Tag: Tokyo Olympics

  • Tokyo Olympics documentary film debuts in Japan; heads to Cannes

    By Associated Press

    TOKYO:  The documentary film about the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics premiered on Monday, shown to reporters and other invited guests in the Japanese capital.

    The work of Japanese director Naomi Kawase, the 120-minute film looks at the Olympics primarily from the point of view of the athletes — but not just the winning athletes.

    After Tokyo, the film will be shown on Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival in the Bunuel Theater, named for Spanish-born iconoclastic filmmaker Luis Bunuel.

    “The Olympics are not just about getting prizes, being first and going after a victory that is right before you in the moment,” Kawase said in a recent interview. “I tried also to depict the pursuit of becoming winners in life.”

    Kawase has also made another film looking at events away from the athletes, which called “Side B.” It will debut in Japanese cinemas on June 24. The film shown on Monday will open in some Japanese cinemas beginning on June 3.

    Kawase said she made the film in two parts because, after the Games were postponed by the pandemic, her subject became too complex.

    The film, which is only in Japanese unless speakers are using other languages, focuses much of its attention on athletes from Japan, and female athletes from all over. It also looks at refugee athletes, athletes who have defected, and athletes competing as mothers who brought their infants to Games.

    The film targets a cross section of sports, particularly judo, softball, surfing, women’s basketball, and skateboarding. For the most part, it steers clear of the medal ceremonies, the flag waving and who won — and who lost — and prioritizes the drama of competing.

    Yiannis Exarchos, the CEO of the Olympic Broadcasting Services, tried to sum up the mission of the documentary, speaking in the final minutes of the film before the credits rolled.

    He said Olympic athletes often “do something completely unexpected. This is a moment of genius. Yes, we need to go through all these exercises in order to be able to see the world in a different way. Even for one millisecond.”

    The documentary showed flashes of the controversy that dogged the Tokyo Games with protesters asking for a cancellation, and scenes that questioned the wisdom of holding the Games in the midst of a pandemic.

    The “Side B” version is expected to cover more of the problems including the resignation of Yoshiro Mori as president of the local organizing committee.

    Mori, a former Japanese prime minister, stepped down five months before the Olympics opened after making derogatory comments about women, saying they “talk too much.”

    The documentary of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by Kon Ichikawa, titled “Tokyo Olympiad,” is generally regarded as one of the most important in the genre. Also in that category is Leni Riefenstahl’s “Olympia” from the 1936 Berlin Games.

    Kawase said she was honored to follow in the footsteps of Ichikawa and tried to show what was visible, and also what is beyond being seen.

    “I was moved by how human beings achieve the pinnacle of physical beauty,” Kawase said. “I felt they were so beautiful watching them; all the athletes, not just the winners. And the time they devoted to get there was also beautiful.”

    The Kawase documentary is titled simply the “Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.”

    She was named in 2018 to direct the film, which looks briefly at the one-year postponement announced in March of 2020 and the runup to the opening ceremony — largely without fans on July 23, 2021 — and the closing on Aug. 8.

    In a synopsis, Cannes said the film took 750 days to shoot with 5,000 hours of filming.

    Cannes said it captures “not only the athletes gathered from all over the world, but also their families, people involved in the Games, volunteers, medial personnel, and protesters shouting for the cancellation of the Olympics. The film shows the passion and anguish that came out of these Olympic Games.”

    Kawase is highly acclaimed and became the youngest director to receive the Camera d’Or prize at the Cannes Film Festival with her 1997 film “Suzaku.”

    Her best known recent films are “Sweet Bean” and “Still the Water.”

    The documentary is financed by the International Olympic Committee and the local organizing committee, and is a requirement under the hosting contract.

    Toshiro Muto, the CEO of the Tokyo organizing committee, said when Kawase was introduced four years ago that the IOC owns the copyright to the film and “has the right to make key decisions in the creation of the film.”

    Kawase said she has been affected by Russia’s invasion or Ukraine, asking herself the meaning of entertainment amid the killing in war.

    “I hope when people see this film 50 years from now, 100 years from now,” Kawase said, “they will understand the importance of protecting that bit of happiness — so small it can fit in the palm of your hand.”

