Massive crowds cheer for Olympic parade in Tokyo

Record ID: 83061

  • Title: Massive crowds cheer for Olympic parade in Tokyo
  • Date: 7th October 2016
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SPECTATOR, YUKO NAKADA, SAYING: "I've been watching them on TV, but it's good to watch them in real life. The emotions came back to life."
  • Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 08:38
  • Keywords: Tokyo olympics paralympics parade celebration medalists
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Olympics,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA0085308WUD
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Over 800,000 people gathered in Tokyo on Friday (October 7) to cheer for 88 gold, silver and bronze Olympic and Paralympic medalists as they paraded through the Japanese capital.
    Japanese media reported that some spectators waited overnight to secure spots to watch their favourite athletes drive by on four open-top double decker buses, and two open-top trailers.
    The 2.5 kilometers parade took about an hour as streets of downtown Ginza and Nihonbashi districts were packed with screaming fans and enthusiastic onlookers according to organisers.
    Japanese Olympians are celebrating their team's success at the Rio Olympics 2016 after recording their biggest-ever Olympic medal haul with 41 medals, beating the 38 medals won in London four years earlier.
    "Awesome! I want to thank everyone for coming out here today. Thank you all," Olympic wrestler Saori Yoshida said.
    "It makes me feel strange to be part of the Olympics after seeing how much influence it has. It makes me want to work harder for Tokyo 2020," said Olympic gold medal gymnast Kenzo Shirai.
    Fans appeared very excited.
    "I've been watching them on TV, but it's good to watch them in real life. The emotions came back to life," said Yuko Nakada, who travelled from out of Tokyo to see the athletes.
    The parade was scheduled for October in order to wait for the Paralympian medalists to return home.
    Japan is now gearing up to host its own summer Olympics, Tokyo 2020, in four years time.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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