The Tokyo Olympics have reserved their share of strong images throughout the fortnight, between sporting exploits and historical gestures.
Here is a non-exhaustive selection of those moments that marked the Games of the 32nd Olympiad.
Sports fans have waited another year to watch the Tokyo Olympics, and they are leaving with memories in their heads.
Despite the closed session decided by the organizers due to the Covid-19, the Games of the 32nd Olympiad offered prominent spectacle and exploits throughout the fortnight.
Certain images have marked the history of sport and will remain etched in our memories.
From the Olympic cauldron lit by Naomi Osaka to Simone Biles' bronze medal, here are ten highlights of the Tokyo Olympics.
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron
This is the traditional question during the opening ceremonies: who is the athlete chosen by the organizers to light the Olympic cauldron. While judo or wrestling is a great source of medals, Japan has appointed its tennis star Naomi Osaka, four times Grand Slam winner, as the last torchbearer of the Olympic torch. World number two represents diversity, born to a Japanese mother and a Haitian father. She was also praised for her stance, especially towards mental health issues that can affect some athletes. Her Olympic history finally came to an end quickly, with a loss in the round of 16 against Czech Marketa Vondrousova.
THE OLYMPIC GAMES ARE OFFICIALLY OPEN!
️ The Olympic cauldron was lit by @naomiosaka
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- Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) July 23, 2021
Caeleb Dressel in beefy
American swimmer Caeleb Dressel has made a name for himself with the general public.
The 24-year-old Floridian simply flew over his Olympics by winning five gold medals, owes three in individual (50m and 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly) and two in relay (4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley).
Above all, he left Japan with two Olympic records (50m and 100m) and two world records, in the 100m butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay.
Monstrous performances which make him the new star of swimming.
Caeleb Dressel relishes his victory in the Tokyo Olympics final in the 50m freestyle.
Credit: Odd ANDERSEN / AFP
Simone Biles' failures and her bronze medal
Gymnastics superstar and four-time Rio 2016 medalist, American Simone Biles experienced nightmarish Tokyo Games.
The 24-year-old gymnast appeared unrecognizable in her jumps and performances, devoid of the precision in the movements that had made her famous.
Suffering from mental disorders and a phenomenon of loss of bearings, Simone Biles abandoned the team competition before withdrawing on several occasions.
It was finally on the beam, a less dangerous event, that the superstar won his only Tokyo medal, bronze.
Ovation on the podium for Simone Biles
The four-time Olympic champion wins bronze for her return to competition on the balance beam.
In 2016, she had already won bronze in this event
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 3, 2021
The French mixed judo team, first Olympic champion
They will forever be the first in the history of judo!
In the temple of Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, the French team led by Teddy Riner and Clarisse Agbégnénou became the first mixed team to win the gold medal in the history of the Olympic Games.
For the appearance of this event on the program, the French judokas climbed to the final against the Japanese, at home, which they dominated from start to finish (victory 4 fights to 1).
An end in apotheosis for the tricolor judo which won there its eighth medal in Tokyo.
The Blues get gold in the mixed judo event!
They win against the Japanese yet at home.
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) July 31, 2021
Marcell Jacobs new king of the 100m
Everyone was waiting to know the identity of Usain Bolt's successor in the 100m.
In the end, it was the Italian Marcell Jacobs who created the sensation of the Tokyo Olympics by winning the final in 9:80, a European record, ahead of the American Fred Kerley and the Canadian André de Grasse. The 26-year-old sprinter became the first Italian athlete to win in athletics' premier race, and the first European to take first place in the 100m at the Olympic Games since Briton Linford Christie in 1992.
We expected Grasse (, 9.89), or Fred Kerley (, 9.84), we finally had Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Olympic champion in the queen athletics event.
A time of 9.80 for the Italian ⚡
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- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 1, 2021
Two athletes share the gold medal in the high jump
On the same evening of Marcell Jacobs' victory, another Italian athlete, Gianmarco Tamberi, and Qatari Mutaz Barshim offered one of the most beautiful images of these Games.
