It takes up to nine years to organise an Olympic Games, from the start of the bid procedure to the conclusion of the event.
For the organisers of the next Olympiad in Rio, in 2016, that cycle is nearing its end, while Tokyo 2020 is at the start of a long and exciting road to being an Olympic host city.
Delegations from both events travelled to the 2015 World Archery Championships in Copenhagen.
“We are here to prepare ourselves for the Tokyo Olympics,” said Hiroki Onodero, representing Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Senior Director of Venues. “Of course this world championships is different but nevertheless people from various countries are here and watching them makes me feel very excited.”
The World Archery Championships in Copenhagen are the most diverse in history, with 97 nations competing for Olympic quota places to Rio 2016.
The Rio delegation will make an official visit to the competition on qualification day.
Rio 2016 Sport Director Agberto Guimaraes presented to delegates at World Archery Congress, which immediately preceded the world championships. His speech included an invitation, directed at all of World Archery’s member associations, to the Aquece Rio International Archery Challenge – the Games’ test event – in September 2015.
Both groups travelled to the event with a clear purpose: to look at the details of the venues and event delivery, talk with athletes, coaches and officials – and learn as much information as possible.
That gained expertise will then be taken back to their respective organisations and help make deliver the archery competitions at the next two Olympic Games to the exceptional level required.
Mr Onodero spoke with World Archery President Prof Dr Ugur Erdener after presenting a first plan for Tokyo to World Archery Congress.
“I learned through the Congress yesterday, being here and talking to the President as well, that how you set up each venue is very important because each country and each place has its own unique identity,” said Mr Onodero.
Tokyo 2020 released its official identity and logo in the week preceding the worlds.
Translating this identity to a unique archery venue is the organising committee’s next challenge. Copenhagen, with its vivid blue and yellow colour scheme and finals weekend set with the backdrop of Christiansborg Palace, has given the delegation some ideas to start from.
“This is indeed a big challenge for us and we are just starting so we are going to use what we have learned and we know what we are supposed to come up with – and we are going to work towards that,” Mr Onodero concluded.
World Archery Secretary General Tom Dielen led the Tokyo delegation on a tour around the competition field.
He said the visits of future organisers – of Olympics and other international events – was essential to ensure the effective transfer of expertise from event to event.
“With representatives from Tokyo visiting such a prestigious and well-organised World Archery Championships five years before the Games arrive in their city, they will have an excellent understanding of the requirements of the sport early in the planning cycle,” said Mr Dielen.
“The knowledge gained in Copenhagen will prove invaluable in the successful delivery of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.”
