Tokyo (AFP)

Far from the bombast of previous editions, the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games, refined and touching, officially launched these extraordinary Olympics on Friday, with Naomi Osaka as the last relay and caregivers in the spotlight.

At 8:00 p.m. sharp, Tokyo time (11:00 a.m. GMT, 1:00 p.m. in France), a fireworks display lasting a few seconds, greeted by the thousand VIPs authorized to attend the party in the middle of the camera, kicked off of the ceremony leading to the XXXII Games in modern history.

Five years after the giant party celebrated in the fervor of the Maracana stadium in Rio, the organizers opted for a much more subdued ceremony, given the health situation which imposed the absence of spectators for the duration of the Games.

The show will be "simpler and more sober", they warned.

In this context, the various speeches at the ceremony were tinged with emotion and messages of hope and solidarity, like the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, who hoped that this moment of unity is "the light at the end of the tunnel", before the Emperor of Japan Naruhito solemnly declares the Games open.

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- Tribute to caregivers -

From the start, the evening, in the heat of the Tokyo National Stadium, took on a serious tone with a moment of contemplation in memory of the victims of the pandemic which has killed more than 4 million people worldwide since the end of 2019.

Just before, the flag of the host of these Games had entered the immense 68,000-seat enclosure, carried by former Japanese Olympic medalists as well as a rescuer, representative of the nursing staff to whom the organizers paid tribute .

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Maintaining this planetary event in the midst of a global pandemic has been a headache for Japan, whose population is overwhelmingly hostile to their holding according to polls.

During the silent moments of the ceremony, a few opponents present in front of the stadium, few in number but noisy, also briefly managed to be heard from inside.

Despite everything, the show became festive again, giving pride of place to the culture, creativity and ancestral history of the host country, with dancers, singers and acrobats in traditional costumes who hoisted wooden Olympic rings in front of a minimalist performance. of Mount Fuji.

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A painting followed by the parade of athletes, started as it is tradition by Greece, cradle of Olympism.

Even though many preferred to ignore the ceremony, the athletes present from the 206 delegations were still smiling, waving their arms and flags as if the stands were full.

- Constellation of drones -

Special mention to the Argentinian, Portuguese or Malawian athletes who have ensured a festive atmosphere, on a soundtrack of music from video games, from Dragon Quest to Final Fantasy.

The flag-bearers of the Dominican Republic, who started a few dance steps, were particularly illustrated, just like that of the Tonga Islands, the taekwondoist Pita Taufatofua, who, like in Rio, came in traditional dress, shirtless and coated with coconut oil.

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At the end of the procession, France, which will host the next Games in three years, made its entry behind the gymnast Samir Aït-Said, author of a magnificent back somersault (a nice way to make his return to the Games after his terrible injury from Rio), just before the host country.

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Then a constellation of drones rose in the Tokyo sky to the sound of the famous song "Imagine", co-written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and over time became an unofficial anthem of the Olympic ceremonies.

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Finally, the last uncertainty of the evening was lifted at 11:45 p.m. when tennis player Naomi Osaka, four-time Grand Slam winner, lit the cauldron.

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After a year of postponement and uncertainties, the Games which almost did not take place are finally launched.

© 2021 AFP