Athletics the biggest winner at Tokyo 2020

Bengaluru, August 9: A record 83 teams reached finals in athletics events at Tokyo 2020, highlighting the global reach of the sport, with 43 teams featuring on the medal podium and 23 of those winning gold as curtains came down on the Games, held under the most challenging circumstances.

Across all Olympic sports at the Tokyo 2020, 93 teams earned medals, so almost 50 per cent of those achieved their dreams in athletics.

Some 70 per cent of athletes only get one chance to compete at the Olympic Games and in Tokyo, athletes made the most of the opportunity.

For 12 teams -- Bahamas, Bahrain, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Grenada, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Puerto Rico and Uganda -- athletics was their pathway to the Olympic podium.

As per a World Athletics (WA) data, in total, athletes at Tokyo 2020 covered a combined distance of 2,045,750M in track events and 10,737kms in road events. Field eventers threw a combined distance of 1,508M and jumped a combined distance of 2,490M.

WA President Sebastian Coe hailed Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the people of Japan for allowing the dreams of the world's athletes to come to life at what has proven to be the most globally successful edition of the Games for the sport of athletics.

Simply the best

Coe thanked Japan and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee for providing the best possible platform on which the sport's stars could shine.

"To the people of Japan, we know the hardship you have endured and continue to endure in the face of this global pandemic. We owe you a massive debt of gratitude for your gracious hospitality, your professionalism and your friendship. You've really been simply the best and we thank you unreservedly," Coe said.

Kipchoge triumphs

Five years ago, marathon world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge was the last athletics champion crowned at the Olympic Games in Rio.

He replicated that performance on the final day of Tokyo 2020 in Sapporo with another commanding run to become only the third man to successfully defend an Olympic marathon title.

Rojas sets benchmark

Over ten days of competition, three world records, 12 Olympic records, 28 area records and 151 national records were set in these history-making Games.

Yulimar Rojas made history on August 1 in the women's triple jump final, sailing out to a world record of 15.67M to land Venezuela's first Olympic gold medal in athletics.

Warholm joins the party

Then on August 3, the men's 400M hurdles final went down in history as one of the greatest races as Karsten Warlholm broke the world record with 45.94M to win one of the most highly anticipated showdowns of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

The Norwegian's time was 0.76sec faster than anyone had ever run, and 0.84sec faster than anyone not named Warholm.

McLaughlin magic

Barely 24 hours later, the women's 400M hurdles final on August 4 at Tokyo 2020 too resulted in a almost similarly outcome as Australia's Sydney McLaughlin broke her own world record to take gold in 51.46sec.

The tally of 43 countries on the medal table at Tokyo 2020 is the biggest in athletics for more than 20 years, underlining the diversity and depth of talent in the sport.