Naomi Osaka was given the honors to light the Olympic Cauldron at the Opening Ceremony of the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games!
Tennis star Coco Gauff will not compete in the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive COVID test. We hope she will have a full recovery.
Sha’Carri Richardson who qualified for the USA Track Team in the 100 Meters Dash and the 4 X 100 Medley Relay, also will not compete in the Tokyo Olympics due to the substance of marijuana found in her blood system.
1. When did the 1st Black athlete become an Olympian?
1908 in the London Olympics at White City Stadium, from April 27 to October 31, 1908 2,008 Athletes, 1,971 were men and 37 were women
2. Who was the 1st Black athlete to become an Olympian?
John Baxter Taylor, Jr. Born: November 3, 1882 from Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Died: December 2, 1908, at the age of 26 yrs., a little over a month from being the 1st African-American Olympic Gold Medalist
3. Who was the 1st Black athlete to Win an Olympic Gold for Team USA?
John Baxter Taylor, Jr. was on the American 1600 Meter Medley Relay Team. He ran third leg for his part of the 400 meter which I say gave the anchor plenty of room to win GOLD
4. The name of the most decorated Black Gold Medalist?
Simone Biles, 19 Gold Medals as an Olympic gymnast going into Tokyo 2021. Let’s not forget about the beautiful and artistic art of rhythmic gymnastics. Wendy Hilliard is the 1st African-American rhythmic gymnast to compete with the American Team in 1978
5. List the NEW Olympic sports debuting in Tokyo and the Black athletes:
Karate, Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing, 3 on 3 Basketball, BMX Freestyle. For Skateboarding, watch for Zion Wright, For 3 on 3 Basketball, watch for Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray, and Katie Lou Samuelson
6. The names of the Black athletes to watch in the Tokyo Olympics 2021:
American Bobsledder, – Lauryn Williams; Basketball, (Men’s) – Kevin Durant; Basketball, (Women’s) – Dawn Staley 1st Black Head Coach for Women’s Olympic USA Basketball Team; Boxing, (Men’s) – Keyshawn Davis; Boxing, (Women’s) – Claressa Shields; Gymnastics, (Women’s) – Simone Biles; Rugby, (Women’s) – Naya Tapper; Rugby, (Men’s) – Perry Baker; Skateboarding – Zion Wright; Soccer, (Women’s) – Crystal Dunn, Adriann French; Softball, (Women’s) – Michelle Moultrie; Swimming, – Simone Manuel, Natalie Hinds; TaeKwondo, – Paige McPherson; Tennis, (Women’s) – Naomi Osaka; Track & Field, (Women’s) – 5th-Time Olympian, Allyson Felix; Track & Field, (Men’s) – Trayvon Bromell; Total of 36 Black women Olympians and a total of 38 Black men Olympians in these Tokyo 2021 Games for Track and Field. There are so many Black athletic stars on the USA Track & Field Team, not just in the 100 Meters Dash and the 4 X 100 Relay, the 200 and other popular track events. But Black athletes are competing in all areas of the FIELD and we should watch, i.e. the Marathon, long jump, high jump, the hurdles, shot put, triple jump, the pole vault, hammer throw, the decathlon, discus, and even steeplechase. Water Polo, (Women’s) – Ashleigh Johnson; (Men’s) – Max Irving; Weight Lifting, – Clarence “CJ” Cummings; Wrestling, (Women’s) – Tamyra Mensah-Stock; Reference: Black Information Network, (BIN)
7. Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Mexico Olympics protested with their black-gloved Raised Fist. What are some of the 2021 Tokyo Olympic guidelines in protesting?
Protest Guidelines Developed by the IOC Athletes’ Commission
Where are protests and demonstrations not permitted during the Olympic Games? • At all Olympic venues, including: * On the field of play * In the Olympic Village * During Olympic medal ceremonies * During the Opening, Closing and other official Ceremonies • Any protest or demonstration outside Olympic venues must obviously comply with local legislation wherever local law forbids such actions. During the Olympic Games, where do athletes have the opportunity to express their views? While respecting local laws, athletes have the opportunity to express their opinions, including: • During press conferences and interviews, i.e. in the mixed zones, in the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) or the Main Media Centre (MMC) • At team meetings • On digital or traditional media, or on other platforms. It should be noted that expressing views is different from protests and demonstrations. It should be noted, too, that these guidelines are also applicable to any other accredited person (trainers, coaches, officials, etc.). Here are some examples of what would constitute a protest, as opposed to expressing views (nonexhaustive list): • Displaying any political messaging, including signs or armbands • Gestures of a political nature, like a hand gesture or kneeling • Refusal to follow the Ceremonies protocol.
