The Tokyo 2020 organising committee has issued a progress report on Olympic venues to mark the two-year countdown to the Games’ opening ceremony.
The report was released yesterday (Tuesday), two years before the opening ceremony on July 24, 2020. Organisers said that all venues remain on track, although the Sea Forest Waterway and the Olympic Aquatics Centre have been hit by slight delays that could affect test events in 2019.
The Aquatics Centre and the Sea Forest Waterway, which will host rowing and canoeing events, will still be ready well before the start of the Games.
Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya told the Reuters news agency: “We have been informed that the two venues have a delay compared to the original schedule.
“We are working closely with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and the respective federations to be able to sort out and possibly modify the test event schedule. Other than that, the schedules on the permanent venues are absolutely right on track.”
The Sea Forest Waterway, which is 42 per cent complete, is now scheduled to be ready by May 2019, two months later than originally planned. The Aquatics Centre is due to be completed by February 2020, just a few months before the start of the Games. The Aquatics Centre is currently 35 per cent complete.
The first Tokyo 2020 test events are scheduled for mid-2019. “The TMG, the sports federation and Tokyo 2020 are under discussions to make sure the test events are delivered in time,” Takaya added.
Organisers also provided an update on other Tokyo 2020 venues, with the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, which will host events such as badminton, fencing and wheelchair basketball, so far the only completed facility.
The other under-construction venues are: Canoe Slalom Course (38 per cent complete – due to open May 2019), Dream Island Archery Field (50 per cent – June 2019), Seaside Park Hockey Stadium (16 per cent – June 2019), Olympic Gymnastic Centre (22 per cent – October 2019), Olympic Stadium (40 per cent – November 2019), Ariake Arena (21 per cent – December 2019) and the Olympic and Paralympic Village (40 per cent – December 2019).
The International Olympic Committee last week declared its satisfaction with the overall progress being made by Tokyo 2020 organisers during a visit to the city.
Image: Andrew Mager
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