32nd Summer Olympic Games Officially Kicks Off in Tokyo

TOKYO — The 2020 Summer Olympics opened in Tokyo, Japan today and for the first time in history, the ceremony is not attended by fans because of the coronavirus pandemic, only 950 officials are attending the event.

During the opening ceremony, attended by Armenia’s President Armen Sarkissian and other world dignitaries, the participanting athlets representing 207 countries, honored the memory of all those who died during the pandemic.

Armenia is represented by 17 athletes. Swimmer Varsenik Manucharyan and boxer Hovhannes Bachkov were the flag bearers of Armenia at the opening ceremony.

Gymnast Artur Davtyan will be the first of our athletes to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Tomorrow, at dawn on July 24, at 05:00 Yerevan time, he will participate in the qualification round. Artur will take part in two competitions: pommel horse and pole vault.

Boxer Hovhannes Bachkov (63 kg) will enter the ring on July 25. His first rival is Ryan Alston from Antigua and Barbuda. Shooter Elmira Karapetyan (pistol, 10 meters) will show her skills in the qualification round.

Judoka Ferdinand Karapetyan (73 kg) will perform on July 26. His first opponent is Kazakh Jansay Smagulov. Boxer Koryun Soghomonyan (52 kg) will enter the competition on the same day. He will fight against British Jafal Galal. His teammate Arman Darchinyan (75 kg) will start the fight from the 1/16 final.

Weightlifter Isabella Yaylyan (59 kg) will enter the competition on July 27. On the same day swimmer Artur Barseghyan will participate in 100 meters freestyle.

Swimmer Varsenik Manucharyan will show her abilities in 100 meters freestyle on July 28.

Artur Barseghyan (50 meters, freestyle) will have his second start on July 30.

Greco-Roman wrestlers will enter the competition from August 1. Armen Melikyan (60 kg) will be the first to perform.

On August 2, Karapet Chalyan (77 kg) and Artur Aleksanyan (97 kg) will enter fight. Their teammate Karen Aslanyan (67 kg) will compete the next day.

On August 3, weightlifter Simon Martirosyan and triple jumper Leon Aghasyan will enter the competition.

Armenian freestyle wrestler Arsen Harutyunyan (57 kg) will compete on August 4, and Vazgen Tchanyan (65 kg) will compete on August 6.