Why Arisa Tsubata and a Treadmill Were the Breakout Stars of the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony
Didn't get a chance to workout this morning? Don't worry, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony is here to remind you!
After a year-long delay because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Games are finally here and kicked off on July 23 with a scaled-down event that was still filled with athletes, performances and, of course, memes in the making. And the true breakout star of the Opening Ceremony? Well, it was a treadmill.
Japanese boxer Arisa Tsubata, who is also a nurse who was on the frontlines treating COVID-19 patients, rightfully stole the spotlight during the first performance with her impressive running skills, alongside other socially distanced athletes who were exercising on a rowing machine and a stationary bike, respectively.
Tsubata sadly did not qualify for the Games after the IOC cancelled the boxing qualifier in June due to the pandemic, so we're glad to to see the 27-year-old athlete still get her time to shine at the Olympics, even if she was forced to run alone in front of millions of people.
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According to Internet reports, the performance represented the "invisible bond" between the isolated athletes, who were connected on stage through light projections. After an interlude of dancers portraying a "web of emotions" through the use of elastics, the focus was once again back on Tsubata, getting back on the treadmill, running alone.
But, because the Internet is gonna Internet, Twitter had some less, um, abstract thoughts on the treadmill seen around the world.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Every time I've attempted to get on a treadmill since the pandemic started. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TokyoOlympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TokyoOlympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/cYycCA7rxl">pic.twitter.com/cYycCA7rxl</a></p>— Ryan Schwartz (@RyanSchwartz) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanSchwartz/status/1418528926155038725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">As someone who has fallen off a treadmill while running, the idea of even jogging on one during the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> Opening Ceremony with the world watching is giving me extreme anxiety.</p>— Meredith Perri (@MeredithPerri) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeredithPerri/status/1418528305226129409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The lone treadmill person is some intensely relatable content 😭 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a></p>— Jen Ryall (@jennijenni) <a href="https://twitter.com/jennijenni/status/1418534875557027844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pelaton really stepped up their commercials <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Olympics</a>, oh wait that was the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningCeremony?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpeningCeremony</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/treadmill?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#treadmill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pelaton?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pelaton</a></p>— Trish Devilishly (@TrishDevilishly) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrishDevilishly/status/1418530424444293122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Running on a treadmill in front of millions, is this a horror film? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningCeremony?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpeningCeremony</a></p>— Yeahhh the girls (@yeahthegs) <a href="https://twitter.com/yeahthegs/status/1418529866362736640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Treadmill running person going nowhere for a really long time at the Opening Ceremony is basically a perfect metaphor for 2020-21. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningCeremony?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpeningCeremony</a></p>— Stop It I Love It (@StopItILoveIt) <a href="https://twitter.com/StopItILoveIt/status/1418530092116971524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">*turns on Olympic ceremony*<br>Fifteen minutes of a star Japanese boxer jogging on a treadmill in an empty stadium, her story of triumph against odds... then an announcement that she won't get to actually compete because her qualification tournament was cancelled due to Covid.<br><br>OK!</p>— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimwaterson/status/1418531138277154816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Running on a treadmill for a solid 10 mins…SORRY that would be my Olympics DONE before it even started 👀 BYE FELICIA!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningCeremony?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OpeningCeremony</a> 🇯🇵</p>— Martin Dougan (@Martidougan2012) <a href="https://twitter.com/Martidougan2012/status/1418530130155220995?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
(This story was originally published on Friday, July 23, 2021 at 5:11 a.m. PST)
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