung by a team of uniformed and hard-grafting carpenters (well, dancers pretending to be carpenters) on a series of wooden platforms that have been wheeled centre-stage.

A hugely downbeat ceremony so far: Solemnity, gloom and darkness seem to be the prevailing colours, themes and colours of this particular curtain-raiser, in stark contrast to the massive celebratory vibes of opening ceremonies passim.

A moment of reflection: There’s a pause for those who are no longer with us, particularly those who died due to the Coivd virus. Here’s hoping the staging of these Games doesn’t add too significantly to the global tally.

The National Anthem: Various members of Japan’s defence forces bring the flag to the pole, where it will be solemnly raised to the soundtrack of the national anthem, Kimi Ga Yo.

Bah humbug corner. Barney is such a cynic …

Some VIPS: Japanese Emperor Narahito and IOC president Thomas Bach share a greeting which is followed by the introduction of the Japanese flag to the arena. It is carried by an assortment of Japanese Olympic greats of yore.

Some dancing: As I struggle to find words to adequately describe the beautiful, poised and elegant low key choreography of the dance troupe currently performing in the arena, Hazel comes up trumps. “Quiet, intimate and empathetic,” she says, possibly reading from notes.

BBC: The BBC coverage is being helmed by Hazel Irvine and Andrew Cotter, with Irvine in the role of straightman. Having become famous during lockdown as the straightman to his two adorable labradors Olive and Mabel, Cotter is revelling in his role as gagsman on this commentary.

Early fireworks: The countdown ends with a pyrotechnics display, the outer rim of the stadium exploding in a shower of multi-coloured sparks. On the stadium floor, assorted “athletes” train in solitude, pedalling stationary bikes. The lights on the floor portray – reporter checks non-existent notes – the changing of the seasons.

An early nod to Covid: Well that didn’t take long and it’s no surprise. The elephant in the room is addressed as we briefly fade to inky black before seeing a montage of athletes who were forced into training in isolation … before the countdown to Tokyo began again.

We begin with an orchestral performance soundtracking a motif of a seed germinating followed by a montage of athletes preparing for a Games that has been eight years in the making …

We are mere moments away from the beginning of the opening ceremony for Tokyo 2020 …

Tokyo 1964: My colleague Dave Tindall has alerted me to this footage of the Tokyo 1964 opening ceremony. “The Americans were quite the sight in their stetsons,” he says. See 16:52 onwards.

Rowing: “Morning, any chance of a summary of the rowing heats from this morning?” asks Rae. We’ll have a summary along at some point, Rae – but in the meantime you can find the early rowing heats results and schedules for other sports here.

The opening ceremony: A British delegation of just 22, including flag bearers Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi, will march at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, according to PA Sport.

Athletes from canoe slalom, fencing, weightlifting, sailing, boxing, rowing and trampolining will feature in the curtain-raiser.

A ring of steel has been erected around the stadium, meaning the excited locals, who had been due to be a part of the ceremony until the decision to ban spectators from the Games was made earlier this month, were left to watch those lucky enough to be allowed in from behind fences.

This just in: “The British Olympic Association is resigned to the fact that six Team GB athletes will spend 14 days in enforced quarantine after failing in its attempts to spring them out,” writes Sean Ingle.

Shooting: Of course, actual shooting is an Olympic sport and in 25-year-old Seonaid McIntosh, Team GB have a potential winner of the very first gold of the games tomorrow morning. Greg Wood caught up with the 25-year-old to … em, shoot the breeze.

Your questions: With less than an hour to go until the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020, you may well have some Games-related questions that need to be answered. Fear not, while troubleshooting is not yet an Olympic sport, if it was Simon Burnton would almost certainly win gold …

Join Martin Belam for a daily run through of the action from Tokyo during the Olympics and Paralympics.

The Tokyo 2020 daily briefing newsletter will run daily through the Olympics from Thursday 22 July to Monday 9 August, and then daily from Monday 23 August to Monday 6 September for the Paralympics.

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