A Reminder Of The Most Wholesome Moments From The Tokyo Olympics
The amount of serotonin the Tokyo Games brought me is not normal.
I think we can all agree that the Tokyo Olympics just hit different this year.
Maybe it’s the pandemic and lockdown that has us more connected than ever or perhaps it’s just that the Olympics makes everyone super patriotic — whatever the reason, the nation has really been united by the Tokyo Games. And the athletes at the Olympics really haven’t been shy at putting on a show for the world.
Beyond the unbelievably impressive athletic ability on display, the Tokyo Olympics has also been filled with more kindness, sportsmanship, and compassion than any other Games have shown before.
With less focus on winning at all costs and an increased spotlight on having fun and doing what is right, the Tokyo Games has been absolutely filled to the brim full of wholesome moments that have been an instant serotonin boost to those watching at home.
I am loving these young people at the Olympics, agreeing to share medals, cheering on their competition, knitting, pulling out if the time isn't right for them emotionally. They seem so sane? Look where an attitude of winning at all costs has got us. Time for change.
— Debora Robertson ? (@lickedspoon) August 2, 2021
But with the 2024 Paris Games a whole three years away, we thought we’d look back at the most wholesome moments from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that’ll hopefully supply you with enough serotonin to last until then.
All Of Tom Daley’s Poolside Knitting
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When the four-time Olympian isn’t diving for more medals, Tom Daley spends his time knitting poolside — as we saw a number of times at the Tokyo Olympics.
After going viral for knitting a tiny sleeve for his men’s 10 metre synchronized diving gold medal “to stop it from getting scratched”, Daley also found time to knit a jumper for a dog and a whole ass cardigan to commemorate his time at the Olympics.
“The one thing that has kept me sane throughout this whole process is my love for knitting and crocheting and all things stitching,” Daley said of his poolside hobby in an Instagram video.
Two Friends Decided To Share A Gold Medal In High Jump
Photo Credit: Xinhua News Agency / Getty Images
After both clearing 2.37 metres in the men’s high jump event, Mutaz-Essa Barshim from Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi from Italy decided to share gold instead of attempting a tie-break jump for first place.
With both athletes failing to clear the next height of 2.39 metres after three attempts each, Barshim asked track officials if the pair could share first place instead of opting for a jump-off — something that was in line with competition rules. The story is made even sweeter by the fact that Barshim and Tamberi are actually also friends off the field, too.
“For me, coming here, I know for a fact that for the performance I did, I deserve that gold,” said Barshim after the event. “He did the same thing, so I know he deserved that gold.”
“This is beyond sport. This is the message we deliver to the young generation. He is one of my best friends, not only on the track but outside the track,” Barshim continued. “We work together. This is a dream come true.
“It is the true spirit, the sportsman spirit, and we are here delivering this message.”
Hidilyn Diaz Was Showered In Gifts For Winning The Philippines Its First Gold
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Hidilyn Diaz was showered in love, praise, and gifts when she brought home the Philippines’ first-ever gold medal this year.
The 30-year-old four-time Olympic weightlifter finally managed to grab gold for her country in the 55kg weightlifting event at the Tokyo Games with a 127kg lift. For her efforts, it’s reported that Diaz is set to receive $885,000 AUD and two houses from the Philippine government and local businesspeople.
“I want to say to the young generation in the Philippines: you can have this dream of gold too. This is how I started and finally, I was able to do it,” Diaz said about her win. “I’m looking forward to enjoying life because I have been in Malaysia for, I don’t know, almost two years, so I’m really thankful I can go home now and celebrate with my family and the people who support me.”
Since February 2020, Diaz has been riding out the pandemic in Malaysia. Even though the original idea was for Diaz to only train there for only a few months in the lead up to the 2020 Olympic Games, COVID-19 had other plans.
Once Malaysia went into lockdown, Diaz was forced build her own gym out of everyday objects — like water bottles hanging off bamboo sticks in place of barbells — to keep up with training.
Australia Rallied Behind Riley Day After Learning She Had No Corporate Sponsors
Riley Day and John, the visually impaired 90-year-old customer she helps with his weekly shop. Photo Credit: Woolworths Supermarkets / LinkedIn
Riley Day, a 21-year-old university student, saw her Instagram following shoot up from 21,000 followers to 100,000 after Australia learned the Olympic sprinter had no corporate sponsors.
