The Rush: James Bond, jetpacks and other unique Olympics Opening Ceremony moments

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How will the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony compare to the fanfare, splendor and surprise of years past? Liz Loza reveals key details of this year’s ceremony and reminisces about the wild, wacky and emotional moments from the Opening Ceremonies of previous Olympic Games.

Video Transcript

LIZ LOZA: We're just one day away from the opening ceremony at the Tokyo games. And about all we know for sure is that four time gold medalist, Sue Bird, and two sports stud, Eddy Alvarez, will be the flag bearers for Team USA.

- Good choice.

LIZ LOZA: Word on the street is that the event will be scaled down due to COVID-19. But I've got to be honest, after the last 18 months, I could use some opening ceremony flair and escapism.

- Baby baby. Come on, let's go.

LIZ LOZA: And so that got me thinking about some of the most memorable opening ceremony moments from the previous games. Like when Queen Elizabeth and James Bond jumped out of a plane at the London 2012 games.

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LIZ LOZA: OK. They were stunt people. But I appreciated the creativity. Before London went Hollywood with making an entrance, there was the 1984 games in Los Angeles when on dude in a jetpack flew around the coliseum.

- To infinity and beyond!

LIZ LOZA: At the Olympics, jetpacks are super dope. Buzzing around your flight out of L.A.X. though, you know, not so much.

- This is video from a pilot capturing what appears to be the elusive Jetpack Man. There are now ongoing FAA and FBI investigations.

LIZ LOZA: More recently though, remember when Pita Taufatofua a.k.a. the Hot Tongan, took the world by storm in Rio?

- Sure do.

LIZ LOZA: Oh! Our Ripped topless flag bearer is what Twitter was made for. I mean, am I right?

I also love when the whole city incorporates sporting events into the lighting of the Olympic flame. They lit the flame via ski jump in Lillehammer in 1994. And with a bow and arrow in Barcelona back in '92.

I'm always up for a laugh or a wow moment. But this go around, I could use a good cathartic cry too. Like when Muhammad Ali fought the symptoms of Parkinson's in front of the entire world to light the flame in Atlanta in 1996. And back in Tokyo, when Yoshinori Sakai, who was born in Hiroshima on the day the US dropped an atomic bomb there, with the torch in 1964.

Whatever this opening ceremony has in store, I am ready for it. Let the games finally begin.

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