Our 10 Most Inspiring Moments from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Retrieved from Stuff

There were so many inspiring moments from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics! What an incredible two weeks of strength and determination from world-class athletes. They have given us so much hope and joy. This has been a much needed tonic for viewers around the world. We’ve gathered our 10 most inspiring moments for us all to reminisce…

Kiwi Shot putter, Maddison-Lee Wesche, in her lucky charm sunglasses

The moment Maddi chucked on her cool shades for her Olympic final was one of Annabelle’s personal favourites of the 2020 Olympics (pictured above). Wesche believes her glasses are her lucky charm, and we think she may be right! After her first throw, she realised the woman before her had knocked her out of eighth place. That’s when Wesche put on her glasses. She delivered her personal best of 18.98 meters and placed sixth overall. Well done Maddi! We love your attitude. We can't wait to see what the future brings for Maddi.

Oksana Chusovitina competes in eighth Olympics at 46

Oksana Chusovitina earned a standing ovation by her judges and fellow competitors as she bowed out of her eighth, and final, Olympic games. ‘Chuso’, as she is fondly called by the gymnastics community, has competed in every Olympics since 1992, where she won a gold medal in the team competition. Tokyo was Chuso’s last games, as she is “saying goodbye to sports”, she says, “It’s kind of mixed feelings. I’m alive, I’m happy, I’m here without any injuries and I can stand on my own”. We are so inspired by her career!

Oksana Chusovitina of Team Uzbekistan waves goodbye to the Olympics. Retrieved from Stuff

Sifan Hassan falls in her 1500m race, and continues on to win

Dutch runner, Sifan Hassan, was the favourite for her 1500m heat and just entered her final lap when the runner in front of her fell, bringing Hassan down too. When Hassan got up, she had 11 runners ahead of her and a large gap to make up. Hassan said, “Believe me, it was horrible, but sometimes I believe bad things happen for good. When I fell down I said to myself, ok life doesn’t always go the way you want. After that I felt like somebody who drank 20 cups of coffee. I couldn’t calm myself down”. On the final straightway, Hassan passed five of the fastest runners in the world, finishing first. Hassan won the bronze in the final, and took gold in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

Sifan Hassan and Kenya’s Edina Jebitok hit the deck with 380m to go in their 1500m heat in Tokyo. Retrieved from The Guardian

Dame Valerie Adams wins Bronze medal

Dame Valerie Adams has finished her fifth Olympic games with a bronze medal. Adams said, “This means so much more than winning my gold medals. I’ve worked so hard to be here today… I had two humans between Olympics and they inspired me – I keep imagining they are here”.

Valerie Adams, of New Zealand, shows her delight as she finishes with a bronze medal in the Tokyo shot put. Retrieved from Stuff

Lisa Carrington – NZ's most successful Olympian ever

Kayak sprint athlete, Lisa Carrington had become New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning three gold medals, and bring her medal total to six; five gold and one bronze. Phenomenal.

The women's kayak single 200m race. Retrieved from Stuff

Tom Daley knits away in between dives

Tom Daley won gold in the synchronized 10m platform diving alongside Matty Lee, his diving partner. Daley has remained in the headlines for what he’s up to off the diving board – knitting. We can totally relate to the need to keep your hands (and mind) busy and love that he carries his knitting with him, ready for when he feels the need. One of our favourite pieces of Daley’s is the medal cosy he made to keep his gold medal safe from scratches!

 Tom Daley - Olympic gold medalist and avid knitter. Retrieved from CNN

Lydia Ko’s resilience

Lydia Ko, Olympic golfer had an emotional Olympics, with the death of her grandmother and an Olympic history-making bronze medal. Ko claimed silver at the Rio Olympics five years ago, and now has two Olympic medals, more than any other player in a sport that has only been represented four times at the Olympic level – in 1900, 1904, 2016 and this year. Ka pai Lydia!

Lydia Ko of New Zealand won a bronze medal at the Olympic golf in Saitama. Retrieved from The Guardian

Yusra Mardini’s message of hope

Yusra Mardini became a familiar face at the 2016 Rio Olympics, she competed once again at Tokyo as a part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. After she left Syria, Mardini needed to swim to prevent the boat she was on from sinking. Mardini arrived in Germany and has trained there ever since, often alongside the German national team. We are so inspired by her drive and resilience. “I tell my story because I want people to understand that sport saved my life”, says Mardini.

Retrieved from instagram.com/yusramardini

Black Fern Sevens take gold 

The Black Fern Sevens bet France 26-12 to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics, eliminating the heartbreak of finishing second to Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Captain Sarah Hirini said, “I’m just so happy… Our team has been through so much in the last five years and we’re bringing home the gold to New Zealand. Hirini also took a moment to honour her late mother who passed away earlier in the year, “I love you mum, I miss you”.

The Black Ferns Sevens side will play Fiji for a spot in the women’s rugby sevens final. Retrieved from NZ Sports Wire

Two high jumpers opt to share gold

The two high jumpers competed for hours but neither could best the other. Instead of heading into a tie-breaking jump off, they asked if they could share the gold. When the answer came back as a yes, Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi jumped into Qatar's Mutaz Essah Barshim’s arms on the track. Both had endured near career-ending injuries and come back at their best. We love this true sportsmanship spirit.

Joint gold medalists Mutaz Barshim, of Qatar, and Gianmarco Tamberi, right, of Italy. Retrieved from News10 

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