  • Rajnath to felicitate armed forces personnel who participated in Tokyo Olympics

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will felicitate armed forces personnel who participated in this year’s Olympics in Tokyo at the Army Sports Institute (ASI) in Pune on Tuesday.

    Earlier in the day, the Defence Ministry had said the felicitation event was going to take place on Monday.

    Later, it said the minister’s visit has been deferred to Tuesday “due to unavoidable circumstances and any inconvenience is deeply regretted.”

    It noted that all armed forces personnel who represented India in the recently-concluded Tokyo Olympics, including gold medallist javelin thrower Subedar Neeraj Chopra, are likely to be present on the occasion.

    Singh will also interact with budding sportspersons of the ASI and troops during his visit, it stated.

    “He will visit the Headquarters of Southern Command. The Raksha Mantri will be accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General M M Naravane and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command Lieutenant General J S Nain,” the ministry said on Sunday.

    ASI has produced 34 Olympians, 22 Commonwealth Games medallists, 21 Asian Games medallists, six Youth Games medallists and 13 Arjuna Awardees till date, it mentioned.

    “Indian Army has always been the backbone of Indian sports – from Major Dhyan Chand to Subedar Neeraj Chopra who etched their names in golden letters in the history of Indian sports,” the statement added.

  • Not seven, India needs 70 Olympic medals now but will have to prepare: Arvind Kejriwal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the sportspersons of the country will have to prepare for winning 70 medals in the Olympics and also announced that preparations have begun so that the national capital can bid for hosting the mega sporting event after 2047.

    In his Independence Day address at the Secretariat, Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has set up the Delhi Sports University to realise the Olympic dream and groom talent.

    “We have made a sports university. This is not only for Delhiites but for the entire country and there are many objectives behind setting it up. But the first objective is to win a lot of medals in the Olympics and I have full faith that not only the two crore people of Delhi, but the 130 crore people of India will be involved.

    “I call upon every sportsperson and those who have the potential to come to the sports university and Delhiites will provide you all with the facilities. We will get 70 (Olympic) medals for our country one day,” he said. Former weightlifter and the first woman to bring home an Olympic medal, Karnam Malleswari, has been appointed as the vice-chancellor of the university.

    ALSO READ | Sports can be a viable career option, says Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu

    Kejriwal also applauded the medal winners for being part of the country’s most successful Olympic campaign in Tokyo.

    “We got seven medals in the Olympics. I congratulate those players on behalf of the two crore Delhiites and thank them for making India proud in the entire world,” he said.

    The chief minister also said Delhi will bid for the Olympics that will be held after 2047.

    This year’s budget of the city government also had a mention of the government bidding for hosting the 2048 Olympics.

    “Delhi will bid for the Olympics that will be held after 2047. We have started making preparations for it. Till date, the Olympics has never been held in our country. We have to prepare for the Olympics and bid for hosting it.

    I have full faith that we will be able to prepare the facilities in order to become capable to present our bid,” the chief minister said.

    While hailing the Olympic medal winners, he said “we have to think of the future”.

    “Not seven, but we need 70 (Olympic) medals now. We have to prepare to get 70 medals. If China, America, France can get so many medals, why can’t India? Is there a dearth of sportspersons in the country? “Is there a dearth of talent in the 130 crore people of our country? There is no such thing. If you go to the villages, you will find a lot of talent,” Kejriwal said.

  • Will return with gold from Paris Olympics in 2024, vows Lovlina

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The Assam government offered the post of deputy superintendent of police and Rs 1 crore reward to champion boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who promised to return with a gold medal from the Paris Olympics in 2024.

    The government announced that a road in Guwahati would be named after her and a sports complex would be built in her constituency, Sarupathar, at a cost of Rs 25 crore.

    “I seek forgiveness from the people of Assam that I could not return home with a gold medal (from Tokyo Olympics) but I am happy that I got one (bronze) for the country. I promise to you that I will return with a gold medal from the Paris Olympics,” Lovlina said at a felicitation programme organised by the state government on Thursday.

    She said she never thought of winning a medal at the Tokyo Olympics but the prayers of people and her belief in God gave her a lot of strength. She said it was a long journey that started from the nondescript Baro Mukhia village in the Golaghat district.

