Excitement is building in the Japanese capital as the National Stadium prepares to host hundreds of thousands of fans across nine days of action at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, which start on Friday (13).
More than 2000 athletes from almost 200 teams will compete for medals in 49 disciplines between 13-21 September.
At the official pre-event press conference, held on the eve of the championships, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe was joined by Mitsugi Ogata, President of the Local Organising Committee, and Yuko Arimori, World Athletics Council Member and President of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations. All three cast their minds back to 2021 when the same stadium welcomed the world’s best athletes for an Olympic Games that spectators were unable to attend.
“Back in 2020, just after the postponement of the Olympic Games, we were one of the first international federations to visit Tokyo,” recalled Coe. “I conveyed my sympathies to the organising committee but also admired the resilience to withstand the challenge of a postponed Olympic Games.
“I’m pleased, for very obvious reasons, to be here again as Tokyo prepares to welcome not only the world’s best athletes but also thousands of spectators. We have sold 500,000 tickets, and many nights have sold out, though there are still some tickets available.
“I’m very grateful to all of those who have sat behind the work and got us here so far. I’d like to express my deepest gratitude to Mitsugi Ogata and the local organising committee, to Yuko Arimori and the Japanese federation, and to Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, who could not have been more helpful in delivering these championships.
“This is the largest global sporting event of the year by quite some distance,” added Coe. “And if recent Diamond League performances are anything to go by, this will be a championships for the ages.”
Ogata echoed Coe’s sentiments.
“When this stadium hosted the Olympic Games without spectators, it highlighted the magnitude and significance of fans,” he said. “Starting tomorrow, and for the next nine days, we’ll welcome the world to a packed national stadium.
“It’s the first time in 34 years that the World Championships have been in Tokyo, and the third time it has been staged in Japan.
“We want these championships to become a model for future sporting events, preparing the best possible environment for athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, delivering dreams and hopes to more people.”
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Arimori, who represented Japan in the marathon when this city last hosted the World Championships, spoke with passion when recalling her own experience of competing in Tokyo.
“I’m overcome with emotion,” she said. “34 years ago, I participated in the marathon at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo. It was a really good championships and I was cheered by many fans, but other than that, I don’t remember much about the experience. I was too nervous.
“Now I’m here in this position to welcome all of the athletes. I realise that these championships have been supported by so many people with such enthusiasm, and it makes me reflect back on my World Championships debut in 1991 and realise just how wonderful an experience it was.
“Some athletes here will be making their debut, some will be competing here for their fourth or fifth time. Each athlete has their own ambitions, and I hope they’ll achieve their best performance and receive huge support from the fans.
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