The pandemic, one-year delay, and rising costs may not be enough to keep the Japanese public from embracing the Tokyo Olympics.
Why? It’s a historic haul of medals.
Japan produced its highest Olympic production in all categories: it had the most gold medals (27), most overall (58), as well as a third-place finish for gold medals, behind China and the United States.
As the Olympics concluded, deputy head of delegation Mitsugi Ogata stated that Japan’s national team had set a new record. “We don’t want this to disappear like fireworks. It is vital that this momentum continues through Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028.
16 was the previous gold record, both at the 2004 Athens Games and 1964. Five years ago, Brazil won 12 gold medals in Rio de Janeiro.
The United States won 39 golds medals, one more than China. They also had 113 overall medals to China’s 88. Britain had 65 overall medals, while the Russian Olympic Committee had 71. Japan was fifth.
The medal boost is usually given to home countries by spending more money and time than they would normally. Without fans, some of the home-field advantage was lost. Japan still won medals in five of the Olympic sports: sports climbing, baseball-softball and karate.
Each Olympic host can add a few more sports. Paris will offer breakdancing and surfing, karate, and sports climb.
Japan won gold in baseball and softball, beating the USA both times in the final. There were also three gold medals for skateboarding and another in karate. 14 of the 58 total medals were won in Tokyo’s sports.
Atsunori, Inaba’s manager, suggested that the gold medal could encourage more children to play baseball. Baseball participation is down in Japan, despite being very popular.
Atsunori stated, “I hope that this gold will help increase the number of children and adults who want baseball to begin,”
Japan had 30 gold medals as its goal prior to the pandemic. Officials backed away from that goal in the final months, because it was more difficult to forecast the performance of Japan during the pandemic and how other countries would do.
Ogata stated, “Initially we had a goal to win 30 gold medals.” Ogata said, “Although it was not possible to reach that goal, the total number of gold medals and total medals are all historical highs.”
Japan started off well on the first day at the Olympics, in Judo. Japan’s only Olympic sport, Judo, won nine gold medals and two silver, one bronze.
Funa Tonaki, a woman of 48-kilograms, won silver in the first judo final. It was Japan’s 500th Olympic gold — winter and summer. Then came a Naohisa Takato gold medal in the 60-kilogram men’s final.
This helped to get the ball rolling and caught the attention of a public that was previously distracted by increasing COVID-19 rates and uncertainty about the Olympics’ existence.
Japan was awarded five gold medals in the sport of wrestling, four by women, and defeated China to win gold in table tennis mixed doubles.
Even though it lost 90-75 to the USA in women’s basketball, it reached the gold medal final. This was Japan’s first ever medal in women’s basketball. The team was coached by American Tom Hovasse.
Tsuyoshi Furuki, head of the Japanese delegation confirmed Sunday that gold medalists will receive 5 million yen, or approximately $45,000. Silver is worth $2 million, or about $18,000; bronze is worth 1 million (or approximately $9,000).
It will result in a large payday.