Engaged in the high jump final, the two men were the last remaining in contention and both failed to pass the Olympic record bar at 2.39 m.
Instead of engaging in a "jump-off", the two athletes preferred to share the gold medal.
The two then hugged and savored their victory.
Extraordinary high jump outcome!
Mutaz Essa Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi agree to stop the contest: they are both!
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- Eurosport France (@Eurosport_FR) August 1, 2021
Allyson Felix overtakes Carl Lewis in world athletics
At 35, sprinting legend Allyson Felix has made history a bit more.
For her last appearance at the Olympics, the American athlete won her 10th and 11th medals, which makes her the most medal-winning athlete in Olympic history in athletics.
Allyson Felix overtook another American legend, Carl Lewis and his ten medals, gleaning bronze in the 400m and gold in the 4x400m relay.
Allyson Felix relishes his gold medal won with the American relay in the 4x400m in Tokyo.
Credit: JEWEL SAMAD / AFP
Karstern Warholm smashes his 400m hurdles record
This is the story of a world record that he held and that he smashed in the final of the 400m hurdles.
The Norwegian Karstern Warholm broke his own record which dated from the beginning of last July to offer himself the most beautiful title of his career, at 25 years old.
In 45 ”94, the Norwegian rider is the first to pass below the 46 seconds mark. His rage at the finish and his torn jersey have made Olympic history.
The highlight of the day: the 400m hurdle where Karsten Warholm @kwarholm broke a world record in 45 seconds 94 !!
pic.twitter.com/o5zv84KvbU
- francetvsport (@francetvsport) August 3, 2021
Emma McKeon Most Medalist Female Athlete In One Edition
By winning seven medals including four gold, Australian swimmer Emma McKeon became the first female athlete to win so many charms in a single edition of the Games since 1952. The Australian won in the 50m and 100m swimming. freestyle, then the 4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley relays. She also gleaned bronze in the 100m butterfly and the 4x100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relays. Australia owes him a lot in their quest for medals.
Australia's most successful Olympian: Emma McKeon.
Her CV
Rio 2016:
4x100m Freestyle
4x200m Freestyle
4x100m Medley
200m Freestyle
Tokyo 2020:
4x100m Medley
4x100m Freestyle
100m Freestyle
50m Freestyle
4x200m Freestyle
4x100m Butterfly
100m Butterfly pic.twitter.com/uOoYfQTmkN
- # Tokyo2020 (@ Tokyo2020) August 1, 2021
Nicolas Batum's counter in the semi-finals
If the French basketball players have climbed to the final of the Tokyo Olympics, they owe it in large part to the miraculous rescue of Nicolas Batum in the semi-finals, against Slovenia.
While Klemen Prepelic thought to give the victory to his country in the dying seconds, the French spread his wings to counter the ball and secure the short victory of the Blues (90-89).
A historic action for French basketball.
Nicolas Batum saved the Blues in the semi-finals of the Olympic tournament by blocking the ball at the last second.
Credit: Charlie NEIBERGALL / POOL / AFP
Anne Hidalgo receives the Olympic flag
This is the image of the passing of the torch between Tokyo and Paris.
As soon as the Tokyo Olympics are over, the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach handed the flag of the Games to Anne Hidalgo, mayor of the host city of the next 2024 Olympics, Paris!
Now all eyes are on the Paris Games.
The mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo waves the Olympic flag at the end of the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
Credit: Jewel SAMAD / AFP
Five world records broken in Tokyo
Karsten Warholm (NOR), 400m hurdles: 45'94
Sydney McLaughlin (USA), 400m hurdles: 51'46
Yulimar Rojas (VEN), triple jump: 15.67 m
Caeleb Dressel (USA), 100m butterfly: 49 "45
The Italian track cycling team, men's team pursuits: 3'42 "032