8. My experience in the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics:
I had not moved to Los Angeles until 1985 when the Olympics came in 1984, but I lived close enough to not want to miss this historic event. Tom Bradley was the Mayor of Los Angeles and Ronald Reagan was president of the United States. Los Angeles had also hosted the Olympics in 1932 and will join the other countries, Greece and London and Paris in 2024 for hosting the Olympics three times when the Olympics returns to Los Angeles in 2028. I purchased a track and field ticket to see Carl Lewis at the Coliseum win his 4th Gold Medal. I still have in my possession the sexy off the shoulder sweatshirt I had made that said, GO 4 the GOLD Carl Lewis.
9. Have some decisions made by the IOC seem to edge on the side of racism?
The Soul Cap swimming cap created and designed for natural hair in mind for Black women that are being used by Black Olympic swimmers such as Simone Manuel, is banned. And T-shirts or athletic wear with Black Lives Matter is also banned by the IOC. The International Olympic Committee, (IOC), has laxed the guideline some by stating that a raised fist can be performed, let’s say before an athlete begins to compete, but is NOT allowed to raise the Black Power sign on the Olympic podium. The IOC have relaxed the guidelines concerning Taking A Knee, and some Olympic Teams have already taken a stand on this issue of racism in the world. Do you mean to tell me that the Tokyo IOC is allowing the USA Track and Field to cause them to pass up on the RACE OF THE CENTURY between the USA and Jamaica without Richardson over some weed that has probably detoxed out of her blood system by now in time for her to run. I can see if Richardson took a steroid that will ENHANCE a person’s running ability, which I am sure that the Anti-Doping Agency was established to keep steroid-like types of drugs out to prevent athletes from having an advantage. But if anything marijuana more than likely may relax and stifle a person’s running speed. So let her run. They say that the calendar date for the 4 X 100 Relay comes after Sha’ Carri Richardson’s 30 day suspension is over which is the reason why the USA Track and Field had considered Richardson to run anchor in the Relay, but has since declined her entry. I say the USA Track and Field did not place Richardson on the team only after it was suggested for Richardson to decline to run on the USA Relay Team if she could NOT run in her signature 100 Meters Dash. I say why only the Relay and not include the Dash?! Duh? Same body. July 19th is when Richardson’s test results came back positive for marijuana and I say the 19th should have been the date to begin the countdown for the 30 days suspension. But her suspension came into effect on June 28th. But still enough time for the 30 days suspension is over just in time when Track and Field begins, on July 30th. So let Sha’ Run in the 100!
10. A sneak preview of our LA28 Olympic Games:
Our Historical 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were profitable! And we have more time to prepare for our Olympics in 2028 since Paris is hosting the 2024 Olympic Games. So today we have seven years instead of only three years to settle our homeless crisis and time to expand and improve public transit. So many countries go into debt and are not able to capitalize on the usage of their new venues that they built specifically for the Olympics. But us Angelenos during our 2028 hosting will be able to propose an Olympics that will be termed, “sustainable”. Meaning no to debt, and YES to profits! And that the venues to be used to house the Olympic sporting events will still be usable and needed prior to the Games, because these buildings already existed. In other words, a precedent smaller amount of money from the 6.9 Billion, with a “B”, Olympic budget will NOT be needed to build NEW venues. Here are some of the sneak previews of the venues: LA Convention Center for Fencing, The Forum for Gymnastics, Bonelli Park for Mountain Bike, Lake Perris for Rowing, Pauley Pavilion for Wrestling, of course SoFi Stadium, the new Clippers Stadium, LA Live, Banc of California, Staples Center, USC and UCLA campuses, while Exposition Park and the Coliseum brings us back to the 1984 Olympics. Just to name a few. Now money can go towards updating our stadiums and arenas with new technology and some aesthetics when needed. Just as Los Angeles did for our 1984 Olympics when the late Tom Bradley was Mayor, 160 million will be invested for youth sports leading up to the LA28 Games. Such programs from 1984 birth our great local athletes such as Venus and Serena Williams! With less money needed for new buildings and the like, we will have more money towards satisfying our visitors, domestic sponsors, ticket sales, merchandising, licensing, local vendors, advocate monies for local small businesses and most importantly to continue the “Great ComeBACK” for the leisure, travel, and hospitality industry. This is where our Travel & Tourism LA South Chamber of Commerce DESTINATION GUIDE comes into play. If you have not submitted your AD for our Guide, we strongly suggest you do or you will be left out of making history with our LA28 Olympics and with THE CHAMBER. To place your AD, GoTo: www.lasouthchamber.com/destination-guide
Thank You
Click this link for the FULL Tokyo Olympic schedule:
Recent Comments