With a blaze of indigo and white fireworks lighting the night sky, the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony started.
In a nearly empty national stadium, devoid of any crowd energy, it began with a single female athlete at the centre of the stadium, kneeling.
As she stood, the shadow behind her took the shape of a seedling, growing as she walked. A number of athletes were featured in a video that started with the moment Tokyo won the Olympic bid in 2013, before showing images of a world silenced by the Covid pandemic.
READ ALSO: All you need to know as Tokyo 2020 Olympics officially kicks off today
There were over 1,800 drones flying over the stadium to form a globe in the night sky. As the glowing drones soared over the stadium, performers sang "Imagine" by John Lennon.
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Ghanaian athletes graced the event
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron to officially start #Tokyo2020
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