The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 23 after being delayed a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially, they were to begin on July 24 2020.
This is the first time that the Olympic Games have been postponed and rescheduled, rather than cancelled.
The modern Olympics, first held in Athens in 1896, have only ever been cancelled for World War I (1916) and World War II (1940 and 1944).
However, the event retains the Tokyo 2020 name for marketing and branding purposes.
The opening ceremony of Tokyo Olympics 2021 will take place at the newly-built National Stadium in the Japanese capital while the closing ceremony will be held on August 8, 2021, at the same venue.
Olympics 2021 will see the introduction of new competitions including 3×3 basketball, freestyle BMX, and Madison cycling, as well as further mixed events.
In addition, karate, sport climbing, surfing, and skateboarding will make their Olympic debut, as well as the return of baseball and softball for the first time since 2008.
How to watch Tokyo Olympics 2021 in Kenya
Supersport will broadcast the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on 8 dedicated channels across the globe live and in HD to viewers on DStv and GOtv.
Key Events to Watch
With such a huge variety of sport on offer from Tokyo throughout the Olympic Games, Supersport has picked some of the key events for the period of 23-28 July 2021.
- Friday 23 July is all about the Opening Ceremony (12:50 LIVE), an iconic Olympic Games event that sees all competing nations taking to the field at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo in a true celebration of the human spirit.
- Saturday 24 July opens with Beach Volleyball (01:50 LIVE) – always a favourite of Olympic fans – followed by the ‘sweet science of Boxing, with the Men’s and Women’s Round of 32 matches (03:55 LIVE).It will then be the time for Zambia’s ‘Copper Queens’ to strut their stuff in a Women’s Football clash against China (09:50 LIVE).
- Sunday 25 July features the qualification phase of Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (02:55 LIVE), followed by Swimming’s Session 2 (03:25 LIVE).Men’s Football takes centre stage through the remainder of the day, with Egypt v Argentina (09:20 LIVE), France v South Africa (09:50 LIVE) and Brazil v Ivory Coast (10:20 LIVE), while fans of Men’s Basketball will also be treated to Australia v Nigeria (10:10 LIVE on SuperSport Action).
- Monday 26 July sees the continued debut of Skateboarding at the Olympic Games, with the Women’s Street Prelims (01:55 LIVE) a featured event.Kenya will then see double action in the Men’s Rugby Sevens, with games against the United States (04:28 LIVE 2) and continental rivals South Africa (11:58 LIVE). Late Monday also features the Women’s Triathlon Individual Final (23:20 LIVE).
- Tuesday 27 July opens with Session 7 of the Judo competition (03:55 LIVE) before Kenya wrap up their group stage in the Men’s Rugby Sevens with a clash against Ireland (03:58 LIVE).Kenya coach Innocent Simiyu will be hoping his team achieves their goal of progressing beyond the group stage: “The selection was tough as all the boys put in the work. We are happy to have a few experienced players fit and back into the fold. Our key target is getting out of the pool. Our first pool game will set the standard for our performance in Tokyo.”
Nigeria’s Women’s Basketball team will face the toughest test when they come up against the United States (06:30 LIVE), before Zambia’s ‘Copper Queens’ face Brazil in a Women’s Football clash (13:20 LIVE).
- Wednesday 28 July opens with Surfing Finals for both genders (00:55 LIVE), while Basketball fans will be treated to a Men’s clash between Nigeria and Germany (02:50 LIVE), as well as the Bronze and Gold Medal Matches for Men’s and Women’s 3×3 Basketball (13:40 LIVE).African Men’s Football teams also feature strongly, with Ivory Coast taking on Germany (09:50 LIVE) and South Africa battling Mexico (13:20).
