Key moments from the Olympic Games before the opening ceremony
Each day, ABC News will give you a roundup of key Olympic moments from the day’s events in Tokyo, happening 13 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time. After a 12-month delay, the unprecedented 2020 Summer Olympics is taking place without fans or spectators and under a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic.
US women’s soccer falls to Sweden 3-0
The U.S. women's team fell to Sweden in the first group match, a familiar foe that knocked them out of the 2016 Olympic games. The loss broke the U.S. women's national team's 44-game winning streak, but it did not knock them out of the competition. Three teams from each group will advance to the next round.
Olympian coronavirus cases rise to 91 as athletes make their way to Tokyo
The most recent tally includes U.S. volleyball player Taylor Crabb, the nationally top-ranked skeet shooter Amber Hill and Dutch skateboarder Candy Jacobs, according to The Associated Press. Officials in Tokyo reported 1,979 new coronavirus infection in the metropolitan area on Thursday, July 22, 2021.
US gymnastics team leaves Olympic Village for hotel
Gymnastics coach Cecila Landi stated the safety of the team from the ongoing pandemic could be better managed at a hotel than at the Olympic village. The team will continue to be tested for COVID-19 daily, just as they would at the athletes' village.
4 new Olympic events set to debut this year
The 2020 Games will include skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing and karate for the first time in Olympic history. In addition, the 2020 games will see the return of softball and baseball, and new disciplines in existing sports such as three-on-three basketball and bmx freestyle.
Jill Biden leads delegation to Tokyo
First lady Jill Biden landed in Tokyo to attend the opening ceremony. Around 950 people, including journalists, heads of state and Olympic officials will attend the ceremonies.
Olympics highlights gender equality
The 2020 Games feature the most female athletes at any Olympics with nearly 49% of the total athletes competing, as well as the first transgender athlete, New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, to compete in the games. Additionally, the amount of mixed-gender events have doubled this Olympics.
IOC loosens restriction on athlete's expression
The International Olympic Committee has loosened some restrictions on athletes' political and social expressions, allowing them to express their views during interviews, on social media and on the field before competition.
The opening ceremonies will begin at 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, July 23, 2021. See more scenes from pre-ceremony events below:
For more Olympics coverage, see: https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/Olympics
