By Cüneyt Akalın
The Tokyo Olympics (for the year 2020) ended on August 10 after 16 days of intense competitions.
The US made huge gains on the last day and took first place in the overall medal count.
China came in second followed by Japan and the UK. Russia, accepted to the Tokyo Olympics under the banner of Russia Olympic Committee as a result of the country’s official ban, took 5th.
206 countries took part in the Olympics 2020; 11,656 athletes belonging to 86 countries were awarded with medals.
Beginning for the first time in Athens in 1898, the symbol of the Olympic Games is 5 rings representing five continents adorned with the motto “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”).
This is the second Olympic Games organised by Japan. In 1964, 93 nations and 5,151 athletes (4,473 men, 678 women) competing in 25 disciplines participated in the Games. Compared to the 1964 Olympics, the number of women athletes has increased greatly. In Tokyo this year, almost 49% of athleteswere women, according to the IOC, marking the first “gender-balanced” games in the event’s history.
Japan was chosen to host the 2020 Olympic games before the pandemic struck, but the country took serious measures to make sure they were conducted responsibly. The competitions were held without spectators; given the increased numbers of suspected Covid-19 cases, this was certainly a wise decision.
The international community has positively assessed Japan’s work in hosting the games despite the chaotic historical period and international situation.
New Olympic games
New games such as Badminton, skateboarding, 3×3 basketball, sport climbing, surfing and karate were included in the Olympics for the first time. However, these sports were included on the initiative of local Olympic committees, and it is not yet clear if these sports will remain a part of the games.
Turkey and the Olympics
Turkey has participated in the Olympic Games since 1924. Even before then, Turkish athletes took part in the competitions: for instance, 3 athletes participated in 1912.
Throughout the history of its participation in the Olympic Games, Turkey’s biggest success was in the 1948 Olympics in London. With 68 sportsmen, and only one woman. Turkey won 12 medals in total, 6 of them in wrestling.
This year, Turkey participated in the Tokyo Olympics with a group of 108 sportsmen, 50 of them women. The result was 2 gold medals (one in archery, one in women’s boxing) 2 silver and 9 bronze medals. Despite the overall medal count exceeding the results of the 1948 Olympics, Turkey’s overall position was lower.
However, it should be underlined that Turkey made a big leap forward in women’s sports branches. Nur Surmeneli attained the first gold medal for Turkey in women’s boxing. Wrestler Yasemin Adan won a bronze medal, while Turkish athlete Eda Tuğsuz, competing in the javelin toss, missed winning the medal by 4 cm.
Turkish sportsmen were also successful in gymnastics, Ferhat Arıcan obtaining a bronze medal in the men’s parallel bar competition.
However the biggest success was Mete Gazoz’ gold medal in archery.
The Turkish public was also delighted by the success of the women’s volleyball, which took 5th place.
All of this success will certainly open new doors for the next generation of Turkish athletes. There is great hope that the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024 will see further successes for Turkish athletes.