The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are officially underway, in 2021! Originally set for July 24, 2020 the games were postponed due to concerns over Covid-19. However, today, with limited guests present, the games official opening ceremony took place. Hosted in Tokyo, Japan, the games have never been postponed. So the decision to postpone the games and push them to 2021 was the first of its kind in Olympic history. The games, however, have been cancelled due to World Wars in 1916, 1940 and 1944.

The IOC president, Thomas Bach, opened the games with the following words: “the pandemic forced us apart, to keep our distance from each other, to stay away even from our loved ones. This separation made this tunnel so dark. But today, wherever in the world you may be, we are united in sharing this moment together.” Bach commented that the opening ceremony was “a moment of hope,” and he welcomed and praised the athletes for overcoming the great challenges that led them to participate.

There are many ways to watch the Tokyo Olympics, try your local coverage and other streaming services. The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics run from July 23, 2021 to August 8, 2021. Over 11,000 athletes will participate from 205 nations.