    “My aim has always been to brighten the names of Assam and the country. I never broke down during the journey. I was focussed on fulfilling my dream. I thank my parents for their support. I could not have achieved this success without their support and struggle,” the lanky boxer said.

    ALSO READ | After concrete road, bronze medalist Lovlina’s village is set to get piped water, sports academy

    She said she wanted to share their struggle but could not do so as she was always away from home. She hoped the difficulties that the family faced all these years would now be over.

    There is no dearth of talents in Assam and the Northeast but what is imperative is encouragement. Boxer MC Mary Kom and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu emerged from this region, she pointed out.

    “I want the talents in Assam to bloom. We have a lot of talents in our villages. They must understand they can build a career also through sports. The parents should encourage their children about sports. If we make sports our career, we can remain happy all throughout our lives,” Lovlina said.

    She was optimistic that more sports centres would come up in the state in the near future.

    Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the boxer would be provided with a “scholarship” of Rs 1 lakh every month till the Paris Olympics for her preparations. He also announced Rs 10 lakh each to her four coaches who trained her at different points in time.

    Sarma said the people of Assam would remember Lovlina for generations to come.

    “She will remain an inspiration. She was born in a village, saw poverty, her mother’s kidney-related ailments, and her father’s struggle. Today, she has made Assam’s 3.3 crore people proud. I hope her achievement would lead to the creation of many Lovlinas,” the CM said.

  • Made-in-Punjab hockey sticks behind India’s Tokyo magic

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: Jalandhar city of Punjab has contributed a lot to Indian hockey.

    As men and women hockey squads created history with their sterling performances at the Tokyo Olympics, two Jalandhar-based firms were key to their success as the players wielded hockey sticks manufactured by these.

    Rakshak Sports at Wariana Industrial Complex in Jalandhar has supplied custom-made hockey sticks to six players — four in women’s hockey team and two in the men’s team.

    These players demanded a choice of mould and gave their own weight requirement for the hockey sticks, said Sanjay Kohli, the owner of Rakshak Sports while talking to The New Indian Express.

    “Captain of the Indian women’s hockey team Rani Rampal, who has been using our hockey for over 10 years, asked us to engrave a map of India on her hockey stick. While Niki Pradhan wanted a green stick, Sharmila Rani’s choice was black and yellow. Simranjeet Singh also preferred a black and yellow stick,” Kohli said.

    ALSO READ | Indian men’s hockey team rises to third spot in FIH rankings, women’s team to eighth

    “The weight requirement varies from player to player — it’s between 535 gram, 540 gram, and 550 gram. Also, the length requirement depends upon the players’ style of playing. As all of them give their best, their sticks were custom-designed for them.”

    Jalandhar-based Pooja Enterprises, which manufactures Alfa hockey sticks, sold hockey sticks to eight players of the men’s team and a similar number from the women’s team.

    “Savita, Sushila, Nisha Warsi, Deep Grace, Vandana, Udita, Rajni, and Salima played with our hockey sticks. From the men’s team, captain Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Amit Rohidas, Surinder Kumar, and Sreejesh are carrying our sticks,” Nitin, owner of Pooja Enterprises said.

    “All these composite sticks used by these players were manufactured by our firm as per specification from the players. Each of these ultra-light sticks costs around Rs 15,000,” he says.

    A composite hockey stick used by any player takes a fortnight to get ready and costs around Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000. “Each player took three to four sticks,” they added. While a normal hockey stick costs between Rs 900 to Rs 15,000,” they further said.

    ALSO READ | The goal was to inspire women, we created a legacy: Women’s hockey coach Marijne

    Post the Olympic bronze medal, the craze for hockey has increased manifold. The two firms are now seeing at least a 30% boom in the sale of hockey sticks. 

    Amid the Covid gloom, the hockey industry now sees a ray of hope after the teams’ performance in Tokyo Olympics. Both Kohli and Jain said people are now talking about hockey and want their children to play hockey. “Once the pandemic gets over, we hope the sale of hockey sticks will go up by at least 30%. We are getting queries on hockey sticks and want the government to support us,” they add.

  • After concrete road, bronze medalist Lovlina’s village is set to get piped water, sports academy

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: The memory of Lovlina Borgohain’s boxing bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics is not going to be short-lived – every drop of water that her villagers will drink will remind them of this achievement.

