Tokyo 2020 venue construction is showcased to the media, as organizers say everything is on schedule as test events loom large in the coming months.
Media toured some of the competition venues and the Olympic Village, all of which are under construction. A total of only eight competition venues and the village are being built for the Olympics, to reduce costs and footprint.
Two test events have already been staged, the first of two sailing competitions and water polo, with the rest set to begin at the end of June. Over 50 test events will be staged to help organizers better prepare for the Olympics.
Highlighted on the tour were the Aquatics Arena, Ariake Arena, Canoe Slalom venue, Sea Forest Waterway Venue, and the Olympic Village.
Information provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government said that Canoe Slalom is 74 percent complete, Sea Forest is 77 percent complete, and the Ariake Tennis Park is 68 percent complete. According to a report in the Asahi Shimbun the next step for Sea Forest is construction of the section of the venue that will block waves from Tokyo Bay from interfering with the rowing course.
Tokyo’s Olympic Village, located next to Tokyo Bay, stands at 73 percent complete.
The Aquatics Center, which is being uniquely constructed by slowly raising its roof to reveal the full structure, is 55 percent complete, and the Ariake Arena is 51 percent complete.
Aquatics is scheduled to hold four test events in para swimming, synchronized swimming, swimming, and diving in April 2020, around when the venue is expected to be completed.
Rowing and equestrian will hold back to back test events in Sea Forest in August to test the outdoor venue.
Four test events are scheduled to be held in the Ariake Arena in December 2019, February 2020, and April 2020 in three gymnastics disciplines and boccia.
Ariake Tennis Park’s construction was disrupted after the original contractor for the project went bankrupt, according to Reuters, but construction is still expected to finish on time. The All Japan Tennis Championships in October and November is scheduled as the official test event for the venue.
“Each arena is preparing for the test events scheduled for around summer and construction is proceeding smoothly,” Tomohiro Terasawa, venue director for the Ariake Arena, told Reuters on the tour.
“We’re working hard to ensure everything is on time.”