After just narrowly missing out on a place in the women’s 200m final, Seven correspondent Jason Richardson revealed that Day had no corporate sponsors despite working at Woolworths for years.
“We want Australia to start supporting you. You’re working in Woolies in the produce section… You’ve got a big heart and you don’t have a sponsor. Come on Australia, get behind this young lady!” said Richardson during Day’s post-race interview.
So Day used the opportunity to plug her Instagram page, and Australia did as requested and got behind the Olympian the best way they knew how: With a hell of a lot of Instagram follows.
Harry Garside Stole Australia’s Heart With His Painted Nails
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A ballet-dancing plumber boxed his way to bronze, and to our hearts, at the Tokyo Olympics.
Harry Garside, a 24-year-old tradie from Victoria, managed to get Australia its first Olympic medal in boxing for the first time in 33 years. But beyond the impressive lightweight boxing medal win, everyone’s just obsessed with Garside’s ballet background and rainbow nails.
Sporting white nails with rainbow stripes during his matches, Garside said that his nails and ballet were his attempt at “breaking stereotypes” for those who think people must act a certain way based on their gender.
“I just want to break stereotypes, to be honest. I’m a big one for that,” said Garside about his nails. “There’s a lot of people out there who feel like they have to be something because they’re a male or a female. I’m all about just being different.
“I’m not going to lie, I’d always wanted to try ballet. I say I do it for boxing, but really, I have always wanted to dance,” Garside added. “Ballet’s very tough, the power through the legs that they generate, the coordination, everything is just so extreme. It’s my little advantage so you take what you can get.”
Emma McKeon Smashed Multiple Olympic Records In One Day
Photo Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images
Swimmer Emma McKeon became Australia’s most decorated Olympian in history after taking home a whopping seven medals at the Tokyo Games.
Beyond holding the most Olympic medals of any Australian, McKeon also became the first homegrown swimmer to win seven medals at a single Games — and is the first woman since 1952 to achieve the impressive feat.
During the Tokyo Games, McKeon won four gold medals and three bronze. These seven medals, along with the previous four she won at the 2016 Rio Games, helped McKeon eclipse the previous Australian Olympic medal record of nine that was held by Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.
“I’m so proud of myself,” McKeon said about her record-breaking wins. “It’s an honour to do this and I know I’ve worked hard for it.”
“But it’s very surreal to be in that kind of company [above Thorpe and Jones],” the swimmer continued. “I do not usually say things like this but I wanted to win, I came here for gold. That’s what we worked on and to finish now and I’ve got, what, four of them, I can’t believe it.”
A US Swimmer Gave His Gold Medal To Teammate
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Swimmer Caeleb Dressel decided to share his gold medal with the teammate who helped the US team win the men’s 4x100m free relay.
While Brooks Curry didn’t swim in the relay final, Curry swam for Dressel during the qualifying heats that secured Team USA a spot in the finals race. While Dressel was busy with his own individual races at the Tokyo Games, Curry stepped up for the team. So after getting his gold, Dressel tossed the medal to Curry in the stands.
“I had the easiest job last night out of everyone here. I got to watch it on TV,” Dressel said following the team win. “So I felt like [Brooks] deserved that a little more than me.”
However, while it was sweet that Dressel “gave up” his gold medal for his teammate, Curry will actually still get his own medal for his role in Team USA’s relay win, as per Olympic rules.
Ariarne Titmus Won Gold, Then Her Excited Coach Became A Meme
Photo Credit: Davis Ramos/Getty Images
When the Tokyo Olympics kicked off two weeks ago, young gun Ariarne Titmus took home one of Australia’s first golds in the women’s 400m freestyle.
Beating out US frontrunner Katie Ledecky for the top spot, Titmus’ coach was rightfully ecstatic with the results. So excited, in fact, that Coach Dean Boxall became the Tokyo Games first meme thanks to just how over the moon he was at the swimming results.
Bouncing around the spectator stands, ripping his mask off in excitement and humping the glass barricade, Dean Boxall became a national treasure along with Ariarne Titmus — even though Americans tried, and failed, at cancelling our beloved coach.
Two Runners Crossed The Finish Line Together After A Fall
Photo Credit: @ijlightspeed / Instagram
After American runner Isaiah Jewett and Botswanan Nijel Amos crashed into each other during their men’s 800m semifinal, the competing runners decided to help each other up and finish the race together.
