Flame: Symbol of hope olympic torch relay begins

MANILA, Philippines — The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan yesterday and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.

For the local organizing committee, the torch of Tokyo 2020 serves as a light of hope for Japanese citizens and citizens in the world and a light at the end of the tunnel.

For the Philippines, it’s light of hope the country could end its search for the first Olympic gold medal with a possible breakthrough from a good bunch of real title contenders, and not just pretenders.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino said the start of the torch relay in Fukushima, Japan was a good indicator that the Summer Games will push through from July 23 to Aug. 8.

“Definitely, tuloy na talaga kasi ayan na ang mga first activities,” Tolentino told The STAR.

Team Philippines is hoping that in about four months, the country could end its hunt for the elusive first Olympic gold medal.

“God-willing, matuloy na nga sana, baka ito na ang chance natin (it hopefully pushes through as this might be our chance) for the gold medal,” said Tolentino.

Amid the global health malady, some of the early Filipino qualifiers Caloy Yulo of gymnastics and EJ Obiena of pole vault and Tokyo hopefuls Hidilyn Diaz of weightlifting and Junna Tsukii have never stopped training.

Yulo and Tsukii are in Japan, Obiena in Formia, Italy and Diaz, a 2016 Rio silver medalist, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Boxer Eumir Marcial trains in Los Angeles, California while fighting as a pro on the side.

The rest of the aspirants, including pugs Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam, who have also secured slots to the Summer Games, are in different bubble training camps across the country and abroad.

Boxing, in fact, has pitched camp in Thailand while the karate team is training hard in Istanbul, Turkey in preparation for the world qualifier in Paris, France in June.

The relay began in northeastern Fukushima prefecture, the area that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. About 18,000 died in the tragedy.

The first runner with the torch was Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in the Japan team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2011.

Wearing a white track suit, she carried the torch out of the J-Village indoor soccer training center and was surrounded by 14 other members of that 2011 World Cup squad and coach Norio Sasaki at the rear. They were also decked out in white track suits.

The ceremony was closed to the public because of the fear of spreading COVID-19 but was streamed live.