The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has celebrated 2020 days to go until the Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad by gathering together 20-year-old athletes and hundreds of excited spectators to form a giant ‘2020’.
This latest milestone for the Games coincides with Coming of Age Day in Japan, which celebrates young people who have turned 20 in the last year and have officially reached the age of majority. Olympians and athletes joined hundreds of young people, all aged 20 years old, to mark this special day with events in the plaza in front of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee headquarters, as well as in areas of the Tohoku region affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Among those attending the ceremony were swimmer Kosuke Hagino, a bronze medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games. “We are extremely thankful that so many young 20-year-olds turned up to show their support, even though it was quite cold today. I really felt that there is an increasing interest in and expectations towards the 2020 Games. I would love to be able repay everyone’s support by winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” he said.
20-year-old swimmers Akihiro Yamaguchi and Daiya Seto, gymnast Akiho Sato and para-cyclist Miho Fujii, Hagino took part in a public discussion session.
“It is a fantastic coincidence that this milestone happens to be on Coming of Age Day in Japan. 2020 days to go to Tokyo 2020 celebrated with 20-year-olds; that is a lot of young adults representing a wealth of hopes, dreams and expectations towards the Games. Tokyo 2020 is about inspiring young people through sport, and today we were delighted to have the opportunity to broaden the network of young people eagerly looking forward to the Opening Ceremony in 2020 days’ time,” said Tokyo 2020 Sports Director Koji Murofushi.
Photo @Tokyo 2020
