TOKYO: At boxing, it was drum-wielding Uzbeks. At table tennis, flag-waving Chinese cheered so much that Japanese media complained it felt like an away match for the home team.
The Olympics may officially be without supporters but at venues across Tokyo national delegations have brought the noise, replacing fans kept out by coronavirus countermeasures.
Technically, cheering is not allowed because of the risk of COVID-19 infection, but the rule has been difficult to enforce during the high drama of Olympic competition.
Mongolian coaches pounded on plastic bleachers seats as their women's team faced off in 3x3 basketball at the Aomi Urban Sports Park in Tokyo.
One of the coaches, Tugsjargal Sambuu, said they were cheering on behalf of all the fans who could not attend.
"Many Mongolians live in Japan. They really want to cheer our teams," Sambuu said. "We have so many fans in Tokyo, but spectators are not allowed."
Russian gymnast Lilia Akhaimova said she and her team mates did their best to make up for the absent fans.
"Honestly, we didn't really pay much attention to that because we cheered each other on, we shouted at one another," the 24-year-old told reporters.
Video of Australian swimming coach Dean Boxall's hip-thrusting celebration went viral after Ariarne Titmus won a stunning victory in the women's 400m freestyle.
Chinese supporters have been visible and vocal.
At the 3x3 basketball, they have waved flags and chanted when opposite teams attempted free throws.
At Monday's table tennis there were dozens of Chinese supporters on hand as the long-invincible pair Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen were upset by Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito.
At one intense moment, a Chinese supporter walked to the front row of the media zone and began shouting Xu and Liu's names, leading the cheers.
HOME CROWD
Japanese coach Yosuke Kurashima said the team were used to the thunderous cheering from Chinese fans.
"We are usually surrounded by thousands and tens of thousands of spectators, and the Chinese supporters drown out our side. So we didn't worry at all about the Chinese cheers. Rather, we tried to make sure their cheering didn't beat ours."
After being delayed by a year, the Tokyo Games have gone ahead without spectators, an unprecedented measure designed to avoid a superspreader event and reassure a nervous Japanese public that opposed holding the Olympics during the pandemic.
German gymnast Sarah Voss said she was used to competing without spectators after having preparations and qualifications without a crowd.
"I think we had a big family, a big crowd at home that cheered for us and we cheered for ourselves," she said.
Images shared on social media showed crowds, large and small, coming together around the world to celebrate Olympians.
In Hong Kong, hundreds of people appeared to gather in a shopping mall to watch fencer Cheung Ka Long receive his medal.
Footage from broadcaster NBC showed a crowd of ecstatic fans going wild in a small-town Alaska gymnasium when 17-year-old swimmer Lydia Jacoby won the women's 100m breaststroke.
But at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, where the judo is being held, one official told Reuters he was getting weary of people asking to be let into the stands.
"The ones who keep asking us to let them into the stands are the media and the people affiliated with the Olympics," the official said, declining to be identified.
"It's getting to be a problem."
Reuters
Tue Jul 27 2021
The Olympic rings are illuminated in front of the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan January 22, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
UNFF19: Malaysia nyata komitmen kekal 50 peratus liputan kawasan berhutan
Sehingga kini Malaysia mempunyai 54.58 peratus atau 18.05 juta hektar kawasan berhutan dan litupan pokok.
Patuhi adab, etika semasa ziarah di Bukit Uhud
Jemaah haji Malaysia yang menyertai ziarah luar di beberaap lokasi di Madinah sebagaimana diuruskan Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) dinasihat mengambil ikhtibar daripada aktiviti dijalankan selain mengelak daripada melakukan perkara yang boleh menimbulkan khurafat semasa menziarah
Melaka jadi tuan rumah Malaysia Bike Week Jun depan
Program selama tiga hari bermula 14 Jun sempena Bulan Permotoran Malaysia itu dijangka mempamerkan pelbagai aset terpilih.
Polis siasat kejadian conteng tembok masjid di Kuala Kubu Baharu
Polis menerima laporan berhubung kejadian itu daripada ahli jawatankuasa masjid berkenaan pada 9 pagi tadi.
Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang beri sumbangan kepada Faisal Halim
Pemain sayap sensasi Harimau Malaya dan Selangor FC, Faisal Halim yang cedera disimbah asid menerima sumbangan daripada Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang.
Juruteknik maut dalam nahas babitkan tiga kenderaan
Seorang juruteknik maut dalam kemalangan melibatkan tiga kenderaan di Kilometer 44 Jalan Alor Setar-Butterworth di pada Sabtu.
Johor sedia RM10 juta naik taraf enam taman negara
Kerja naik taraf itu membabitkan kemudahan dan infrastruktur di lokasi pelancongan berkenaan bagi memberikan keselesaan kepada pengunjung.
Indonesia kecam serangan bakar jahat ke atas ibu pejabat UNRWA
Insiden itu tidak dapat diterima kerana ia menjejaskan ibu pejabat sebuah agensi PBB yang beroperasi dalam sektor kemanusiaan.
Tidak pernah benarkan bida harga, MOT arah APAD semak aplikasi perkhidmatan e-hailing
Kementerian Pengangkutan tidak pernah membenarkan mana-mana penyedia aplikasi perkhidmatan pengangkutan e-hailing menggunakan sistem bidaan harga.
Patuhi adab, etika semasa ziarah di Bukit Uhud
Jemaah haji Malaysia yang menyertai ziarah luar di beberaap lokasi di Madinah sebagaimana diuruskan Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) dinasihat mengambil ikhtibar daripada aktiviti dijalankan selain mengelak daripada melakukan perkara yang boleh menimbulkan khurafat semasa menziarah
Pesawat Japan Airlines terbakar: Malaysia zahirkan simpati dan ucap takziah
Menurut laporan, kesemua 379 penumpang dan krew penerbangan JAL 516, termasuk 8 kanak-kanak, berjaya diselamatkan, dengan sekurang-kurangnya 17 orang cedera.
Nahas JAL516: Pesawat Japan Airlines terbakar di Lapangan Terbang Haneda Tokyo
Sebuah pesawat Japan Airlines dilaporkan terbakar di Lapangan Terbang Haneda di Tokyo dan anggota bomba dilaporkan sedang bertungkus-lumus memadamkan kebakaran ketika ini.
Lawatan ke Jepun berjaya, tarik potensi pelaburan RM6.56 bilion - PM Anwar
Lawatan Perdana Menteri ke Jepun dianggap berjaya dan menggalakkan apabila nilai potensi pelaburan yang dibawa pulang berjumlah RM6.56 bilion.
AZEC: Kebersamaan semua negara, bantu percepat peralihan tenaga - PM Anwar
Malaysia menekankan kebersamaan semua negara dalam memainkan peranan lebih aktif berkaitan kerjasama dana hijau, insentif, fasilitasi teknologi dan infrastruktur.
PM Anwar bertemu ahli perniagaan, kapten industri Jepun
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mengadakan pertemuan dengan ahli-ahli perniagaan Jepun yang berlangsung di The Prince Park Tower Tokyo.
Sidang ASEAN-Jepun: PM akan bangkitkan isu perubahan iklim, perjanjian ekonomi, Palestin
Penyertaan Anwar bersama pemimpin ASEAN lain pada Sidang Kemuncak Peringatan ASEAN-Jepun dianggap sangat signifikan.
Matrade ketuai misi pecutan eksport ke Jepun dari 31 Okt hingga 8 Nov 2023
Matrade akan mengetuai misi pecutan eksport melibatkan 16 syarikat Malaysia ke Tokyo dan Osaka, Jepun dari 31 Okt hingga 8 Nov, 2023.
Cuaca panas terik dijangka berterusan di Jepun
Agensi cuaca Jepun berkata cuaca panas terik dijangka berlaku di wilayah Jepun yang lebih luas pada Selasa, mendorong peningkatan suhu melebihi 35 darjah Celsius
Berita antarabangsa pilihan sepanjang hari ini
Antara pelbagai berita luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
Penyerang kereta api Tokyo 2021 dihukum penjara 23 tahun
Mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman penjara 23 tahun terhadap seorang lelaki kerana melakukan serangan menggunakan pisau dan membakar kereta api di Tokyo pada 2021.