Why people love Japanese boxer who ran on treadmill during Tokyo Olympics 2020 opening ceremony
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have officially commenced after an opening ceremony complete with drones, the return of the popular flag bearer representing Tonga, and a range of stunning fashion moments.
However, one moment that stood out in particular to the millions of viewers watching from home was a poignant performance from Japanese boxer and nurse Arisa Tsubata, who worked as a healthcare worker during the pandemic and who opened the ceremony by running on a treadmill.
As 27-year-old Tsubata ran, solo at first, during Friday’s opening ceremony, other performers also appeared, with the dancers and athletes seen exercising on their own as well.
The performance was meant to symbolise the time spent apart over the last year, according to People, while the six people who then carried the Japanese national flag into the stadium were meant to “express to the entire world our utmost gratitude for the healthcare professionals who supported us in our day-to-day lives during the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Tsubata had hoped to qualify for the Olympics, however, she was unable to do so after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cancelled the boxing qualifier due to take place in June, Today reported, with spots instead allocated to athletes based on their world rankings.
While the 27-year-old athlete and healthcare worker will not compete in the Games, her opening ceremony performance has gone viral on social media, where viewers applauded her for the impressive performance while also finding humour in the pressure of having to run as millions of people watch on.
Treadmill runner the early MVP. #OpeningCeremony #Tokyo2021
— Keegan Lucas (@keegan_lucas) July 23, 2021
“As someone who has fallen off a treadmill while running, the idea of even jogging on one during the #Olympics Opening Ceremony with the world watching is giving me extreme anxiety,” one person tweeted.
Another said: “If they asked me to run on a treadmill in front of the world I would simply hide forever. Shout out to the performer.”
Running on a treadmill in front of millions, is this a horror film? #Tokyo2020 #OpeningCeremony
— Yeahhh the girls (@yeahthegs) July 23, 2021
The lone treadmill person is some intensely relatable content 😭 #Olympics
— Jen Ryall (@jennijenni) July 23, 2021
Ok. I stan the woman on the treadmill for being a nurse this past year and training for the Olympics on the side. #TokyoOlympics
— J.D. (@starklyjd) July 23, 2021
“Running on a treadmill for a solid 10 mins…SORRY that would be my Olympics DONE before it even started BYE FELICIA!! #OpeningCeremony,” someone else joked.
Others found the moment that Tsubata sat down on the treadmill the most relatable part of the performance, with another person writing: “The opening segment begins with a woman committing to running a treadmill at the beginning of the lockdown. But she quits pretty quickly. We are all Olympians!”
The performance also prompted one viewer to describe Tsubata “going nowhere for a really long time” as the “perfect metaphor” for the last year, while someone else said it inspired them to “go on the treadmill in a designer tracksuit”.
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