At the session in Munich in 1959, the leaders of the IOC chose Tokyo in competition with Detroit, Brussels and Vienna, for the first time in the history they entrusted the Games to the Asian continent, thereby "repaying the debt" to the capital of Japan - the Olympic Games that Tokyo was supposed to organize In 1940, they were not held because the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out three years earlier.
And the Tokyo Games were anti-war - the Olympic flame was lit at the opening ceremony Yashinori Sakai, a 19-year-old young man who was born in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, literally the day the atomic bomb was dropped on that city.
The hard-working Japanese invested huge financial resources, but also all their knowledge and resources to organize the 18th Olympic Games. It is remembered that 2,7 billion was invested only in the arrangement of Tokyo - squares, streets, boulevards, traffic junctions, but also Olympic arenas, which gave that megalopolis an additional attractive appearance.
The program of the Games included two sports that were popular in Japan - judo and volleyball. The hosts won three gold medals in judo, although they were shocked by the sensational victory of the Dutchman Anton Gesink in the absolute category, while the selection of Japan triumphed in women's volleyball. The first men's Olympic champion in men's volleyball was the Soviet Union, which defeated Czechoslovakia in the final. The Japanese were third...
Yugoslavia won five medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, repeating the success from Antwerp in 1928. This time, however, the medals were even more brilliant - two golds, one silver and two bronzes, so the Yugoslavs in Japan had the best performance in their history.
He won the first gold medal for Yugoslav Greco-Roman wrestling Branislav Simic, and after 28 years of break and glory Leon Stukelj, one gymnast shone again - Miroslav Cerar brought gold to SFRJ in the pommel horse discipline.
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The silver medal was again won by the water polo players, who looked at the back of the Hungarians for the third time in a row. This time, interestingly, they won second place even though they did not experience defeat - in the final group they beat Italy (2:1) and the USSR (2:0), and drew with Hungary (4:4). Yugoslavia won second place due to a lower goal difference than Hungary.
The collection of Yugoslav sports medals in Tokyo was completed again by Miroslav Cerar, who won bronze on the loom, as well as the wrestler Branko Martinović (also bronze).
One of the most beautiful stories of the Olympics in Japan was written by an 18-year-old American swimmer Don Scholander (abbreviated as Don), who became a hero with four gold medals, a record at that time (100 and 400 freestyle, and 4x100 freestyle and 4x200 medley relays), along with three world and one Olympic record! At his shoulder was a countrywoman Sharon Studler with three gold medals and one silver.
Legendary Soviet gymnast Larisa Latinjina with two gold, two silver and two bronze medals in Tokyo rounded off an unreal collection of 18 Olympic medals - her record has not been surpassed even today.
Australian swimmer Dawn Fraser, who later made a political career (she was a member of parliament for South Wales for three years), won her third consecutive gold medal with a triumph in the 100 meters freestyle, and the same feat was accomplished by Vjcheslav Ivanov, a rower from the Soviet Union who tied the third victory in the singles event. Hungarian water polo player Deşi Đarmati, on the other hand, won his fifth consecutive Olympic medal - in the team competition.
Ethiopian Abebe Bikila he became the first Olympian to defend his title in the marathon after a short recovery from appendectomy. It is interesting that at his first winning marathon in Rome, four years earlier, Bikila ran barefoot, while special sneakers were made for him in Tokyo, in which he ran one of the best times in the history of Olympic races in the most difficult athletic discipline - 2.12,22.
The Olympic Games in Tokyo were held from October 10 to 24, 1964 and brought together 5.151 Olympians (678 women) from 93 countries, who competed in 19 sports. The Americans returned to the throne of the most successful athletes, with 36 gold, 26 silver and 28 bronze medals. The Soviet Union was second with 30 gold, 31 silver and 35 bronze medals, and the hosts Japan were third (16 - 5 - 8).
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