In the last 200 metres, Jewett appeared to have been clipped by Amos but there were no hard feelings between the two.
“As he looked at me, he said, ‘I’m sorry,'” Jewett recalled after the race. “I said, ‘It’s OK, man.’
“I knew, if anything, just me, I always have to finish a race,” Jewett told the Los Angeles Times. “I got Nigel up as well because I could see that he was devastated, and I was like, ‘C’mon, man.’ He apologized and I was like, ‘Let’s just finish the race, man.’”
“Regardless of how mad you are, you have to be a hero at the end of the day,” Jewett continued. “Because that’s what heroes do: They show their humanity through who they are and show they’re good people.”
In the end, Jewett ended up getting knocked out of the Olympics while Amos ended up advancing, where he placed eighth in the finals race.
Suni Lee Won Gold And Dedicated It To Her Father
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After Simone Biles dropped out of the Olympics due to mental health reasons, her 18-year-old teammate Sunisa ‘Suni’ Lee was able to secure gold in her place during the all-around competition.
Beyond Suni being the first Asian American woman to win gold in the event, the world instantly fell in love with the Lee family and their unwavering support for the Olympian. In particular, people couldn’t quite handle Suni’s father and his dedication to helping her achieve her dreams.
“She goes to the gym and she practices but we don’t have a beam here,” John Lee, Suni’s father said on TODAY. “So I couldn’t afford a real beam, so I built her one.”
“This has been our dream forever,” said Suni after her win about her father. “I wish he was here. He always told me if I win the gold medal, he would come out on the ground and do a backflip. It’s sad that he can’t be here, but this is our dream, and this our medal.”
“We both worked for this. He sacrificed everything to put me in gymnastics. Both my parents really have,” Suni continued. “This is my family’s medal, my medal. My coach’s medal. He doesn’t get a medal, so I’m dedicating it to all of them.”
As expected, footage of the Lee family reacting to Suni’s win has also gone viral for adorable and obvious reasons, too.
Snoop Dogg Fell In Love With ‘Rave Horse’
Photo Credit: NBC
During the Olympic dressage freestyle event, one horse rose above the rest despite not even winning a medal for its efforts.
Suppenkasper (Mopsi) — who has been lovingly dubbed Rave Horse — and his rider Steffen Peters went viral when a clip of their Grand Prix Freestyle individual final made its way onto TikTok.
Performing their routine to a seven-minute house mega-mix, people couldn’t handle how iconic Mopsi and Peters were — and that includes Snoop Dogg, who was instantly mesmerised by Rave Horse and his sick moves.
“Oh, the horse’s crip-walking, cuz. You see that?” Snoop said in excitement. “That’s gangster as a motherfucker. This horse is off the chain. I gotta get this motherfucker in a video.”
You can check out Snoop Dogg’s full reaction to Rave Horse here.
Peter Bol Made Olympic History And His Family Stole The Show
The footage of Peter Bol’s friends and family watching his race tonight at his mum’s house is so pure and is absolutely incredible!
? Peter Bol/IG#Tokyo2020 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/XtNcSmNZ3U
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) August 1, 2021
One of the greatest stories to come out of the 2020 Olympics, was Nagmeldin ‘Peter’ Bol placing fourth in the men’s 800m final. Bol was the first Australian to make it to the 800m final in 53 years.
But even though Bol’s run was unbelievably impressive, everyone quickly fell in love with Peter Bol’s story and his adorable family who were just excited their son made all the way to the Olympics.
Born in Sudan in 1994, the Olympic sprinter and his family fled the war-torn country, immigrating to Australia. Once settled in Perth, Bol discovered his athletic ability at age 16 and went on to compete in the 2016 Rio Games and this years Tokyo Games.
While Bol just narrowly missed out on a medal in the men’s 800m final, the runner was proud of his efforts and was grateful for all of Australia’s support. “I didn’t know if I was going to win but I knew one thing for certain, that the whole of Australia was watching. That carried me on. I loved that part,” said Bol.
The 2020 Paralympic Games start on August 24, which is sure to deliver some more wholesomeness, too. Channel 7 has exclusive coverage of the Tokyo Olympic Games, airing across Channel 7, as well as streaming exclusively on the 7 Plus app.