Irish Examiner view: Sport is equal to the Olympic challenges

The exceptional power of the Games to inspire and unite will come through in Tokyo

Sanita Puspure was the first of Ireland’s 116 Olympic athletes in action today in Tokyo and the double world champion lived up to her rank and billing as a huge medal contender with a cruising win in her single sculls heat at the Sea Forest Waterway. Picture:Inpho/Bryan Keane

It is an achievement in itself that today’s Olympic Games opening ceremony is going ahead at all. It takes place in the face of considerable opposition to the event in Japan, ongoing fears over Covid-19, and the resignation of the ceremony’s director shortly before the show was due to open.