Usain Bolt to feature in Tokyo 2020 stadium launch

Japan will be opening a brand-new National Stadium for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on December 21st and former sprinter and the world’s fastest man ever, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, will be headlining its launch.

Usain Bolt

While the details are still sketchy, Bolt is expected to be running again in “a new type of race that has never existed before”.

Bolt, the world record holder for 100 and 200 metres, made the Olympics his stage when he won both events in Beijing in 2008, in London in 2012, and in Rio in 2016. He will be joined by Japanese performing arts group, Kodo. Also part of the inauguration will be the Tohoku Kizuna festival.

The New National Stadium will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2020 Olympics, as well as athletics and football tournaments, and will also host the Paralympics.

The first official sports event at the stadium will be the Japanese emperor’s cup on January 1, 2020.