    After building a motorable road, the state government is now ensuring piped water to every household at the pugilist’s Baro Mukhia village in Sarupathar Assembly constituency of Golaghat district.

    And not just that, local MLA Biswajit Phukan of the BJP has already submitted a proposal to the state government to set up a sports academy at Naharbari, 2 km away from her home.

    Phukan told The New Indian Express on Tuesday that the work for the implementation of both projects — sports academy and piped water — would be started within this year.

    The academy will be constructed on a piece of government land measuring 40 bighas or 5.35 hectares. According to plans, it will have a playground, an auditorium, a boxing ring, an arena for archery, and other facilities, the MLA said.

    ALSO, READ | Box-office hit: Lovlina overcomes year of misery to ensure India second medal in Tokyo Olympics

    “I have already taken up the issue of sports academy with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He responded positively,” Phukan said.

    He said the Rs 15-crore project would be constructed with government funds or CSR funds. He said he could see the excitement of villagers when he visited the site the other day.

    “I am also working towards ensuring a water supply project under Jal Jeevan Mission in Lovlina’s village. Every household in the village will get piped water,” the MLA said.

    According to the state’s Power Works Department, a concrete road has replaced the 3.5 km kutcha road from Barpathar town to the boxer’s village. It could not be widened in patches due to land issues, a department engineer, who executed the project, said.

    Tiken Borgohain, Lovlina’s father, was excited on hearing about the upcoming projects. He thanked the local MLA for the initiatives.

    Before her Olympics glory, the locals had highlighted the lack of infrastructure in the village, a fact that was first reported by this newspaper. Now that the infrastructure starts falling in place, there is also a word of caution from a section of villagers.

    They pointed out that too much attention to ace athlete Hima Das after her success is believed to have subsequently affected her performance.

    Hima’s Kandhulimari village in central Assam’s Nagaon district had transformed after she had shot into the limelight by winning the 400-metre final at the World U-20 Championships in Tampere, Finland in 2018.

  • Neeraj Chopra impact: Tokyo gold sparks admission rush at sport schools

    By Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH, LUCKNOW, BHOPAL,RANCHI: Naseem Ahmed is flooded with calls. He is an athletics coach. Neeraj Chopra was under his tutelage at Haryana’s Panchkula Stadium.

    The javelin thrower’s gold medal at Tokyo Olympics has sparked a sudden interest in athletics. Parents are calling up Ahmed and asking how to enrol their children at the training centre.

    “In the last week, after Neeraj qualified for the final, there have been around 100 requests. It increased after he won gold. This morning, we received around 50 requests from parents. A majority of them are for javelin. Some said they want their children to take up any track and field event. Most of them are from rural areas. There is a sudden surge in enthusiasm for athletics,” said Ahmed.

    It is the same at Lucknow’s KD Singh Babu Stadium which houses an athletics training centre, Surjit Hockey Academy in Jalandhar, MP Women’s Hockey Academy in Gwalior, Women’s Hockey Academy in Ajmer and Girls Hockey Training Centre in Jharkhand’s Simdega.

    Wrestling akhadas are also reporting a rise in admission enquiries. Even though Indians did not win medals in shooting and archery, these sports are also drawing attention.

    “My phone has been ringing continuously. Everyone wants their children to be an athlete, which is a very good sign for Indian athletics,” says VR Varun, secretary of Lucknow Athletics Association.

    Budding athletes reside in the hostels of KD Singh Babu Stadium.

    Since Saturday when Neeraj claimed gold, there have been numerous calls for information on admission in javelin throw and other track and field events.

    Jharkhand is home to Salima Tete, a member of the Indian women’s hockey team which finished fourth in Tokyo.

    Coach Pratima Barwa, who honed her skills in the formative years, is receiving lots of calls from people asking how their daughters can become hockey players.

    “Since it is the sowing season and most of the children playing hockey belong to rural backgrounds, no fresh admissions are taking place now. Once the sowing season is over, there will be a rush for admissions,” said Barwa.

    Gwalior’s MP Women’s Hockey Academy has produced Sushila Chanu, Monika and Reena Khokhar, who were part of the Olympic team. Coach Paramjeet Singh notices a new trend in the enquiries.

