Emotional pre-event press conference focuses on contrast between an empty stadium in 2021 and full arena in 2025.
It is four years since the Covid-affected Olympics took place in Tokyo. Athletes competed in an empty, soulless stadium and celebrated their achievements by doing remote interviews with journalists wearing face masks.
There will still be face masks at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this month – as many Japanese enjoy the habit of wearing them frequently – but the seats at the Japan National Stadium will be full for most sessions.
Almost 500,000 tickets have been sold for the Sept 13-21 event – already surpassing the number from the last World Champs in Budapest two years ago – with an average so far of 50,000 tickets sold for each evening session.
It is a prospect that quite literally brought a tear to the eye of Yuko Arimori, the newly-appointed president of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations and former marathon runner.
Speaking at the pre-event press conference with tears in her eyes, the 58-year-old said: “I ran my first World Championship marathon 34 years ago (placing fourth in the marathon in Tokyo in 1991) but I don’t remember anything because I was too nervous. But now, in the position I am in now, I realise the event is supported by so many people.”
Comparing the empty seats of the Olympics to the expected sold-out sessions in coming days, the 1992 and 1996 Olympic marathon medallist added: “Sport is for everyone to get together and the energy it produces.”
Seb Coe, the World Athletics president, mentioned his emotional connection with the city, as he explained: “I came here in 2020 when the Games were delayed and we were keen to share our common concern over the challenge that lay ahead. I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if someone had knocked on my door in 2012 and told me the opening ceremony would not be held.
“We wouldn’t have wished the Covid experience on anyone but World Athletics came out of it stronger. I’m pleased for very obvious reasons to be here.”
Talking about the impact of an event like this, Coe said: “I could talk about this for hours but sport has a unique ability as the most potent social worker in all our communities and it does this more effectively than any other sector. It has the ability to touch the hearts and minds of young people more than any other sectors.”
Mitsugi Ogata, former president of the Japan Association of…
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