    “Earlier, girls mostly from poor families or families with some sports connection came to us. In the last few days, affluent families from MP and other states approached us. A teacher couple from Punjab, a doctor couple from Indore and a businessman from UP want their daughters to join us.”

    Vishwajit Shinde, who runs Savarkar Rifle Club in Mumbai’s Dadar, is witnessing the same.

    “There is a big rise. In the last few days, we got about 100 inquiries and 46 registrations. We never saw such numbers in an entire year.”

    Subhas Nair trains archers at Mumbai’s Dhanushree Sport. From eight, the number of students under him has gone up to 80 in just a few days.

    In urban India, sports mostly means cricket. Thanks to the Olympic success, that seems to be changing. Shivraj Singh of Jaipur is the director of Digital Sales IRA, which has tie-ups with 36 sports companies.

    They connect youth willing to take up sports to various academies. “I used to fill up forms of cricket academies.

    Now athletics, football, hockey, weightlifting and wrestling are in demand. It is good that they like sports other than cricket and believe a career can be made.”

    Inputs from Rajesh Asnani (Jaipur), Sudhir Suryawanshi (Mumbai), Harpreet Bajwa, Namita Bajpai, Anuraag Singh, Mukesh Ranjan 

  • Uttarakhand rights panel seeks report on casteist slurs at Vandana Kataria’s kin 

    Express News Service

    DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Human Rights Commission has asked the senior SP of Haridwar district to submit a report over the alleged incidents of casteist slurs at the family of Vandana Kataria, forward of the Indian women’s hockey team who scored a hattrick in the Tokyo Olympics. 

    Meanwhile, the Olympian has urged her family to keep calm saying that the whole country is watching and will give the befitting reply to such people. 

    ALSO READ | ‘India lost because it has too many Dalit players’: Casteist slurs thrown at hockey star Vandana Katariya’s family

    Pankaj Kataria, brother of the former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team said, “Vandana told us not to react and let the law of the land take its course. She also added that the people of the country are watching everything and they know what is right and what is wrong. She insisted that we stay calm.”

    The police have already registered a case and arrested the two accused. 

    ALSO READ | Tokyo Olympics: Vandana Katariya becomes first Indian woman hockey player to score hat-trick at Games

    Two men — Sumit Chauhan and Vijay Pal — are from the same village. Haridwar police have registered a case against them under Section 504 of IPC (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and Section 3 of The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. 

    I’m the representative of the deprived- Vandana Katariya after the casteist slur. #TeamIndia #VandanaKatariya @NewIndianXpress cartoon pic.twitter.com/26pdGU0jqb
    — Satish Acharya (@satishacharya) August 6, 2021
    Family members of the forward player alleged that after the news of the Indian women’s hockey team losing to Argentina was flashed on TV screens, a group of people started bursting crackers, and danced in front of their house, and abusing the family. 

    Earlier on Wednesday, Savita Kataria, sister-in-law of Vandana, said that she will die by suicide if action was not taken against the culprits. 

  • India is elated: President Kovind congratulates Neeraj Chopra for winning gold at Olympics

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday congratulated Neeraj Chopra for winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics for javelin throw and said his feat will inspire the country’s youth.

    “India is elated,” he said.

    Chopra on Saturday became only the second Indian to win an individual gold in the Olympics, the first track-and-field Games medal for the country.

    “Unprecedented win by Neeraj Chopra! Your javelin gold breaks barriers and creates history. You bring home first ever track and field medal to India in your first Olympics. Your feat will inspire our youth. India is elated! Heartiest congratulations!” Kovind tweeted.

    Chopra won the country’s seventh medal and first gold in this Olympics and joined shooter Abhinav Bindra (2008 Beijing Games) as India’s individual gold winner.

  • PM Modi congratulates Bajrang Punia on winning Olympics bronze

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Bajrang Punia on winning a bronze medal in wrestling in the Tokyo Olympics.

    He spoke to Punia after his win and lauded him for his determination and hard work that earned him this accomplishment, officials said.

    In a tweet, Modi added, “Delightful news from #Tokyo2020! Spectacularly fought @BajrangPunia. Congratulations to you for your accomplishment, which makes every Indian proud and happy.”

    Bajrang’s smart attacking moves made him a 8-0 winner against Kazakhstan’s Daulet Niyazbekov, netting him a bronze medal.